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America is in Better Shape Than You Think. Here are some facts: Saturday's GNR [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-09-02
I had a whole intro written on schadenfreude, but then I re-read this brilliant piece by David Rothkopt in the Daily Beast and I had to lead with it. It is titled:
America’s In Much Better Shape (at Home and Abroad) Than You Probably Think
First he starts by talking about where were were just a few years ago:
Think where we were on Jan. 6, 2021. Our democracy was on the ropes. Our president had betrayed the country. For the first time in our history, we failed to have a peaceful transfer of power between our elected leaders. The movement led by Donald Trump fed on the worst flaws in our national character—the racism, sexism, hyper-nationalism, and greed that had so often tormented us in the preceding two and a half centuries. The nation was wracked by a pandemic…. Our economy was shaken, as was that of the world. U.S. GDP had fallen by 3.5 percent the previous year, more than a 5-point decline from the year before. Our rivals in the world were rising. By some measures, China’s economy had already eclipsed ours in size. But regardless of metrics, the momentum was with them. The U.S. was wounded, faltering, bleeding out.
and then he points out how amazingly we changed — how well we are now doing
After all, from the depths of the COVID pandemic, and despite the gross mismanagement of the previous U.S. administration, America has recovered more rapidly than the other advanced economies of the G7. This recovery has included job growth that has broken records and the sound management of inflation—which was associated chiefly with the pandemic-caused supply chain squeezes and corporate profiteering linked to those supply chain problems. The recovery has been marked by low unemployment, low energy costs, and an active program of investing in the U.S. economy. Despite the fact that U.S. politics is so polarized and toxic, the past three years have seen more major public initiatives investing in American growth than at any time in the past 60 years. There may have been mini-eras that are generally viewed more positively in hindsight during that period—but the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package was the biggest such piece of legislation since the Eisenhower years. The Inflation Reduction Act was the biggest investment in combating climate change and in green growth in U.S. history. The CHIPs and Science Act will help make America less dependent on foreign sources for vital technologies while ensuring we remain the world’s leader in critical technologies. The American Rescue Plan lifted millions out of poverty and helped millions more rebound from the consequences of the pandemic’s devastation. At the same time, this administration looks more like the American people—all of them—than any in our history. And it has brought more diversity to our courts than any of its predecessors. three years ago, if you had said that the U.S. would be stronger than ever in the eyes of the world, that our NATO alliance would be larger and more vital, that we would be building vast new alliances across the Pacific, few would have believed it. Had you said we would go from Trump’s subordinating U.S. interests to those of Russia, to standing up to Putin and helping Ukraine score victory after unimaginable victory over their much bigger neighbor, you would have rejected the idea as too improbable an about-face.
and although he acknowledges that there are still problems and threats, he also reminds us of how far we have come.
Yes, there are dark forces at work in our system. Yes, we must continue to call them out, resist, and defeat them. What if America is actually going to be alright, after all? What if, in fact, it turns out we are living in a moment of not just American resilience, but of resurgence? What if, as has happened so often in American history, when confronted by great challenges we are emerging stronger, confounding expectations? Here we are, stronger than ever.
There is much more than that and you should check it out. But honestly, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Bravo!
Democrats Doing Great Things
Overtime pay would cover millions more workers under proposed Biden rule
The Biden administration unveiled a new rule Wednesday to extend overtime pay to an additional 3.6 million salaried white-collar workers in the United States. The Labor Department’s proposed rule would guarantee overtime pay for far more non-hourly workers, raising the threshold to benefit such workers earning less than $55,000 a year. “Today, the Biden-Harris administration is proposing a rule that would help restore workers’ economic security by giving millions more salaried workers the right to overtime protections,” acting labor secretary Julie Su said in a statement.
x Under President Biden, unemployment has been under 4% for 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗦 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.
The US has the lowest inflation rate & best economic recovery from the pandemic of all G7 nations.
The economy is DEFINITELY better with Biden! pic.twitter.com/NtQh0JOcsu — Leia🌻 (@TheSWPrincess) September 1, 2023
Biden administration names 10 prescription drugs for price negotiations
The Biden administration Tuesday identified 10 expensive prescription drugs it has chosen for price negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers as the government seeks to ease the financial burden on older and disabled Americans. The announcement marks an unprecedented step in a long political war over the nation’s exorbitant drug costs even as the pharmaceutical industry is still trying to block the plan. “Today is the start of a new deal for patients where Big Pharma doesn’t just get a blank check at your expense and the expense of the American people,” Biden said in remarks Tuesday from the White House East Room. Referring to the spate of lawsuits alleging that the negotiations are unconstitutional, he said, “We’re going to keep standing up” to the pharmaceutical industry. “I’ll have your back,” he said, addressing the nation’s consumers.
AG denounces election worker threats as DOJ charges over a dozen people
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday spoke out against rising threats towards election workers as the Department of Justice's specialized task force announced a ninth conviction as it seeks to combat the problem. Driving the news: The DOJ announced Thursday that two men in two separate cases in Arizona and Georgia had pleaded guilty to threatening election officials in the respective states in separate cases, brought by the the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force — which has now brought charges in 14 cases. What they're saying: "A functioning democracy requires that the public servants who administer our elections are able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives," Garland said in a statement. "The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute those who target election officials and election workers as part of our broader efforts to safeguard the right to vote and to defend our democracy."
Calling the IRS? Hold times are way down this tax season
Taxpayers who called the IRS had an average wait time of four minutes this tax season compared to 27 minutes a year earlier, the agency said Monday. Ahead of the tax filing deadline on Tuesday, the IRS is promoting its improved customer service and giving credit to a big boost in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act that Democrats pushed through Congress last year. The federal tax collector on Monday reported a dramatic turnaround for the 2023 tax season from a year ago, when the agency scored its worst customer service marks on record.
Bad News for Bad Guys
Ya’ll there was so much bad news for bad guys this week that I had to pick and choose. And this section is STILL too long! Hope you are a fan of schadenfreude!
How Mark Meadows’ Testimony May Have Just Helped Prosecutors
Trump’s one-time right-hand man is trying to wrestle the Fulton County District Attorney’s case out of relatively liberal local courts and place the case before a federal judge. But the way he did it raised serious questions—both for himself and for Trump. It’s all the more curious, then, that Meadows decided to take the witness stand on Monday and assert that he was merely doing his job as Trump’s chief of staff when he partook in what Atlanta prosecutors call a pressure campaign to flip the vote there. Because in doing so, he’s essentially pointing the finger at his boss. Odom said it’s reasonable to think of Meadows’ decision to testify as flipping without actually flipping having Meadows say every phone call and text message that set into motion Trump’s anti-democratic plans was part of his official White House duties is still ammunition for the DA. “He’s giving fodder to the prosecution,” said Jonathan R. Nash, a law professor at Emory University. “Trump can still say, I didn’t tell him to do that… but the prosecution has a lot to work with.”
RNC Members Acknowledge Their Fundraising Is ‘in the Toilet’
When Republican National Committee members met in Milwaukee last week, many of them had one persistent question on their minds: Why has fundraising slumped? At the start of the 2022 midterm cycle, the RNC had twice as much cash on hand as the Democratic National Committee—$80.5 million versus $38.8 million. Now, the RNC has less than half as much on hand as the DNC—$11.8 million to the DNC’s $25.4 million. “The fundraising has gone in the toilet,” this RNC member said. “They’re not raising money.”
Trump could soon be in big legal trouble for inflating his net worth
New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking a speedy judgment against former President Donald Trump for allegedly inflating his net worth by billions of dollars to fraudulently secure favorable loan and insurance terms for more than a decade. In a filing Wednesday night in New York court, James argued that Trump, his sons, and his business had obtained “hundreds of millions of dollars in ill-gotten savings and profits” and that, given the volume of evidence her office has collected, the judge should issue what’s known as a summary judgment, essentially a ruling without the trial scheduled on October 2. James says her team has many examples of instances in which Trump improperly inflated the value of his assets. On Wednesday, his lawyers also released Trump’s April deposition in the case, which went on for seven hours. In it, Trump argues that James didn’t have a case and that she should drop it. He talks about his contributions to New York City’s real estate development and says “It’s a shame” that “now I have to come and justify myself to you.” It’s not clear which side will prevail. But for now, it’s another legal headache for the embattled former president.
x This should seal the fate of Meadows’ effort to remove the Georgia prosecution to federal court, but if it doesn’t that’s not the end of the world. Wherever it lands, Fani Willis’s RICO case is dynamite 🧨
https://t.co/aF895jg93g — Laurence Tribe 🇺🇦 ⚖️ (@tribelaw) September 1, 2023
Be glad you’re not in charge of raising money for Ron DeSantis
According to the FiveThirtyEight average of national polling, DeSantis was only about 6 points behind Donald Trump at the start of the year. Even by mid-March, DeSantis was still within single digits. Then Trump got indicted in Manhattan and his support surged. When DeSantis formally announced his candidacy in late May — after Never Back Down had already spent large sums promoting his not-yet-a-campaign — he was trailing Trump by more than 30 points. The campaign announcement improved his position only slightly and briefly; today, DeSantis is down by 36 points.
x The Fulton County investigative grand jury's report is set for a Sept 8 release. This will include previously redacted portions & may reveal whether there were additional targets grand jurors recommended indictment for, among other details.
https://t.co/M6qBGtvPOf — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 1, 2023
Giuliani Is Liable for Defaming Georgia Election Workers, Judge Says
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that Rudolph W. Giuliani was liable for defaming two Georgia election workers by repeatedly declaring that they had mishandled ballots while counting votes in Atlanta during the 2020 election. The ruling by the judge, Beryl A. Howell in Federal District Court in Washington, means that the defamation case against Mr. Giuliani, a central figure in former President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to remain in power after his election loss, can proceed to trial on the narrow question of how much, if any, damages he will have to pay the plaintiffs in the case.
Proud Boys Leader Gets Hefty Sentence for Jan. 6 Riot Despite Pleading With Judge
Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs was “an instigator and leader” of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to prosecutors. Now he’ll serve 17 years behind bars after being sentenced for seditious conspiracy on Thursday. It’s a lengthy jail term compared to the other Capitol rioters—only a year shorter than the longest sentence given for Jan. 6-related crimes. That belongs to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who got an 18-year sentence for the same crime. Biggs is a veteran of the U.S. Army and sustained a head injury during his service in Iraq. He later joined right-wing conspiracy website Infowars as a correspondent. When he stormed the Capitol with his fellow Proud Boys on Jan. 6, Biggs was a “vocal leader and influential proponent of the group’s shift toward political violence,” prosecutors argued.
AND: Two Proud Boys Sentenced in Jan. 6 Sedition Case
Two more members of the Proud Boys were sentenced to prison on Thursday for their roles in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with a ground commander in the far-right group, Ethan Nordean, given 18 years, and Dominic Pezzola, the man who set off the initial breach of the building by smashing a window with a riot shield, getting 10 years. The sentences imposed on Mr. Nordean and Mr. Pezzola were the third and fourth to have been handed down this week to five members of the far-right group who were tried in May for seditious conspiracy and other crimes in one of the most significant prosecutions to have emerged from the Capitol attack.
Putin struggles with falling ruble, rising prices as sanctions bite
When Vladimir Putin addressed top economic officials last week after a bruising month in which the Russian ruble plummeted to a 16-month low against the U.S. dollar, the Russian president sought to set a confident tone. The country’s economy, he said, was growing again and wages were rising. But despite the show of bravado, Putin could not avoid mentioning a growing weakness that is stalking the economy as Western sanctions bite ever deeper, and one that has been exacerbated by the ruble’s plunge. Rapidly rising prices caused by a 20 percent drop in the value of the ruble between early June and mid-August and the government’s pouring of funds into Russia’s defense industry are bringing Russia’s war — and the impact of sanctions — home to many Russians for the first time, economists say. “The Russian people have been isolating themselves from these political developments, but the inflation rate is something they can’t isolate themselves from because they have to pay,” said Janis Kluge, an economist at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “It is a way in which politics really interferes in their lives, and this is the part which is worrying for the Russian leadership. Because no propaganda will make this go away.”
Other Good News
People Are More Generous Than You May Think
Are human beings fundamentally good or fundamentally bad? Are people mostly generous, or are they mostly selfish? Over the centuries, many of our leading lights have taken the view that people are basically selfish. But what if this dark view of our nature is not true? In a recent experiment led by the psychologists Ryan J. Dwyer, William J. Brady and Elizabeth W. Dunn and the TED curator Chris Anderson, 200 people in seven nations around the world were each given $10,000, free, and then reported how they spent the money. Did they keep it all themselves? No. On average, the participants spent more than $6,400 of it to benefit others, including almost $1,700 on donations to charity. Of that prosocial spending, $3,678 went to people outside their immediate household, and $2,163 was spent on strangers, acquaintances and donations to organizations. People used the money to take friends out for meals or to support families that had lost loved ones or to support an organization that provides construction training to marginalized people. Sounds pretty generous to me. This study is not an outlier. Over the past few decades, social scientists have devised many situations in which research subjects are given the chance to behave either selfishly or cooperatively.
x So reassuring that some Republicans remain loyal to the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Props to Gov. Kemp!
https://t.co/iaYl8kIS7V — Laurence Tribe 🇺🇦 ⚖️ (@tribelaw) August 31, 2023
On The Lighter Side
Trump-Indictment Mad Libs
Former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted for a(n) ______st/nd/rd/th (number between four and infinity) time. The latest charges include ______ (crime Trump hasn’t already been accused of) and retention of White House ______s (office-supply item) after his Presidency. In a response on Truth Social, Trump called the allegations “a massive ______” (all-caps noun) “concocted by the Democrats, ______ (foreign country), and ______ (media company other than his own).” The new indictment comes as the ______ (first word that pops into your head when someone says “the Trump Organization”) mogul awaits trial in several other cases. In New York, he stands accused of hush-money payments to the porn star ______ (weather event) ______ (generic surname). At the federal level, he’s been charged with mishandling and concealing classified documents on his Mar-a-Lago estate, where he stored them in a bathroom, an office, a bedroom, a ballroom, and a ______ (room that nobody making under seven figures would have in their home). In July, 2021, Trump brought some of the documents to his ______ (sport requiring minimal athleticism) club in ______ (punch-line state) and shared them with multiple people, none of whom had security clearance to view them. Aware of this ______ (euphemism for “crime”), Trump took the precaution of declaring that he “shouldn’t be showing the materials to them” and that they “shouldn’t get too close.” ______ (three-letter Internet-age abbreviation)! A federal grand jury has also indicted the former President on charges of interference in the 2020 election, to say nothing of the ______ (another 2020 shit show). In Trump’s alleged effort to reverse the election results, he enlisted the coöperation of a Justice Department official, a political consultant, four attorneys, and ______ (Disney villain). In court, one of the attorneys made claims of fraud that Trump himself called “crazy” in private conversation with ______ (now convicted Trump associate).
What can you do to save democracy?
Here are some ideas:
We here at the GNR have set up a fundraising ActBlue account where you can donate and have it evenly distributed between 24 races that will be key to winning the House in 24!
Go ahead and donate at this link:
More worried about keeping tfg out of the WH? You could:
Looking for something else? Maybe something that doesn’t involve donating? GREAT! Here are some other ideas:
So pick just one and get to it!
I am so lucky and so proud to be in this with all of you 💓💚💛🧡✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊❤️🧡💛💚
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