4.25.21: However You Define 'Normal,' It Takes Time to Get Back to It

Paraphrasing one of the several reactions to the George Floyd murder trial displayed at the top of today's program, there's poetry in that it took the breath and life being taken from George Floyd so that the country could effectively breathe and exhale.

The cost for that collective breath has been far too high, for far too long.

The governor of Minnesota got it right this week when he said that this is not a culmination but a beginning, a base, in which to move forward toward justice. Mr. Todd put forward the question of whether or not this is our 'Selma' moment, as Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC) was quoted saying about the verdict. As the always most logical voice in the room, The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson said that it was too soon to tell, but rhetorically asked, that if this isn't then what is? Historian Keith Mayes from the University of Minnesota was a definitive 'no' citing the fact that we've had six people of color die at the hands of the police since the verdict and that Washington hasn't called for reform in a wide bi-partisan fashion.

The lingering questions:
Where would we be without the video? Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said that she didn't know. None of us do.
If Republicans controlled Congress would we even be discussing police reform legislation? 
And are we as a society at this point even capable of having another 'Selma' moment?

The panel conversation circled around police reform and whether budgets for departments are too high, too low, whether the disparity is too great and how the money should be spent. However, Mr. Todd made the very point that we made in last week's column, to which Malcolm Gladwell expounded upon and left sitting; the point being that when half of the population is armed and you don't know who that is, how do you avoid police using excessive force? He explained, as you can easily imagine, that no other country has this unique problem to the extent that we do here. 

As a society, if we want to reform the police and have their behavior change, the rest of us could take some of the burden from them by having more gun safety. Police reform and gun safety are obviously politically charged issues that usually warrant too many opinions than we want to hear. 

That vaccinations are a politically charged subject is just 'effing' stupid at this point. How many millions have been vaccinated? And even in the case of the Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine, there should be no issue because the cases of blood clotting have been so rare. Feel better that they are aware of it and making us aware of it. Republicans and states in which the former president won are either flat out refusing to get vaccinated because Trump (doesn't deserve any honorific) isn't the president and the election was stolen or you've been advised by your Evangelical pastor that the virus is a hoax and it's a sin to get it. Or you could be like Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and say if you got vaccinated then why should I have to? There's a real leader for you. And it's Republicans that complain about things being shut down, yet refuse to do one thing, the vehicle through which we can fully reopen. When confronted with this kind of pretzel logic, it's difficult to have empathy for the other side's point of view. 

(Aside: Morgan Radford noted that 6 in 10 Republican voters still think there was fraud in the election that enable Mr. Biden to win.)

Despite the aforementioned obstacles, a right-wing echo chamber only in for the check, and Republican held state houses doing their best to limit democracy, President Biden has an overall approval rating amongst all Americans of 53 percent. Normalcy and competency go a long way, don't they? We'll have trouble adjusting back into normal life, however you want to define that, post-covid and some people may never stop wearing masks, being hesitant to be in large groups, et al. 

The same has been the case in the first 100 days of Mr. Biden's presidency. It will take time for the public to adjust to a normal functioning administration with no 'crazy dramas,' as The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan put it. And hopefully as time goes on, the 'crazy' will be seen for what it is and eventually fade. A bit optimistic, but either way it's going to take time to adjust. 

Panel: Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal; Morgan Radford, NBC News; Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; Malcolm Gladwell

4.18.21: The Transition is Us in the Midst of Multiple Crises

Princeton University professor, Eddie Glaude, Jr. described the state of police reform as in an interregum, which is normally defined as when the usual state of government functioning is suspended in the face of a crisis. A transition period, if you will. Applied to policing, we may be in that state in terms of thinking about policing in this country, but in the practical sense, sadly, it's business as usual. Police using excessive force continues unabated.

Today's panel weighed in with a multitude of reasons, but there's one aspect that hasn't been clearly stated as to why we are continually seeing videos of police using excessive force and that is perhaps because they are afraid and uncertain, uncertain that the person they're encountering has a gun. 

And it's directly related to mass shootings - 147 since the beginning of the year - defined as 4 or more people shot. It's entirely too easy to get a gun in the United States and if an individual is determined to get one, ultimately it will not be difficult to attain so everyone and anyone can have a gun on them at any given time.  400 million guns in circulation for a population of 332 million... Someone's going to get shot.

Echoing our column from a few weeks ago, until we think about gun safety as a public health issue as Dr. Anthony Fauci described it, these crises of police shooting people and mass shootings will continue with more frequency. And one more thing about the Second Amendment in particular: There is the widely held belief in the United States that owning a gun is a fundamental right of Americans, like free speech, but that simply is not true. One could be in jail and still exercise free speech, but you can not own a gun in jail. That's a simplistic example, but suitable.

And speaking of Dr. Fauci and public health, how is wearing a mask controversial even when you have been vaccinated when it's explained so easily by Dr. Fauci. Paraphrasing, if you're vaccinated you still may contract Covid-19 but not have any symptoms because you're vaccinated. However, if you're not wearing a mask you may give the virus to someone who is not vaccinated and or still susceptible to contracting it. Basically, look out for your neighbor, something not in vogue at the moment it seems, especially on the part of 43% of Republicans who said they will not get vaccinated.  Easily explained in two sentences.

As for the pause of the Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine, it is concerning that a few individuals have died and suffer from blood clots from getting the shot. This side effect is, frankly, a major concern make no mistake and yes, officials including Dr. Fauci are going to be very cautious in how they discuss this, as he was today because of the possibility of blood clots forming, then traveling quickly to the brain, which kills you. But before you go off the deep end with that notion, keep in mind that this is eight people among 7 million who have received the shot. Would this column take that shot? Yes, if as Dr. Fauci described that they can identify preexisting conditions that complicate the effect on the body and if doctors therefore know how to treat it.

Dr. Fauci said that you're at low risk of contracting the virus when flying if you have been vaccinated and said that it is the risk that you're comfortable with. We would suggest thinking in those same terms when considering getting the J&J vaccine.

As for the spike in cases and increased hospitalizations in Michigan, it's recommended by the CDC (scientists) that parts of the state should shut down. Enter Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), who Chuck Todd pressed her on previous statements of following science and now not so much. Governor Whitmer explained that she now has fewer tools at her disposal for shutdowns because her Republican-controlled state house sued her over this authority, which the Michigan Supreme Court upheld. Oh, and there also that little thing of a kidnapping and execution plot against the governor over such restrictions. Seems to this column that she is trying to do the right thing in the face of so much wrong. As former Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH) said of Mr. Todd, he can be a 'shit.' 

And speaking of shit, this brings us to the newly-formed America First Caucus made up of House Republicans. Contained within their platform are the following:

Seriously?

"Common Respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions?" What the eff does that mean? Infrastructure that reflect European architecture, like buildings... Does that include statues as well? Not to mention that some of those European designs, though beautiful, probably aren't the most environmentally sound, but whatever. Lastly, in decreasing the capital to labor ratio for post-1965 immigrants, which would disproportionately effect the Asian-American community who has predominated in business since 1965 and this statement limits their ability to raise capital even though they are Americans so the effect of this would be putting a group of individuals at t a disadvantage simply based on race. These excerpts can be colloquially explained  inasmuch as in the U.S. White political traditions should dominate, the buildings throughout the country should reflect white America and White America should have an advantage when it comes to wealth. To quote Mr. Boehner once more, "this is the nuttiest thing I've ever seen."

Punchbowl News' Anna Palmer, who broke this story explained that the problem is that this isn't just one individual but a group and it will be difficult for Republican leadership to distance itself from such a caucus. The insight comes from David French who explained that these nativist ideas predominate in Republican-controlled state houses around the country and if national representative from such states denounce the craziness, they are censured, ostracized, and primaried. Maybe this isn't becoming the mainstream, like Mr. Todd suggested, but it's certainly a vocal presence that Republican leadership now has to deal with. We'll just say that the Republican party writ large is in an interregum. 

The question remains that with all these crises going on at once, is the country is a series of interregums or just one giant one? This transition is us in the midst of multiple crises.

Panel: Kristen Welker, NBC News; Eddie Glaude, Jr., Princeton University; Anna Palmer, Punchbowl News; David French, The Dispatch

4.11.21: The Pulse of U.S. Foreign Policy is Finally Responsive

It's been overdue that the focus of this column and the media in the U.S. started to turn its attention to foreign policy, especially since for the last four years, we've been focused an incompetent boob in the White House who had no foreign policy, to which to speak.

With a decimated internal bureaucracy and a demoralized State Department, not to mention navigating the Covid environment domestically and with no transition, the Administration leadership has been behind in proactively responding internationally. Leading the rebuilding of the State Department - enter the professionals finally - is Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The foreign policy pulse of the U.S. is once again responsive.

As America's top diplomat you can imagine his answers in today's interview were firm but light on specifics and more like intention signaling, hence diplomatic. One area in particular where the U.S. is now in a diplomatic full-court press is in Afghanistan, otherwise known as America's longest war where without a diplomatic solution there's no getting out. 

In terms of vaccinations, the Administration's strategy has been sound in so much as it's been rolling out the vaccines in the United States and ensuring enough stock domestically. However, Secretary Blinken also explained that taking a lead in vaccinating the world and helping other countries, it will help us here at home. The ancillary benefit of helping other countries is that it will build good will while serving the United States' own interests. The restoring of trust in U.S. leadership is not to be downplayed.

This is especially true when it comes to Russia and China policy. Before we dive into that there was one subject there wasn't time for which was on the restart of nuclear talks with Iran. The outcome of these initial talks are of course in grave doubt because of distrust on both sides. And let's be frank, if you're the Iranian regime and you negotiate a halt to nuclear weapons production with one administration and the next one withdraws from the agreement, how can you be sure it's not going to happen again? With that question out there, it's better to be at the table talking than to stay standing behind blinding ideological curtains. 

The panel largely agreed that the Biden Administration's policy toward Russia is essentially the same as the prior two administrations, with Pentagon Reporter for The New York Times, Helene Cooper, explaining that the thinking really hasn't changed. Secretary Blinken could only say that the Administration is maintaining its stance on Crimea and that they're watching what's going at the Russian-Ukraine border and troop buildups. PBS's Amna Nawaz noted that since Ukraine is not a NATO member that the United States isn't obligated to defend the country, which is the case but if the Putin regime decides to move into Ukraine then the United States should respond. In a more colloquial way of explaining, the United States, being sick and tired of Russia hacks, influence campaigns, human plants and disinformation, needs to flex its cyber muscle in response. Undoubtedly, some strong Western allies would be on board with a coordinated strategy. 

Putin's iron grip on the Russia people is ever slipping and it's two-fold - the more repression of his own people because of poor domestic performance - personified by opposition leader Alexny Navalny - will erode his power. This is in addition to the flawed thinking that territorial expansion of influence militarily will boost prospects at home.

And speaking of repression, that brings us to China, which when it's diplomats sat down with Secretary Blinken and other top U.S. officials in Alaska earlier this year they were indignant when the U.S. called them out on their treatment of the Uighors population because of the United States own treatment of Native Americans, African Americans and immigrants at its border. Well, there's a tit for tat for you...

But here's the rub... in the United States there is recognition of its dark chapters and the open dialogue with the hope of one day of reconciling with that darkness. Conversely, Uighurs in China have no voice and are treated inhumanely in a governmental systematic way that U.S. Secretary of State Blinken described as genocide. 

Diplomatically, that's very strong language, tough talk if you will and that's how Ms. Cooper described the Pentagon and State Department's talk on China with regard to its increased military naval activity off the coast of Taiwan. But it's just that, only that.. tough talk.

However, in today's interview Secretary Blinken said (and reiterated) that China changing the status quo with regard to Taiwan militarily would be a "serious mistake." He wouldn't go so far as to say that the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily, but he response left little room for any other interpretation. 

Maybe right now, the United States is only talking tough with China and not really doing anything. However, Secretary Blinken certainly indicated a willingness to also take action to back up those words with regard to Taiwan because we can not help but remember the last administration and its despicably impotent (non-existent) response to China and its repression of Hong Kong. 

Progress is small steps and the U.S. is starting to affirm its footing.

Panel: Helene Cooper, The New York Times; Ashley Parker, The Washington Post; Amna Nawaz, PBS News Hour; Peter Alexander, NBC News