12.26.21: The Education of a Young Nation

First, we hope that all are having a safe, happy and healthy holiday season, this day after Christmas, Boxing Day for some. 

Today's program was a "Meet The Press" special edition focusing on schools in America, education and race, which of course included the 'controversial' critical race theory.(CRT). Our honest first reaction to all this 'controversy' about critical race theory is that it's a cynical, political red herring meant to further divide American communities. 

As Columbia University professor Jelani Cobb explained, critical race theory is not taught in high schools. Hard stop.

But what critical race theory is being used for rhetorically is the supression of teaching high school students about slavery and its influence on our society, despite the better, more open understanding we have of it on a societal level.

In the report by NBC's Antonia Hilton, the firing of principal Dr. James Whitfield from Colleyville Heritage High School in Fort Worth is the direct product of this cynical effort, and an all white school board unanimously voting him out confirmed its effectiveness, giving license, but not cover, for veiled bigotry. The residual effect is the ridiculousness you heard from a school board member in Colorado explaining to teachers that if you present the evils of the Holocaust you should also present an opposing view. Really? This does not provide for the argument that parents should final say on what professional educators should be teaching in schools. Should parents be able to see the circulae outlined for their children, of course, and raise concerns.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of the 1619 project, correctly explained that CRT and her journalism have been weaponized. With regard to Ms. Hannah-Jones's work, as a journalist she asked important questions that reveled uncomfortable answers. She explained that the 1619 Project starts with when the year the first slaves were brought to Virginia and putting slavery and its effect at the center of the American story. Should this be the sole basis of teaching American history? Of course not. It would be incomplete just as eliminating the teaching of slavery and racism in our history would also leave it incomplete.

But make no mistake, to teach American history is to teach the truimphs, the defeats, the struggles, the decents, the advocates, the freedom, the slavery, the racism, the equality warts and all. However, here would be our caveat, context. Understanding that the founders knew they were imperfect and that in our short history, no other country has accomplished what we have. No doubt that it has been difficult, tragically so many times, but the progress that we've made in living as a multi-cultural society is not happening in any other place on earth to the degree of this young nation.

One more thing... In the midst of the hour's discussion about education and race in America, Mr. Todd showed statistics about teacher and education professional shortages. The losing of educational professionals in high schools writ large is being exaserbated by unreasonable attacks by parents, but it's really because teaching as a profession is stretched to the limit in most of the country. There is a distinct shortage of male teachers in the schools. Teachers aren't only educators, but also counselors, life coaches and part-time parents in some cases with their students. And what are they paid? In most cases throughout the country, not enough to make this profession your only job. Most teachers supplement their income with part-time work and buy a lot of their own school supplies. We could be wrong, but that might have something to do with it.

12.19.21: America Is Getting Coal for Christmas

America is getting coal for Christmas. 

It's a Covid Christmas and a Build Back bummer that will carry us through New Year's and into 2022. The Omicron variant, as Dr. Anthony Fauci explained, has 50 different variants attached to it, which is unprecedented as seen by the scientific community leading to high transmissability that outpaces Delta.

In true American fashion, we rapidly developed better vaccines by the best scientists in the world and now there are 30 nations with higher overall vaccination rates than the United States. And we've basically arrived at the point that Governor Jerod Polis (D-CO) advocates for, which is that it is on you if you get sick and die. 

For the common good, that's exactly the wrong tact to take because it doesn't account for the debilitating of our healthcare system and the mental toll it has taken on healthcare workers, in which 40 percent will probably leave the profession in two years. 

As Mr. Todd stated, as Covid goes, so does the Biden presidency, which is true and Republicans, frankly, are willing to risk American lives to subvert the effort to get people vaccinated, and we're not taking about private sector mandates. We're talking about all the misinformation that they're putting out there and legislating against keeping people as safe as possible. 

If over 40 percent of the population does not get vaccinated eventually, we will be the country producing other variants of the disease spreading to other nations. 

Understandably, us included, everyone is tired of being tired so in the meantime, Dr. Fauci did give some concise advice of how to be prudent about your health:

  1. If you test positive, isolate yourself for 7 to 10 days from the outset of symptoms.
  2. If you're vaccinated and are exposed to the virus, wait 3 to 5 days then get a test.
  3. For a holiday gathering, get tested before you attend.

If the surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths weren't enough, the pandemic is also the main cause for the supply chain issues we're experiencing that has been leading to the inflation of costs... for everything. 

To provide relief to those costs such as child care (daycare), prescription drugs and the child tax credit, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said NO. And his 'no' vote tanks the entire Biden agenda, which the panel emphatically agreed was a devastating huge blow to the Democrats and their base. Right before Christmas, Mr. Manchin pissed off 81 million people who voted for Joe Biden and his agenda. 

Also part of the Build Back Better legislation were its measures to address climate change, which if we to make those investments now, it would save us money down the proverbial road in avoiding the destruction and clean that follow severe weather events. 

Instead, coal for Christmas. Senator Manchin wasn't going to be on board with legislation that seeks to phase out coal as an energy source because coal is the Manchin family business in West Virginia. Now before you say, what?! Mr. Manchin has all of his ties to the business in a blind trust and is totally legitimate, as far as we know. However, it's not a deaf, dumb and blind trust and you understand cause and effect. More climate legislation means less coal means less money for Mr. Manchin. (No college degree needed on that one.)

To Donna Edwards' point, one senator has essentially stopped the legislation, but Jon Podhoretz put it in the correct context explaining the Senator Manchin had been saying since March that he wouldn't go higher than $1.5 trillion, which has lead to this massive political miscalculation. One cannot disagree because the Democrats are left with nothing but a stalled agenda going into the midterms. And by the way, voting rights legislation depends on creating a 'carve out' of the filibuster rule in the Senate which Mr. Manchin isn't in favor of.

So yeah, indeed, coal.

Panel: Amna Nawaz, PBS; Donna Edwards, The Washington Post; Philip Rucker, The Washington Post; Jon Podhoretz, Commentary

12.12.21: Democracy and Rationality On the Back Foot

 At the top this morning, we wish the people in Kentucky and the other five states affected by the tornadoes, where perhaps the longest sustained tornado in American history destroyed entire cities and towns. An understandably emotional Governor Andy Breshear (D) said the tornado traveled approximately 227 miles, 200 hundred of which torn through his state. For context, it's 226 miles from New York City to Washington DC. He ask for any many prayers that we can offer and he can count on ours.

To help directly, go to: TEAMWKYRELIEFFUND.KY.GOV

On top of the tragedy, the hospitals in western Kenkucky were already in a state of emergency due to the spike in covid cases and hospitalizations. The governor explained that by coalescing resources from around the state, the hospitals are holding, which is good to hear but the situation cannot be getting better anytime.

As Mr. Todd noted, eighty percent of covid hospitalizations and deaths are among the unvaccinated, which is a tragedy of our own doing, at this point so it was refreshing to hear Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), medical doctor Roger Marshall,  encourage people to get vaccinated and or boosted with a third shot. And though we disagree with the senator that the federal government can enforce some mandates, we respect his position.

And then...

Mr. Marshall said everything/anything - borderline ramble - except that Joe Biden is the legitimately elected president. He said he has greeted him as Mr. President, but he would not actually state the words that he was legitimately elected. 

Disqualified...

Meaning that he stands by his vote not to certify the election and it can be presumed that he will not do so again if the outcome isn't for his party's preferred candidate.

We must admit that even the notion of a Democracy Summit right now is cringe-worthy to say the least since we're water-backsliding, ever more slippery, toward not respecting the will of the voters. Noting The Atlantic article by Barton Gellman and how the Trump's subversion of U.S. democracy is already happening, John Heilemann flatly stated: fact, and not hyperbole. Even Republican Strategist Brendan Buck said he was concerned about Secretary of State elections, particularly in Georgia, which that is the individual that certifies the vote count. Succinctly explained, The Boston Globe's Kimberly Atkins Stohr said that the danger of Trump continues as the Republican party has adopted the tactics that have put winning [read: obtaining power] over democracy.

Speaking of which, we agree with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Ukraine's sovereignty is vitally important. Putin is employing the same rhetoric with regard to Ukraine as President Xi in China spouts about Taiwan, essentially that it's not its own sovereign country. But one can not help but notice that when you check in with reality, they are. In the case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, it would essentially put a military threat at the doorstep of western Europe, but more significantly it would jeopardize the entire world political system, which would only lead to war, the Secretary Blinken explained.

If Mr. Putin does in fact invade the sovereign country of Ukraine, then unfortunately for the Russian people the Russian state should given pariah status and treated as such by the World Bank and other international banks. NATO should build up defense systems with its eastern most partners and continue diplomacy with stick in hand. And if anyone thinks that's too extreme, it doesn't go far enough and the consequences of doing nothing would have far greater implications.

Democracy and rationality can only hold out so long when all its balance is on the back foot.

Panel: Marianna Sotomayor, The Washington Post; Kimberly Atkins Stohr, The Boston Globe, John Heilemann, The Recout; Brendan Buck, Republican Strategist

12.5.21: Has The Elephant Finally Caught The Car?

"Abortion, guns and covid," was how Mr. Todd phrased it. We can not help thinking that the 'stars' are aligning for Republicans to get all that they want on 'abortion, guns and covid.' And more... Through extreme gerrymandering in the states, of which a majority are completely controlled by Republicans and the disproportionate influence that smaller states have in the U.S. Senate they will accomplish their goals without the majority support of the American people. And if in 2022, Republican-controlled state legislatures nullify any votes because of new laws giving the legislature authority over the Secretary of State to certify elections then minority rule will be solidified.

Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) did not feel comfortable talking about abortion and Roe v. Wade in the slightest, that's for sure. Because now that the dog (or the elephant in this case) has caught the car so to speak, it will become a very tenuous situation for Republicans. Senator Braun said it is a decision that should be left to the states because it's too divisive on a federal level. Seriously? 

If the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade, it would instaneously divide the country even further. Simply for the fact that there are a number of states that have trigger laws that make abortion instantly illegal if the law is struck down. How does that logic not divide this country on a deeper level which is locally. In a state like Wisconsin where state-wide there is a Democratic majority, but the state is gerrymandered in a way that gives Republicans control of the state legislature. Once again, the majority will not have a voice.

Dispatch founder Stephan Hayes explained that in the Virginia gubernatorial race, abortion wasn't an issue for the electorate that Terry McAuliffe had made it out to be spending millions on television ads. But Errin Haines of the 19th gave the 'why' which is because people took it for granted, specifically women. Come the Court's decision next spring, they may not be able to take it for granted anymore because over half the states in the United States will make abortion illegal, meaning that when it comes to a woman's pregnancy, the state has a say in what you can do with your body. They legislated it.

Mr. Hayes also mentioned the rise of libertarianism with Ron and Rand Paul, but frankly libertarianism is dead in this country. If you consider yourself to be a true libertarian that you do not believe in the legislating of an individual's body in any circumstance, with no respect to religion.

Oh and by the way, if abortion is illegal and that law is broken then who are we locking up? The women? The doctors? The building owners where the prodecure took place? The Uber driver? All of the above? Senator Braun didn't want to get anywhere close to an answer on that one when Mr. Todd asked him. Again, he reverted to throwing it back to the states, knowing full well that a federal law like the Womens' Health Protection Act that Senator Amy Klobachar (D-MN) discussed will never pass, never get 10 Republican votes in the Senate. (Because the two North Dakota senators who represent 770,000 people have the same amount of influence as two California senators who represent 40 million people...just saying... This also doesn't account for the comic gullibilty of one Sentor Susan Collins (R-ME).)

The sanctity of life, protecting it, we get it... But Republicans sure do not. 

If they were truly protective of it, then they would do something, anything, to try and stop a 15 year-old with negligent parents from going into a local high school with a semi-automatic pistol and kill four people, wounding a score of others. But no... you can not ignore that. Nor can one ignore that fact that over 780,000 Americans have died of Covid-19 and taking vaccines has been politicized. 

Republicans blame President Biden for not ending the pandemic while they subvert the Administration's effort at every turn locally and federally for political gain, while their constituents continue to die. 

Back to guns...

Should the parents be held accountable in this particular case? Hell yes. Is this rare case of the parents being charged with manslaughter for their negligence despite their son's obvious behavior is going to impact any change? Oh, hell no.

With all that said, we agree with the panel that the vast majority of gun owners are responsible guns owners, where they continued to put their emphasis during the discussion. 

Despite the vast majority being responsible, we as a society certainly have not been.

Panel: Ashley Parker, The Washington Post; Errin Haines, the 19th; Eugene Daniels, Politico; Stephan Hayes, The Dispatch