A few months ago I had the unforgettable experience of being a passenger in a bus that rolled over on the highway. I sustained a compound fracture of my right arm which required 18 pins to fix and 12 weeks of recuperation.
I was, of course, very glad when the doctor said I was all healed up and could resume regular activities. And then I took a good look around me.
I live in a forty year old house on about ¾ acre of land. Neither the house nor the land took care of themselves during the 3 months I was out of commission. The main water supply line was leaking, a faucet was failing, the greenhouse needed major repairs, an electrical outlet needed replacing, a fallen tree had to be cut up for firewood, winter preparations were hopelessly behind schedule, and so on and so on. So my good news meant that there was no way to avoid a lot of work that needed doing.
Much the same thing has happened to our country. The 2016 Presidential election was a train wreck, and we’re still recovering from it. The midterms were a huge step forward in the healing process, but the new Democratic House has a ton of work ahead as it attempts to repair the damage caused by GOP malfeasance and neglect. And we still have to regain the Senate and the White House before we can really start to fix our broken country.
Most of the positive political news we’ve seen lately carries with it the realization that we have a ton of work still to do. Things in this country have gone to hell over the past couple of years, but we are now in a position to begin putting things back together again. Our recent and continuing victories are wonderful, but they present us with the prospect of lots of hard, difficult work ahead.
And that’s OK. We are real Americans, so we are not afraid of hard work. We don’t need or want two-bit conmen telling us that complex problems have simple solutions with no effort required on our part. We are not a part of the 1%. who prefer to sit on their asses collecting corporate welfare and undeserved tax cuts rather than actually working for a living. We are not like those who idolize a half-crazed moron because thinking is too difficult.
My personal good news meant that I had jobs to do, but the water leak is fixed, the firewood is cut up, the greenhouse is all repaired, and the rest of it will be done soon. And our national good news also means we have jobs to do, but it means that we will be able to build a country and a society where more of us can prosper and be freer. It’s not going to be easy to reclaim our share of what this country produces, or to shove the racists, misogynists, homophobes and transphobes back under their rocks, but the good news is that we have been given the opportunity to do it, we know that we can do it, and with determination we will do it.
So let’s get down to today’s good news, and let’s get down to work.
NANCY PELOSI INVITES TRUMP TO DELIVER STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS—AFTER THE GOVERNMENT IS RE-OPENED
Nancy Pelosi yesterday forcefully reminded Trump that the House of Representatives is part of a governmental branch that is coequal to the Presidency. Citing security concerns resulting from the Trump shutdown, the Speaker advised Trump that, under the current circumstances, it might be best if he didn't deliver a State of the Union speech to Congress at this time.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking to move the day of the State of the Union address or deliver it in writing, citing security concerns from the ongoing government shutdown.
"Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29," Pelosi writes in the letter dated Wednesday.
While Pelosi's letter is framed as a request to find a new date, the decision of when to host the President is very much up to the speaker of the House. The House and the Senate have to pass resolutions to actually green light the State of the Union. Neither have done so yet and Pelosi controls whether the House passes one at all.
This is a forceful assertion of power on the part of the Speaker, and it hits Trump where he lives. Not only does it deny him something he craves—free TV time—but it once again puts him in a position of having to take orders from a woman. As of 2:00 AM this morning Trump had still not responded to Pelosi’s power play. Maybe he’s still trying to process the fact that a woman has once again told him “no,” or maybe he’s not quite done scarfing down all the leftover hamberders from Tuesday’s WH banquet.
Perhaps the person most butt-hurt about Ms Pelosi’s decision is the actual author of Trump’s planned speech, noted Nazi and Slenderman cosplayer Stephen Miller.
NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES SWEEPING ELECTION REFORMS
On Monday the New York state legislature approved several bills designed to bring that state out of the dark ages of voting law.
New York state lawmakers approved a series of reforms intended to make it easier to vote on Monday, including giving voters 10 days of early access to the ballot box prior to Election Day and consolidating primary dates.
The reforms were passed by the new Democratic majority in the state Senate. Similar reforms have died in the legislature in recent years, thanks to Republican control in the Senate. The bills are expected to be signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who commended the legislature for taking "quick action" on the issue, soon.
"At a time when the federal government is doing everything it can to disenfranchise voters, we are taking action to make it easier for New Yorkers to participate in the democratic process and crack down on corporate influences in our election," Cuomo said in a statement on Monday.
A full description of the bills passed can be found here. Congratulations are due to all the New Yorkers who worked so hard to elect a truly Democratic legislature last year.
GILLETTE’S “BEST A MAN CAN BE” CAMPAIGN SHOW HOW FAR WE’VE COME
By now almost everyone has Gillette’s remarkable “best a man can be” video. If you haven’t, take a look.
I think that many people are missing the real significance of this video and of Gillette’s initiative. Gillette is not taking this step because they believe in what their video says. Large corporations are amoral—they couldn’t care less about changing gender relations or about toxic masculinity. In fact, it’s telling that Gillette still sells a “women’s razor” that is no different than it’s middle-line men’s razor except that it’s pink and costs a dollar more.
Gillette is interested in selling razors, nothing more. The reason that this video and the “best men can be” campaign is good news is that Gillette has decided that they can sell more razors by pretending to take this stand. It is good news because it is not a bold or groundbreaking initiative, but is rather a reflection of the mainstreaming of the ideas it promotes.
There has been a backlash from the unfortunately large community of fragile man-babies who feel threatened by having to make the effort to be better, but they are now in the minority and just look ridiculous to the rest of us who are making fun of them.
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS TOXIC MASCULINITY AS “HARMFUL”
The APA has, for the first time, stated that “traditional masculinity ideology” causes psychological harm to men and boys subjected to it.
The American Psychological Association has issued its first official warning against toxic masculinity.
Citing more than 40 years of research, the APA warns against the “masculinity ideology,” which it defines as “a particular constellation of standards that have held sway over large segments of the population, including: anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure risk and violence.”
“Traditional masculinity ideology has been shown to limit males’ psychological development, constrain their behavior, result in gender role strain and gender role conflict and negatively influence mental health and physical health,” according to the 36-page report, featured in January’s issue of Monitor on Psychology.
Before we continue, here’s a break for some appropriate music.
NEW POLL SHOWS BROAD, OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR 70% MARGINAL TAX RATE FOR THE WEALTHY
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez provoked quite a ruckus with her proposal to tax income above $10 million at 70%. But despite opposition from the usual places and the media’s attempt to portray the idea as a weird far-left proposal, a new poll shows that taxing the extremely wealthy is solidly within the mainstream and is very popular.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and her Republican critics have both called her proposal to dramatically increase America's highest tax rate "radical" but a new poll released Tuesday indicates that a majority of Americans agrees with the idea.
In the latest The Hill-HarrisX survey — conducted Jan. 12 and 13 after the newly elected congresswoman called for the U.S. to raise its highest tax rate to 70 percent — a sizable majority of registered voters, 59 percent, supports the concept.
Women support the idea by a 62-38 percent margin. A majority of men back it as well, 55 percent to 45 percent. The proposal is popular in all regions of the country with a majority of Southerners backing it by a 57 to 43 percent margin. Rural voters back it as well, 56 percent to 44 percent.
TEXAS LAWMAKERS SAY “NO” TO TRUMP’S IDEA OF DIVERTING DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS TO BUILD THE WALL
After it was reported that the Trump regimes was considering seizing disaster relief funds tas an end run around Congress’ refusal to fund the border wall, top Texas Republicans condemned the idea. They noted that much of the state is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, and urged Trump not to take the money necessary for the recovery effort.
Gov. Greg Abbott joined U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and most of the Texas congressional delegation in writing President Donald Trump Tuesday to tell him they are “strongly opposed” to any plan to divert federal funds intended for Hurricane Harvey relief to build wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Recent reports have indicated that your Administration is considering the use of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds, appropriated by Congress and intended for Hurricane Harvey recovery and mitigation efforts, in an effort to secure our southern border,” the lawmakers wrote.
The Texas lawmakers, including a bipartisan group of 20 members of of the U.S. House effectively warned Trump away from such an approach. U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, Roger Williams, R-Austin, John Carter, R-Round Rock, and Bill Flores, R-Bryan, were among those who signed the letter.✂️
“We strongly support securing the border with additional federal resources including tactical infrastructure, technology, ports of entry improvements and personnel,” the lawmakers said in the letter to Trump. “However, we are strongly opposed to using funds appropriated by Congress for disaster relief and mitigation for Texas for any unintended purpose.”
EARTH’S DAMAGED OZONE LAYER IS MOVING TOWARD A COMPLETE RECOVERY
The planet’s atmospheric ozone layer, which was once feared damaged beyond repair, is on track to make a complete recovery in 40 years.
Just over three decades ago, scientists were sounding alarm bells over the parlous state of the ozone layer. It was suffering severe degradation due to harmful manmade aerosol chemicals being released into the atmosphere.
Now, according to the latest assessment of its condition, the layer shows signs of continuing improvement and may recover fully by 2060 – a remarkable turnaround that shows what is possible with global action.✂️
The most recent assessment of the ozone suggests that its upper layer in the northern hemisphere will make a full recovery by 2030, and in the southern hemisphere by 2060. As well as the clear environmental benefits, the UN estimates that up to 2m cases of skin cancer could be avoided each year as a result.
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION MANDATING $15/HR MINIMUM WAGE
In a sign that the Democratic party, emboldened by their midterm success, is becoming increasingly progressive, legislators have introduced bills to finally raise the minimum wage to a rational level.
On Wednesday, a coalition of congressional Democrats introduced legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2024.
“Just a few short years ago, we were told that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour was ‘radical,’” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who sponsored the legislation in the Senate, said in a statement. “But a grassroots movement of millions of workers throughout this country refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.” He added, “The current $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage is a starvation wage.”
For the past two years, Sanders has introduced similar versions of the bill to raise the federal floor to $15. But this time, the legislation is bolstered by steadily increasing public support and the work of groups like Fight for Fifteen that have helped raise the minimum wage in cities and states across the country.
Although the legislation has little or no chance of getting by the GOP-led Senate, it is significant in showing how an idea once thought to be a radical fantasy has become mainstream. It wasn’t very long ago that Barack Obama rather tentatively suggested raising the federal minimum wage to $9/hr, and as recently as 2015 Democrats tried to increase it to $12. The Democratic base, backed up by polling showing that real progressive ideas are becoming more popular, is moving the party in a very good direction, and the Overton window is beginning to move to the left.
And that’ll do it for me today, except to explain the unusual title of today’s Roundup. On Sunday night, there will be a total eclipse of the moon visible throughout North and South America. It will occur at a time when the moon is at its closest distance from Earth, an event known as a “super moon.” As with all lunar eclipses, the moon will turn a dark red—such an eclipse is often called a “blood moon.” And the January full moon is frequently called the “Wolf Moon.” Hence, the Super Wolf Blood Moon, or the most metal eclipse ever. You can read more about the eclipse, including what time it will take place, here.
So for now it’s time for me to catch a few hours of sleep before getting back to work tomorrow. If you’ve got some more good news, be sure to share it in the comments section. Or, you know, you could go out and make some of your own.
Here’s a little eclipse music to take us out today.