Welcome 😄 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
Much of the news this week has been focused on the 2nd impeachment of the 45th president, which is both important and compelling. It may also be triggering, as we discover how close we came to a massacre of the government.
The recap of the invasion shows we must continue to fight. The evil forces came too close, and most of the evil forces are still out there. We have adversaries, both foreign and domestic, and plenty of misguided fools who believed the lies have demonstrated they are willing cannon fodder. If you are willing to fight to preserve our democracy, make sure to check out the action items and do what you can.
However, not everyone here can keep fighting. Some are traumatized and desperately need time away from this. That’s OK. Do what you can, when you can, but take time to breathe, to exercise, and to do the things you love, or that you used to love.
In the meantime, we are in a hugely better position than we were a few weeks ago. Biden is Commander in Chief. His healing actions are rippling through the government, the country, and even through the world. (For example, 34.7 million Americans have received at least 1 vaccination, 11.2 Americans have received both. New York Times) Oh, and tRump’s Twitter ban is permanent, even if he runs again for office (Guardian).
Furthermore, in signs that there is a potential for some of the crazy to be dialed down: Some of the Capitol rioters are speaking their regret. Washington Post. “I bought into a lie, and the lie is the lie, and it’s embarrassing,” she [Jenna Ryan] said. “I regret everything.” (I know lots of people don’t like the white-kid treatment she is getting, but I am including it as a sign of how at least some people are changing their tunes.)
It’s also possible that when some of those who have been lied to see that nothing terrible is happening under Biden — schools open again, money in pockets, beef still on the menu — will let go of some of their anger.
Come on in, dear gnusies, and enjoy your coffee/tea/wake-up juice at the Gnusville breakfast buffet, with other virtual drinks available to suit your time zone.
Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:
💚 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. We have to keep demoralizing them. Name, blame and shame! IT IS WORKING! WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE DEMORALIZED!
💙 The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
🗽 Biden as President!🗽
What has our fine president and his administration been up to? Here’s the last week of bulletin links from the white house briefing room. Notice the focus on items that matter: the economy, the coronavirus, the climate crisis, getting the government running again, racial justice, and re-establishing the USA as a world leader.
- Thursday, February 11: Remarks by President Biden to National Institutes of Health Staff
- Thursday, February 11: Remarks by President Biden During Tour of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory
- Thursday, February 11: A Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya
- Thursday, February 11: Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Libya
- Thursday, February 11: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 11, 2021
- Thursday, February 11: Biden-Harris Administration Launches American Innovation Effort to Create Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis
- Thursday, February 11: Readout of the First National Climate Task Force Meeting
- Thursday, February 11: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Actions in Response to the Coup in Burma
- Thursday, February 11: Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with Senators on the Critical Need to Invest in Modern and Sustainable American Infrastrucutre
- Thursday, February 11: Readout of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Buttigieg’s Meeting with Senators on Infrastructure
- Thursday, February 11: A Letter to the Speaker Of The House And President Of The Senate Regarding the Termination of the National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border (no more money for the damned wall)
- Thursday, February 11: A Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate (about Burma — look, not governing by tweet!)
- Thursday, February 11: Executive Order on Blocking Property with Respect to the Situation in Burma
- Wednesday, February 10: Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with President Xi Jinping of China
- Wednesday, February 10: Readout of the White House’s Meeting with Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Groups
- Wednesday, February 10: Remarks by President Biden on the Administration’s Response to the Coup in Burma
- Wednesday, February 10: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 10, 2021
- Wednesday, February 10: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
- Wednesday, February 10: President Biden Announces Additional Members of His Energy and Jobs Team
- Wednesday, February 10: President Biden Announces Members of the Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
- Tuesday, February 9: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 9, 2021
- Tuesday, February 9: Remarks by President Biden Before a Business Leaders Meeting on the American Rescue Plan
- Tuesday, February 9: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
- Tuesday, February 9: President Biden Announces Community Health Centers Vaccination Program to Launch Next Week and Another Increase in States, Tribes, & Territories’ Vaccine Supply
- Monday, February 8: Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with Secretary General Natthaphon Narkphanit of the Thai National Security Council
- Monday, February 8: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
- Monday, February 8: Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris During Tour of the State Farm Stadium Vaccination Site in Glendale, Arizona
- Monday, February 8: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 8, 2021
- Monday, February 8: Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India
- Friday, February 7: Statement of President Joe Biden on the Passing of Former Secretary George Shultz
- Friday, February 5: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Council of Economic Advisers Member Jared Bernstein, February 5, 2021
- Friday, February 5: Remarks by President Biden on the State of the Economy and the Need for the American Rescue Plan
- Friday, February 5: Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with House Democratic Leaders Working on the American Rescue Plan
- Friday, February 5: The Employment Situation in January
👎 Out with the Bad & In with the Good 👍
👢 U.S. Attorneys. Most tRump appointees to be kicked out. Washington Post
The Biden administration as early as Tuesday is expected to ask remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate to begin stepping down — though the Trump-appointed federal prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, as well as the prosecutor reviewing the FBI’s 2016 investigation of Trump’s campaign, will be allowed to continue their work, a Justice Department official said. ✂️
Although Biden’s nominee to be attorney general, federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, has yet to be confirmed, the Justice Department already has taken several steps to undo Trump-era directives and return the department to its pre-2016 posture. Last week, for example, Wilkinson rescinded a controversial policy change that Barr made to give prosecutors more latitude to take public steps in voter fraud investigations before election results are certified.
😄 Restoring morale. One of the problems has been the attack tRump has had on nearly every area of the government. Biden is working to restore morale; here’s an example from his address to the men and women over at the Department of Defense.
I’ve just concluded a briefing with the civilian and military leadership where I laid out my national security priorities. And I want to share the message directly with the Department of Defense staff all around the world. Because each of you — each of you — whether you’re newly enlisted, a career officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a civilian policy expert, you’re essential to how we project our strength around the world, defend America’s interests, and advance American leadership in the world.
So often, our Armed Forces and the Department of Defense staff are how the rest of the world encounters America. And you all know as well as anyone that our country is safer and stronger when we lead not just with the example of our power, but with the power of our example. ✂️
There is no aspect of our agenda of the 21st century leadership where the women and men of the Defense Department do not have a role — whether it’s helping curb the pandemic here at home and around the world; or addressing the real threats of climate change that already is costing us billions in impacts on our bases, on our national security; or being part of an ongoing fight for racial justice.
You are essential to how we must rethink and reprioritize our security to meet the challenges of this century, not the last.
Note that Biden makes it clear force should be the last resort, not the first.
Judges! 🎩 hpg
📫 What about the Post Office? CNN
Getting rid of DeJoy is not a clean-cut process. The President does not have the power to remove the Postmaster General. Only the Postal Service Board of Governors -- which is comprised of members nominated by the President and confirmed in the Senate -- has the power to do so, and DeJoy continues to have the support of the Trump-appointed board.
But Biden has the power to nominate members of the board and to send them to the Senate -- now led by Democrats -- for confirmation. Some lawmakers want Biden to go beyond filling empty seats, and take drastic action by firing the entire board.
"(T)hrough the devastating arson of the Trump regime, the USPS Board of Governors sat silent," Rep. Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat, wrote in a letter to Biden in January. "Their dereliction cannot now be forgotten."
Want to see quicker action? Contact your representative and your senators.
💣 Republicans in Disarray 💣
State and local Rs attack those who don’t support tRump Washington Post
The Louisiana Republican Party sharply denounced Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) when he surprised the state by voting Tuesday to support the constitutionality of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial.
In an unsigned statement, the party declared itself “profoundly disappointed” that its own elected leader, the most senior Louisiana Republican in Washington, would support a “kangaroo court” that amounted to an “attack on the very foundation of American democracy.”
But Cassidy, who just started a six-year term after being reelected by a 40-point margin, did
not appear bothered by the threat of grass-roots anger back home, joining a growing list of lawmakers who have decided, for politics or principle, to buck the infrastructure at the lowest rungs of the party.
This is not the only instance!
And they are fighting over shrinking pies.
Or maybe they are just breaking apart. 🎩 hpg
Make sure they stop getting money.
💜 Unity? 💜
President Biden is more focused on unifying the country than he is on working with corrupt Republicans who are accessories in the attempted murder of their own vice president. And it shows in Biden’s ratings CNBC
presidential honeymoon?
President Joe Biden is on the best presidential honeymoon going back at least to Bill Clinton in 1993.
A special online edition of the CNBC All-America Economic Survey focusing on the Biden agenda finds his approval rating at a sky-high 62%, beating the first presidential ratings of Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In fact, Biden’s initial rating is 18 points higher than Trump’s.
The survey of 1,000 people conducted earlier this month sees Biden with majority approval for his handling of the economy and for uniting the country. Sixty-five percent of the public approve of his actions so far when it comes to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Admittedly this is the economy and not everything, but as Carville once said, “it’s the economy, stupid.” And although it may not always be the economy, the economy still matters.
📥 Actions You Can Take 📤
Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy.
Contact your senators, and let them know you want them to impeach the traitor.
Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists, and their current approach to supporting or not supporting the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others.
We managed to deplatform tRump, for a little while, but we need to make this stick.
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
⚡️ Right-wingers forced to pay the lawyers in a Daily Beast defamation suit Daily Kos⚡️
tRump supporter arrested for threatening McConnell’s grandkids Independent
Brad Houck from Oklahoma made death threats on social media against several public officials, using sites such as Facebook and Parler.
Mr Houck posted numerous threatening messages on Parler in the lead up to and after the Capitol riot on 6 January, one of which was directed at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Mr Houck wrote: "Hey Mitch, how are your grandkids doing?" ✂️
According to the FBI, they found 24 guns along with thousands of rounds of ammunition in Mr Houck's home. They also located almost $4,800 in cash and several "personal electronic devices".
Hmm, maybe this is why
McConnell told the senators (
Talking Points Memo) they could vote their consciences in the 2nd impeachment trial?
In the meanwhile, others are coming for tRump:
And there’s also Fulton County, which is criminal and not just civil:
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️
Over the past few years this section has honored truth-tellers in difficult circumstances, generally those telling the truth when the action would cost them their jobs or put them in personal danger. We’ve also honored intrepid reporters, who have worked to keep a free press free when it was being attacked, and when they also had to be thinking about the personal cost.
There’s another time when telling the truth is difficult, however: when you think it won’t matter.
Nearly everyone agrees the Rs in the Senate will refuse to convict as they shut their ears and eyes and their brains and their hearts and ignore their own dangerous experiences as well as the attempted murder of the vice president (Mike Pence ought to be much more grateful to Ds, who tried to make him president 2x, and who cared a lot more about his safety than his own party).
Yet Jaime Raskin and the House Impeachment managers, have gone ahead.
And it’s not just the managers, but the staff. 🎩 hpg:
And who knows? Although the work may not change enough Rs to convict, we know that the opening day changed the vote of Senator Cassidy; there is also evidence of its having an impact on others. Certainly it is having an impact on the public, letting them see what tRump was trying to do and what the Rs were either letting or helping happen.
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
We should also celebrate those who do good for others. This time I want to call attention, through an article in Good News Network, to youth answering the call to serve through Americorps (also mentioned by karij).
230 energetic young adults from across the nation have piled into vans to begin a new adventure serving others through the AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).
Two weeks ago, they deployed in 24 teams across the country, assisting community groups that are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic or implementing wildfire management in the West.
“It feels amazing to know that during these unprecedented times I have the chance to make a real difference,” Wilhemina Solley told GNN.
I looked up Americorps in WIkipedia. I had heard of it before, but didn’t know much about it.
AmeriCorps is a voluntary civil society program supported by the U.S. federal government, foundations, corporations, and other donors that engages adults in public service work with a goal of "helping others and meeting critical needs in the community." Members commit to full-time or part-time positions offered by a network of nonprofit community organizations and public agencies, to fulfill assignments in the fields of education, public safety, health care, and environmental protection. The program is often seen as a domestic Peace Corps. It employs more than 75,000 Americans in intensive service each year.
That’s right, partly supported by the US federal government! You can visit the website right here! And even sign up to serve!
You may wonder how this part of the government survived under the bully tRump. Well, he did try to shut it down. Anyway, kudos to and celebration to those persisting in doing good, even when the president wants you to be cancelled.
📎Odds & Ends 📎
Aunt Jemima is retiring. Yahoo News. The brand (owned by Quaker Oats, which in turn is owned by PepsiCo) which was based on an unflattering racial stereotype, will now be known as the “Pearl Milling Company,” with new packaging coming out in June of this year. The company has been working on the transition for a while; these things are not instantaneous.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype," Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a statement to NBC News last year. "While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough.” ✂️
The rebranded Pearl Milling Company said in a statement that the new name was workshopped with “consumers, employees, external cultural and subject-matter experts, and diverse agency partners,” and “developed with inclusivity in mind.” It also plans to make a $1 million “commitment to empower and uplift Black girls and women.”
Bison finally being managed by native peoples: Civil Eats. Abridged history: Teddy Roosevelt put aside land to protect the bison — that was good. Because of racism, the land was carved out of land belonging to native peoples — that was bad. But this has finally been corrected!
In December, a bipartisan bill that would transfer the lands and management of the National Bison Range to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes looked as if it might die in Congress with the end of the session. Instead, it was attached to a must-pass package of COVID-19 relief and government spending bills, and, unexpectedly, it passed. After a century of work, it felt sudden, said Morigeau, a tribal member and attorney for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and a Montana state legislator. “It happened so fast, it just really hasn’t sunk in.”
Vampire bat adopts best friend’s baby EcoWatch
In a study published in Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday, scientists observed a female bat adopting a baby bat after its mother, who was also her best friend, passed away.
"It's really cool that the little pup was adopted by the mother's closest social partner," Imran Razik, study lead author and Ohio State University (OSU) graduate student, said in an OSU press release.
Vampire bats have been observed adopting orphaned babies in the past, the study authors wrote. But what made this observation unique is that scientists were able to document the entire friendship history between the two female bats.
This is just magical:
I do a lot of other writing. My most recent offering: Hunters of the Feather, a story about a thinker-linker crow who wants to save birdkind from extinction. (It’s really good! It’s really cheap! Buy it! Review or rate it positively!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels and others on Greek mythology, can be found here.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time.
Current projects:
Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters
And some other ideas:
You can relax and recharge.
You can join protests and freeway blog.
You can help register new voters.
You can smile.
You can get out the vote for special elections.
You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back.
You can share your ideas below.
🌻
💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙
President Joseph R. Biden
🌹 🌹 🌹
TRUTH MATTERS. LOVE MATTERS.