Here is the best news we have heard in a long time: The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are highly effective in preventing people from
becoming infected. Preventing infection is the key to returning to normalcy. See NYTimes, “
The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are very effective in real-world conditions at preventing infections, the C.D.C. reported.” It is difficult to overstate the significance of the CDC finding that mRNA vaccines prevent infection. One year ago, the economy closed with a crash. Today, we are poised to push the coronavirus into the shadows. If we can achieve that victory, it would be an astounding triumph of science and public policy on par with the elimination of polio and smallpox. We should feel a renewed sense of confidence and optimism as we look ahead to the next six months.
Or not. Just as we can see a path to victory, infections are beginning to edge upward. Cases are increasing in New York, New Jersey, and Michigan, with hotspots sprouting around the nation. See Johns Hopkins, “
Have we flattened the curve in the US?.” Overall, infections have increased about 10% in the last seven days. Forbes, “
Covid-19 Cases In The U.S. Are Increasing Again.” Two factors will determine whether the U.S. experiences a “third wave” of infections: The pace of vaccinations and adherence to CDC guidelines as the vaccine program unfolds. In an aggressive statement, President Biden said that 90% of adults will be “vaccine eligible” in three weeks and will have a vaccine site within 5 miles of their residence. See CNN, “
Vaccines: Biden says 90% of adults will be vaccine eligible in three weeks.”
The remarkable turnaround in the availability of vaccines from January to March has caused whiplash in some quarters. As Josh Kovensky in |Talking Points Memo put it, “
We Weren’t Going To Get The COVID Vaccine Until Fall. What Changed?” Per Kovensky, Biden accelerated vaccine distribution by increasing (a) the flow of money to state and local governments, and (b) inserting the federal government into vaccine management by invoking the Defense Production Act and deploying the National Guard and FEMA. The Trump administration saw the pandemic as a public relations problem. The Biden administration sees the pandemic as a public health problem. It is amazing what a difference in perspective can make. When you can (and if you are able to do so), get vaccinated. Encourage your friends and family to do so. In the meantime, don’t let down your guard. We are in a race with the coronavirus that we can win. Let’s not flag with the finish line in sight.
The Derek Chauvin Murder Trial.
Former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin is standing trial for the murder of George Floyd. The trial is being televised. The killing of George Floyd was brutal; the evidence introduced at trial will reflect that brutality and will be difficult to watch. See WaPo, “
Emotional first day of testimony at Derek Chauvin murder trial.” The press is providing a day-by-day, witness-by-witness scorecard, declaring “winners” and “losers” after each session of the trial. Don’t fall for that narrative. That is not how trials work. Most trials are long and tedious. They ebb and flow. Watching the trial through the filter of television makes it impossible to feel the emotions in the courtroom. Even if you were in the courtroom, it is impossible to know what individual jurors are thinking. My advice is to ignore the spin and focus on the facts. They are powerful and speak for themselves.
Not Dead Yet.
Some political observers have already announced the ‘time of death’ of the Democratic legislative agenda for the remainder of 2021. In their view, if Democrats can’t eliminate the filibuster, they have used their one chance to pass major legislation through the “reconciliation process.” But as explained by Li Zhou and Ella Nilsen in Vox, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is hoping to convince the Senate Parliamentarian that Democrats can use the reconciliation process on a second bill (and maybe a third). See Vox, “
Chuck Schumer’s plan for getting more budget reconciliation bills passed this year, explained.”
The details are complicated, and the interpretation of Senate rules is beyond my ability to explain. So, let me quote the Vox article:
The budget resolution can, in theory, set up three separate reconciliation bills: one for taxes, one for spending, and one for the federal debt limit. However, in practice, most reconciliation bills have combined taxes and spending into a single piece of legislation. That’s the reason that, historically, the Senate has usually been limited to passing only one budget reconciliation bill in a given fiscal year.
Schumer hopes to convince the Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, that Democrats can “go back and amend the resolution for the 2021 fiscal year and include instructions for another reconciliation bill.” Why does this matter? If the Parliamentarian agrees with Schumer’s argument, Democrats could use the reconciliation process for the infrastructure bill and (pushing their luck) a third bill, as well. That interpretation would circumvent the filibuster in three major bills—a hat trick that would avoid a nasty fight over the elimination of the filibuster.
Who knew that the Senate Parliamentarian could be the most important person in the 2021 political landscape? By all reports, Elizabeth MacDonough is highly regarded by everyone in the Senate. Her decision will nonetheless upset at least 50 Senators, so she is in a no-win situation. Whatever she decides, MacDonough isn’t the problem. The problem is an antiquated rule that outlived its limited purpose long ago. Let’s hope Schumer prevails in his arguments, but we must keep our eye on eliminating the filibuster so that the Senate Parliamentarian can go back to maintaining order in the Senate rather than deciding the fate of the legislative agenda of the new administration.
More on Georgia Republican Voter Suppression Bill
On cue, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial telling Democrats to stop making such a fuss over the Georgia Senate Bill 202. I canceled my subscription to the WSJ, so a reader sent a photo of the editorial. Here is my reply to the reader (edited for brevity):
I got to the third paragraph and spotted the first lie. The bill did not “leave in place Sunday voting.” It gives local registrars the “option” to allow Sunday voting. So, a GOP registrar can decide that his county (with a large population of Black voters) “doesn’t need” Sunday voting—and Black churches that have traditionally organized voter drives on Sundays lose their standing to object.
The editorial claims that “drop boxes become permanent” without mentioning that the legislature imposed a limit of 1 dropbox for every 100,000 voters. In that case, drop boxes are effectively useless in large counties with substantial Black voter populations.
The editorial claims that the bill “expands weekend voting statewide,” but fails to mention that the period for early voting in runoff elections (like those that elected Warnock and Ossoff) is shortened to one week.
And finally, the editorial belittles the fact that it is a criminal offense to offer water to voters standing in line for hours. The editors note that poll workers are allowed to provide “unattended self-serve water” at the polling station. Hmm. If you are in line 3 blocks away from the polling booth, you can leave your place in line and walk 6 blocks round trip to get a drink of water at the polling station. Here’s an idea: allow others to distribute bottles of water to people standing in line!
Another reader raised an issue I expected to hear about after yesterday’s newsletter. The reader said she saw a Facebook post by Stacy Abrams asking people not to boycott the Georgia film industry. I can’t find any such post, but I note that in
2018 and
2019, Stacy Abrams asked people not to boycott the Georgia film industry after similar outrages over GOP tactics in those years. Stacy Abrams is a national hero, but three years of asking Americans to look the other way while Georgia Republicans mount ever-increasing anti-democratic tactics has taught them a lesson: Nothing they do will result in any negative consequence. It is time to prove them wrong.
Stacy Abrams is acting nobly and does not deserve criticism for trying to protect innocent Georgians. But Georgia Republicans are trying to overturn national elections for president—which concerns everyone in the United States, not just Georgians. And let’s not forget that when Martin Luther King led boycotts of lunch counters and buses and department stores during the civil rights movement, the jobs of innocent people were affected. It will always be so; if we refuse to act when the employment of innocent bystanders is at risk, we will never act. The answer is to act quickly and decisively. Our biggest challenge is fatigue and apathy. Let’s strike while the iron is hot.
The News Bubble.
Dozens of right-wing headlines can be summarized in three bullet points: Everything the liberal news media is saying about Georgia is a lie. Everything the liberal news media is saying about the mass killing in Boulder is a lie. Anthony Fauci is a national menace.
Concluding Thoughts.
I received about a dozen emails from readers who are taking specific actions to express their outrage to Georgia-based corporations over the voter suppression bill. Thanks to all of you who are making a difference. I applaud your actions!
As noted above, our biggest challenge is to maintain focus and passion after the headlines have faded. It is part of the GOP playbook to “flood the zone” with outrage to make it difficult to maintain resistance. Don’t let that happen. The best way to remain engaged and energized is to join others who are passionate and focused. Seek out groups of like-minded people who can lift your spirits and strengthen your resolve.
Talk to you tomorrow!
