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Chile's new president, Gabriel Boric, introduces a new style of politics that hasnt been seen in the region for quite some time.

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In Chiles recent presidential elections, the country voted in a leftist 35-year-old former student protestor, Gabriel Boric, who promises transparency and new economic hope. Young candidates are also springing up in other countries. But many Latin American countries have entrenched elites and political dynasties that are hard to oust.

This week, the Altamar team of Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen is joined by Juan Gabriel Valds, Chiles former minister of foreign affairs and former ambassador to the United States, the U.N., Argentina and Spain, as well as the U.N. envoy to Haiti.

Valds holds degrees and fellowships from the University of Essex in England, and from Princeton and Notre Dame in the United States. The year ahead is a difficult one for Latin America as the region tries to reverse its democratic and economic backsliding. Is a new generation of leaders on its way to power?

The enormous growth that Latin America had in the 90s and the beginning of this century was the result of Chinese expansion, and it was a result of the good prices of primary goods, explains Valds. But no reforms were really made. There was a fragile middle class that came up as a result of these successes.

The fact is that these reforms and successes were not possible to sustain. In 2014, inequality was again growing and there was a deceleration of economic growth. And this was simply the result of the fall in the prices of primary goods and in capacities of governments to lead toward reforms that could sustain growth and could sustain redistributive policies.

Chile had long been considered the gem of Latin America, with a thriving economy, a robust middle class and busy global trade. In the past years, however, it seems that the bubble burst, and student protests, violence and discontent has been the norm. What happened in Chile? asks Altamars Peter Schechter.

There are multiple polls that show that Chile is the country where individuals mistrust each other more than in any other country in the region. And they complain more than others about what we call desigualdad de trato this way in which people treat those who are felt to be of a lower class, or to be weaker, or to be women, or to be from the regions.

This phenomenon had an enormous explosion on the 18th of November, 2019, with the protests. This explosion was a result, in my opinion, of the enormous amount of expectations that Chile had developed on the basis of the growth of the country during the previous decade. The idea that public education would be expanded. That health would be at the disposal of everybody.

When growth stopped, this was a complete sense of abandonment from the government, answers Valds. The first explanation for this rebellion was the phenomenon of inequality and the feeling of frustration that most people felt at that time. But the other thing was, I think, the distance between the elite and the people of the general population. There was a supposition that there was a lack of understanding or a terrible indifference of the elite toward the real situation of most of the population, says Valds.

The new president, Gabriel Boric, introduces a new style of politics that hasnt been seen in the region for quite some time. There is something vertiginous in his rise to power. And this has to do with his personality, says Valds.

He addresses people who oppose him directly. And he says he wants to listen to them. He has an enormous task in front of him. And I think that he faces the problem that all reformist leaders face: You cannot make changes in a society if you dont have leadership. At the same time, you cannot have leadership if you are not able to create some consensus. And therefore, the fight between introducing new topics and creating consensus will be a very difficult thing for him to carry out, comments Valds.

But its not only Chile that is seeing the youth rise to the occasion. Names to look out for are Andrnico Rodrguez in Bolivia, or Guilherme Boulos in Brazil. Both under 40, both left-wing, theyre paving the way for a potential resurgence of the Left. Will young politicians take the helm of their countries?

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There is a new generation of leaders that respond to different logics than the traditional logic of our countries. They dont want to confront the type of politics that was organized before. They would like to have a different sort of political party. They value the social movements in a way which were not valued before. New topics like climate change, social and gender rights are a more direct, horizontal style of political exchanges. I think that what these young people value the most is clarity, transparency, and non-corruption. They will make an effort to change the political reality of Chile and in Latin America I think that this will come out sometime in the near future, answers Valds.

The most important conclusion we have by now is that people are voting against their governments. People want change from the present governments. The present governments are enormously discredited. They are trying to change them. This situation becomes critical because what you realize is that the political system is not working, and therefore, the need to change the political system and to change the type of participation you have in the political system is becoming crucial.

This is why, in Chile, the new constitution will become the most important element in the future, even more than the administration of Gabriel Boric, points out Valds. Many Latin American governments from the right, the center and the left have been criticized for their failure to provide for the people. This has brought about a need for change, which Valds says has only one answer: the creation of consensus and social pacts.

If you dont have governments that are able to generate a certain level of consensus in society, and a certain perception that you can organize a community that can live together and has a will to live together, then you will have one failure after the other, says Valds.

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The Rise of Latin America's Young Progressives BRINK Conversations and Insights on Global Business - BRINK

Is a Russian invasion of Ukraine imminent? At the heart of this avoidable catastrophe is Moscow's concern over the ever-increasing U.S. military threat on its doorstep. Since the Soviet Union fell, the United States, through itsNATOallies, has pushed troops and arms closer to Russia, despite the "not one inch eastward" promise made by U.S. Secretary of State James Baker to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990. Now, close to 100,000 Russian troops are massed on the Ukrainian border. The Ukrainian military is on high alert. Adding fuel to the fire, President Biden ordered 8,500 U.S. troops on high alert and is pouring weapons into Ukraine.

Katrina vanden Heuvel, who has reported on Russia for decades, explained on the Democracy Now! news hour: "Russia, the Soviet Union, lost 27 million people in World War II. There is a real continuing fear, even in younger generations, about being encircled... What if Russian troops suddenly decided to alight in Mexico? Borders matter, especially in the Russian historical consciousness."

Pope Francis said on Wednesday, "Today, I especially ask you to join in praying for peace in Ukraine." Invoking Ukraine's 20th-century history, he continued, "More than five million people were annihilated during the time of the last war. They are a suffering people; they have suffered starvation, they have suffered so much cruelty, and they deserve peace... Please: War never again!"

About 30% of Ukraine's 50 million citizens are native Russian speakers, most in the southeast region of Donbas bordering Russia and on the Crimean Peninsula. Russia militarily annexed Crimea in 2014, as "Euromaidan" protesters in Kyiv's main square and in other cities demanded closer ties to the European Union. The national debate on whether to align with East or West erupted into a military conflict, with close to 14,000 people killed, 1.5 million displaced, and two regions within the Donbas, Donetsk and Luhansk, declaring independence from Ukraine and aligning with Russia.

Anatol Lieven, a senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, offered his analysis on Democracy Now!: "The crisis has grown to this point because of Russia's deep unhappiness with the expansion ofNATOto its borders and the threat ofNATOadmitting Ukraine, which Russia regards in much the same light that America regards the appearance of hostile military alliances in Central America."

President Kennedy's confrontation with the Soviet Union during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis is considered the closest we have ever come to all-out nuclear war. Kennedy acted much like Putin is now, engaging in military brinksmanship to deter the deployment of foreign weapons and troops along a national border.

In addition to the mobilization of U.S. troops, the U.S. andNATOallies are shipping weapons to Ukraine. William Hartung, also with the Quincy Institute, has long followed the unchecked growth of Pentagon spending and the weapons manufacturers that profit from war. "The U.S. has sent $2.7 billion in military aid and training to Ukraine since 2014. President Biden is talking about a couple hundred million more. And more, no doubt, will follow," Hartung said on Democracy Now!

The United States, the biggest spender inNATO, has forced the "2% defense investment guideline" on NATO's 29 other member nations, pressuring European countries to increase military spending. AsNATOstates on its website, "In 2014, three Allies spent 2% ofGDPor more on defense; this went up to 11 Allies in 2020 and a majority of Allies have national plans in place to meet this target by 2024." Hartung added, "the tensions that are related to [Ukraine] augur for their ability to keep military spending and military procurement high."

Thich Nhat Hanh is one peace activist whose voice will be missing throughout this crisis. The legendary Buddist monk and spiritual leader died in his native Vietnam this week at the age of 95.

Considered the founder of the engaged Buddhism movement, Thich Nhat Hanh was exiled from Vietnam in 1966 for opposing the war. In his 1967 book "Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire" he explained how the movement of young Buddhists was pushing their less engaged elders: "In a river current, it is not the water in front that pulls the river along, but the water in the rear that acts as the driving force, pushing the water in front forward."

The U.S. media provides a parade of pro-war politicians and pundits from both the Democratic and Republican parties, while progressive peace advocates are almost entirely shut out. Progressive Congressmembers Pramila Jayapal and Barbara Lee warned the Biden administration on Wednesday, "there is no military solution" to the crisis.

Grassroots movements must demand peace and diplomacy, now, before the outbreak of war.

See more here:
Opinion | Progressives Must Demand Peace in Ukraine - Common Dreams

Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty

If you want to understand the massive political dysfunction in the Democratic Party, look no further than Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs recent comments about Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

This week, Ocasio-Cortez appeared on MSNBC and declared that supporting a potential primary challenge to Sinema would be the easiest decision I would ever have to make. She also personally scolded Sinema, saying, She is not an ally on civil rights, and accusing her of contributing to the threat that we have in stabilizing our democracy. The New York congresswoman further called the Arizona senator a profound ally of corporate interests.

Democratic infighting and disunity (an obvious problem since Bidens Build Back Better bill crumbled) aside, Im most interested in the timing of her remarks. Its not just what she said, its when she said it.

AOC made her comments Wednesday night, just hours after news broke that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was planning to retire. Let me put this in context. With a 50-50 Senate in which Democrats will need every vote to replace Breyer with an African American woman (as President Joe Biden has promised), AOC attacked one of the 50 Democrats who could scuttle the nomination.

Bidens Lack of Toughness Could Lead to the Second Coming of Trump

Keep in mind that Democratic control over the Senate could not be any more precarious. In fact, Harvard legal scholar Laurence Tribe has previously argued that a vice president cant break a tie on a Supreme Court nomination. While it seems highly unlikely his constitutional argument will win the day, the only obstacles between Biden getting his first SCOTUS pick are a) the life and health of 50 Democratic senatorsmany of whom are in their golden yearsand b) the possible defection of Sens. Sinema or Joe Manchin.

When you realize that President Donald Trump won Manchins home state of West Virginia by almost 40 percentage points, you start to realize that Manchin might be better off switching parties. Likewise, Sinema has a higher approval rating among Arizona Republicans than Democrats (a party that just voted to censure her). Now, I dont actually think either will switch parties, although crazier things have happened. But that doesnt mean Sinema and Manchin couldnt vote against Bidens nomineeespecially if that nominee hits some bumps en route to confirmation.

Story continues

But even then, unless progressives like AOC find a way to completely alienate them from the Democratic Party, it seems highly likely that Sinema and Manchin will both support the nomineeas will some Republicans.

As CNNs Manu Ragu notes, Manchin has long deferred to presidents nominees; Sinema tends to vote for Biden nominees. Amber Phillips of the Washington Post agrees, writing, Manchin and Sinema have both supported his lower court picks, including one that is high on Bidens short list for the high court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. And Ben Jacobs at New York magazine says both senators look ready to help the president fulfill his promise from the 2020 presidential primary of putting the first Black woman on the Court.

It was ill-advised for AOC to attack Sinema (and Manchin) at the exact moment when they are poised to deliver a huge win for their party. Even if its unlikely theyll be angered enough by the attacks from the partys left-flank that theyd derail the nomination, Supreme Court confirmations are precious. Why chance blowing it?

Rather than seizing this opportunity to cast stones inside their own house, this moment should serve as a reminder to Democrats that they should be thankful for centrists like Sinema and Manchin whoeven if they sometimes fall short of the progressive purity teststill represent the party in states that are far from safe for Democratic incumbents.

Its entirely plausible that Sinema could be defeated by a Republican, a scenario made more likely by Democratic infighting. It also seems almost certain that a Republican would replace Manchin if he retires or loses reelection. Given those realities, Democrats should take what they can get (such as a lifetime justice on the high court!) and avoid making perfect the enemy of good.

Now, AOC may not have much appreciation for the political realities of living in a red (or purple) state, coming from a safe New York congressional district. But the rest of the country doesnt share the political sensibilities of her New York City district. Despite her relatively brief tenure in the lower house, AOC has a huge megaphone, commands media attention, and has a huge social media following. All this is to say, her ability to pressure (and alienate) moderate Democrats in the upper chamber exceeds her congressional seniority. This is a problem for the party.

Dems Had One Job: Dont Be Crazy. Theyre Mucking It Up.

If Democrats want to achieve grand progressive results (a la FDR and LBJ), they need grand majoritiessomething thats highly unlikely for the foreseeable future. Its unrealistic to think you can always count on having unanimous support from your caucus, so you need a little cushion. This is the cost of doing the business of politics.

They can build a cushion by winning more electionsnot by harshly disciplining their narrow majority, which will unintentionally lose seats. As James Carville told Vox, If we want to pass more liberal policies, we need to elect more Democrats. Period. End of story.

I couldnt have said it better myself. And to accomplish this task, Democrats need to get their most famous and important progressive star, AOC, on board.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Progressives Should Be Thankful for Sinema and Manchin - Yahoo News

Progressives are preparing to try to clear out Democrats they say are hampering their ability to remodel the country while their party still controls Congress.

They see the skeleton Build Back Better (BBB) package and failed voting rights bill as warning signs that a few stubborn lawmakers can and, if given the chance, will block and blow up the liberal vision they had dreamed about enacting when President BidenJoe BidenFormer chairman of Wisconsin GOP party signals he will comply with Jan. 6 committee subpoena Romney tests positive for coronavirus Pelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better MORE took office.

When things fell further apart last week, leaving the president and congressional Democrats scrambling for a way to advance their two main priorities, progressives saw a clear fix to all of it: primary challenges ahead of November.

We need strong progressives in Congress to have some sort of counterweight and leverage against the conservative, corporate backed Democrats who are an obstacle to delivering results, said Waleed Shaheed, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats,a progressive group that has backed several liberal challengers to Democratic incumbents in recent years.

These primaries are where those seats come from, where that leverage comes from, he said.

Manyonthe left are outraged that Sens. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinPelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better On The Money Fed's inflation tracker at fastest pace since '82 Billionaire GOP donor maxed out to Manchin following his Build Back Better opposition MORE (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) joined Republicans last week in opposing a rule changeto the filibusterand in doing so killed off a voting rights bill. They are equally furious that the same two holdouts, particularly Manchin, sank Bidens social and climate spending package.

While both bills have defined Bidens first year in office, progressives see them as just the start.

They believe the moderate duo in the Senate and many more in the House will vote against their proposals as often as possible in 2022 and 2024, creating further pressure to oust them from within their own ranks before it gets to that point.

Manchin and Sinema arent up for reelection in 2022, but here are five moderate Democrats the left plans to target:

1) Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas)

Jessica Cisneross quest to remove longtime moderate Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) from his position as a key centrist negotiator on Capitol Hill has attracted the most progressive energy this cycle.

Cuellar, a 10-term incumbent currently embroiled in an FBI investigation for alleged improper ties to Azerbaijan, is one of progressives biggestpotential gets.

He was seen as a major barrier to left-wing lawmakers goal of keeping Bidenssocial safety net packagelinked to the bipartisan infrastructure bill in November, arguing that he and others in similar positions in conservative districts needed an accomplishment to talk up back home.

Cisneros, a working class Mexican American woman, has a very different vision.

She gained someprominence forchallenging Cuellar for the same seat in Texass 28thCongressional District in 2020. And since then, progressives have become more interested in her candidacy. Like many on the left, she is firmly against corporate money in politics, particularly from the fossil fuel industryin the oil-rich state.Cuellar has sustained pushback from liberals over his ties to Big Oil.

While Cisneros is backed by liberal lawmakers, Cuellar, whos held his seat since 2005, has establishment weight behind his bid, including Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerClyburn calls for full-court press on voting rights Biden talks climate and child care provisions of Build Back Better agenda with top CEOs The Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Russia attack 'would change the world' MORE (Md.), the No. 2Democrat in the House. Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better Let's 'reimagine' political corruption Briahna Joy Gray discusses Pelosi's 2022 re-election announcement MORE (D-Calif.) has remained neutral so far, butsupportedhim last cycle against Cisneros.

2) Rep. Carolyn MaloneyCarolyn MaloneyOvernight Defense & National Security Inside Austin's civilian harm directive House committee to hear from former Washington Football Team employees on misconduct claims House Dems seek to advance Equal Rights Amendment after new DOJ opinion MORE (N.Y.)

Rana Abdelhamid is progressives biggest chance to create a liberal trifecta in deep blue New York.

Abdelhamid, a 28-year-old Muslim woman, is competing againstRep. Carolyn Maloney, a nearly three decade House veteran, for a shot at the 12thCongressional District of the state where Democrat-on-Democrat action is something of a blood sport.

In Abdelhamid, top strategists see an opening to recreate the fire theyve captured cycle after cycle in the state that sent Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision New Mexico Democrat tests positive for COVID-19 breakthrough case Warner tests positive for breakthrough COVID-19 case MORE and Jamaal Bowman to Congress against their more well-known and well-funded incumbent opponents.

The millennial progressive told The Hill she hopes that she can draw a contrast between her establishment rivalbacked by Wall Street and real estate who, she adds, has held this seat for as long as I have been alive.

We saw how important it is to have real progressives in Congress during the fight for Build Back Better,Abdelhamid said.We need leaders who will fight as hard as the people of this district already do.

3)Rep. Danny K. Davis (Ill.)

Activists desperate to send another social justice advocate to Capitol Hill have set their sights on Kina Collins, a young, Black gun violence prevention activist with ties to community organizing.

If Collinss story sounds familiar, its because it is strikingly similar to another progressive recruit from the activist class, Rep. Cori BushCori BushLaquan McDonald's family pushes for federal charges against officer ahead of early release Rep Cori Bush says 'gun violence shakes your soul' after car struck by gunfire Five Democrats the left plans to target MORE (D-Mo.), who rose to power and prominence by defeating longtime Rep. Wm. Lacy ClayWilliam (Lacy) Lacy ClayFive Democrats the left plans to target The FCC must act to promote minority-owned broadcasting Cori Bush hits her stride by drawing on activist past MORE (D-Mo.) amid an uproar over racial unrest.

Operatives see parallels between Bush and Collins, who is taking on Rep. Danny K. Davis, a 13-term lawmaker and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, in Illinois's 7thCongressional District.

Davis, progressives contend, is too closely tied to corporate money, which they say has long influenced his decision making, whereas Collins relies exclusively on small-dollar donations tofundher insurgent bid.

Illinois's7th District is one of the most unequal districts in the country, yet our representative Danny DavisDaniel (Danny) K. DavisFive Democrats the left plans to target Don't just delay student debt, prevent it Illinois Democrats propose new 'maximized' congressional map MORE has stopped showing up in the community, misses votes, and takes money from corporate donors, Collins said.

LikeAbdelhamid, Collins believes the ongoing struggle and public spectacle around passing Democrats social spending plan further spotlighted the need for her candidacy and others challenging lawmakerswholiberalssay are slowing things down.

We need progressive fighters, she said.

4) Rep. Tim RyanTimothy (Tim) RyanCooper becomes latest House Democrat to not seek reelection Marjorie Taylor Greene endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race The Hill's Morning Report - Biden, NATO eye 'all scenarios' with Russia MORE for Ohio Senate

Columbus native Morgan Harper, a former adviser for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is challenging moderate Rep. Tim Ryan in the states Democratic Senate primary, a race thats attracting national eyeballs.

Harpers rsum reads a bit like Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenDemocrats press cryptomining companies on energy consumption Ocasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision Over 80 lawmakers urge Biden to release memo outlining his authority on student debt cancellation MOREs (D-Mass.). A lawyer and policy wonk, but from the Midwest, not Massachusetts.

She hopes that in Ohio, the state that Democrats have watched turn red over the last several cycles, shes making the pitch that populist policies like "Medicare for All" and the Green New Deal are needed to inject optimism and concrete results into struggling areas.

Ryan, a Youngstown native and early backer of Biden, has long enjoyed the support of the party's establishment wing. While some Democrats are skeptical that the seat can go to any candidate from their side of the aisle, Harper would have to outcompete the moderate factions favorite candidate in 10-term Ryan to have a shot against the eventual Republican nominee.

5) Rep. Jim CooperJim Cooper Romney tests positive for coronavirus DCCC expands list of vulnerable House Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Russia attack 'would change the world' MORE (Tenn.)

If theres an underdog to be had among progressives 2022 dream draft, its Odessa Kelly.

The young Nashville native is challenging Rep. Jim Cooper, a 16-term conservative Democrat and member of the Blue Dog Coalition in the House, forTennessee's 5thCongressional District.

Like other outsiders angling for a way in, Kelly, a mother of two, has the support of Justice Democrats and progressive groups like Indivisible, Brand New Congress, the Working Families Party and a slew of local and community leaders in Tennessee.

Her platform is unabashedly progressive.

While fellow organizers see hope in Kellys bid against Cooper, some privately acknowledge she has a tougher road ahead than her counterparts. Her district has been recently gerrymandered to lean toward Republican control, making it even harder for some to envision any Democrat clinging to power in the Southern enclave.

2024 Honorable Mentions:

6) Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.)

Theres no shortage of progressives who want Manchin out of Congress and away from politics altogether. But can anyone make that happen?

The West Virginia senator has been the lefts biggest problem child on Capitol Hill for the entirety of Bidens administration. FromBBBto the federal minimum wage, many progressives are loath to even refer to Manchin as a moderate, arguing that he is more of a Republican officeholder than a team member of the Democratic caucus.

Its notjust the left flank who ismad. As the negotiations around major legislation lagged for months for what he promised were good faith talks with the White House and congressional colleagues, many in the party felt he basically delivered a middle finger to the plans to pass an agenda that would address many social and environmental problems before the midterm elections.

The whole episode was cinematic. And it drastically upped the pressure among aggravated activists at the state and national levels to find someone who could be viable against him.

That, of course, wont be easy. Former President TrumpDonald TrumpFormer chairman of Wisconsin GOP party signals he will comply with Jan. 6 committee subpoena Overnight Defense & National Security Pentagon tells Russia to stand down Billionaire GOP donor maxed out to Manchin following his Build Back Better opposition MORE swept the state easily in both elections, and Manchin is still deeply popular with his constituents, despite the overall mood among Democrats in Washington souring on him.

7) Sen. Kyrsten SinemaKyrsten SinemaThe Hill's Morning Report - Democrats sense opportunity with SCOTUS vacancy Schumer finds unity moment in Supreme Court fight Left says they're not to blame for Biden's problems MORE (Ariz.)

Unlike Manchin, Sinema is a relatively newer target on the left. But shes quickly caught up to being equally reviled by those who want her out.

What started as a nascent primary Sinema movement among some rogue activists has gained steam in recent weeks after the first-term Arizona senator voted against amending the filibuster and effectively halted the debate on passing voting rights legislation.

Beyond the majority of Democrats in Congress, who have become increasingly unhappy with Sinemas position on the filibuster and refusal to budge after meeting several times directly with Biden, officials in her own state are even more upset.

Members of the Arizona Democratic Party recently voted tocensuretheir own senator after her GOP-aligned vote last week, a move that received praise from Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSchumer finds unity moment in Supreme Court fight McConnell warns Biden not to 'outsource' Supreme Court pick to 'radical left' Briahna Joy Gray discusses Pelosi's 2022 re-election announcement MORE (I-Vt.), who has been critical of both Sinema and Manchin in their opposition to changing the procedure.

Activists say they expect a Sinema challenger to emerge ahead of 2024, with some anticipating that Rep.Ruben GallegoRuben GallegoOcasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision Poll: Sinema approval higher among Arizona Republicans than Democrats It's time for 'Uncle Joe' to take off the gloves against Manchin and Sinema MORE could mount anintraparty fight, despite shooting down the idea earlier.

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Five Democrats the left plans to target | TheHill - The Hill

Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings

The letter to the editor, Supreme Court is wrong in COVID-19 decision (Jan, 20, 2022), shows why liberal progressives are a danger to this country. The author says the U.S. Supreme Court should have based its recent mask and vaccine mandate ruling on what he feels would be best for the health and safety of the general public.

His letter shows he does not understand or chooses to ignore the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in our democracy. SCOTUS is meant to be a strictly judicial body. It is not supposed to advocate for or against social policy like mandated mask wearing and vaccination. Its job is to dispassionately decide whether government and private sector actions are constitutional.

SCOTUS ruled that the Constitution does not give the Biden administration the authority to force businesses to require employees to be vaccinated.

Liberal progressives who are rapidly gaining influence in Rhode Island politics are dangerous because reality, facts and the U.S. Constitution mean little to them, as the Jan. 20 letter to the editor makes clear. They demand laws and government policies be based on their feelings. Emotion-driven policies dont make for good government.

Rational people gather facts and draw logical conclusions to make sound public policy. Liberal progressives dont so they should never be elected to public office.

Robert King,Middletown

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OPINION/LETTER: Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings - newportri.com