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To the editor:

First, I want to thank you. Over the few years I have been here, you have graciously printed a number of my opinions and have rejected a number of others, and that is not only fair but your right to do so.

When I am frustrated, I have to write to the one paper that at least reaches some in our area, if not the rest of the state, feeling I have tried to do my part in addressing things that I feel are important to our country as a whole.

That is why I recently wrote a letter comparing the McCarthy era to now, and how the word racist instead of communist is ruining lives today.

I have often written that racism is a cancer, and it has no place in any society. However, today, racism is being used in a hateful way, fostering more division and hate and destroying what Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned.

I believe everyone should recognize what the BLM organization is doing and fight it before it destroys any resemblance of civility and fosters a divide that will be difficult to repair.

Its curriculum of critical race theory is now finding its way into many states and schools throughout the country. That, together with BLMs 1619 project, is fostering beliefs that are damaging to all children regardless of their race.

They, along with politicians, are finding racism in everything. Even climate change that the progressives are pushing are linking it to racial injustice. Nothing it seems is off the table.

Finally, when I read in the paper about the diversity program being implemented, the word that is frightening is equity. I keep asking what does that mean.

Well, yesterday I received an answer. Virginia is using the term critical practical theory to change its math curriculum. There no longer will be advance math classes until the 11th grade, and everyone will be in the same class, following along with a curriculum that everyone will be able to keep pace with.

This is also springing up in other schools.It may be too slow for many, but it is aimed at kids who have experienced greater success in the past, many believe primarily white and Asian.

However, I believe that is a misnomer. American students who are Black have experienced great success in math. As an example, I refer to the movie Stand by Me, which is about a teacher who taught calculus to kids in New York City.

They were very successful, so this theory that young kids who are Black cant learn math as well as others is insulting and untrue. This method will hamper all those who have exceptional skills in math regardless of their race.

Telling children who are Black that they cant learn math as well as others is not only harmful, but it fosters a belief of inferiority.

Ed Wagner

Spring Hill

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Letter to the Editor: Progressives' efforts to curb racism instead make it worse - williamsonherald.com

In one of his final acts as a member of Congress, Richmond backed Carter, who also nabbed endorsements from House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). Peterson was backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), former Georgia governor candidate Stacey Abrams, EMILYs List and activist Gary Chambers Jr., who came in third place in the March primary.

Carter took the first slot with 36 percent in that race, followed by Peterson with 23 percent.

He notably embraced support from prominent Louisiana Republicans and may have drawn some GOP voters out because they have no candidate of their own in the runoff. Peterson and her allies hit Carter for courting Republican voters and emphasized her liberal bona fides. She supports the Green New Deal and a $15 minimum wage.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, the independent expenditure arm of EMILYs List and and the League of Conservation Voters have spent a combined $1.3 million to boost Peterson on the air. But Carter had outraised his opponent as of early April.

A loss by Peterson is a setback for the progressive movement, which is readying for a show of force in the 2021 special elections.

New Mexico Democrats selected as their candidate for a June special election state Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a slightly more moderate choice than her leading opponent. Now the next best shot for the left to grow its ranks is in an August primary election in Ohio where Nina Turner, a former presidential campaign co-chair for Bernie Sanders, faces Cuyahoga County Democratic Party leader Shontel Brown.

Still, Carters arrival in Congress is good news for all House Democrats because it eases concerns over their razor-thin majority. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will now have three votes to spare as she looks to achieve major policy initiatives.

Read more:
Troy Carter wins Louisiana special election in blow to progressives - POLITICO

Its April 27, 2021 and welcome to First 100. You can sign up to have First 100 delivered to your email by clicking here.

This week is that time in the presidential term where everyone decides to assess a new presidents performance, using the mile marker of the first 100 days. (Some media wags even design an entire newsletter around that somewhat arbitrary figure.) But well before we hit day 100, a narrative had set in on the center-left.

This is a popular, transformative president, the narrative goes, doing bold yet popular things, proving that good policy is good politics. Certainly, the president is popular, or as popular as a president can be in a completely polarized age. His job approval in several polls hovers a couple points above his share of the two-party vote in 2020. His policy prioritiesthe infrastructure package, the American Rescue Planare even more popular, allowing the administration to redefine bipartisanship as promoting policy preferred by Republican and Democratic voters, if not their representatives in Congress. The vaccine rollout has been a success (even if its slowing now), and if nothing else was accomplished that would be a signature achievement.

And yet theres another way to look at this first 100 days of the Biden era: one where the administration has to be dragged to that place of transformation, pulled forward not just by the progressive movement but from across the spectrum of the Democratic Party. You can read this as good or bad depending on your perspective: maybe its bad that the Biden administrations instincts are smaller than the moment requires, or maybe its good that the partys instincts are biggerand that the Biden team is listening to them.

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To be sure, Biden has put forward several laudable policies: leaving Afghanistan without preconditions, rejoining the Paris agreement, and just today, raising the minimum wage for federal contractor employees to $15 an hour. He has delivered on a number of campaign promises and on one big meta-policymeeting the required level of ambition and rejecting naysayers who tried to use deficits and inflation to trim his sailshe potentially provided a lasting blueprint for Democrats. But lets look at several other issues that have transpired over the past few days:

In response to the tragic outbreak of COVID-19 in India, Bidens team ignored calls for help for several days. Finally, national security adviser Jake Sullivan ended the export ban on raw materials for vaccines. Then, after weeks of prodding, Biden decided to share with India and the world dormant AstraZeneca vaccines that had been sitting in a warehouse in Baltimore.

The administration set a deadline of March 15 for an emergency temporary workplace standard for COVID-19, then shot past that date and at one point even put the rule on hold. After pushing from Senate Democrats and labor unions, finally yesterday the Department of Labor advanced the temporary standard through the regulatory process, which means its still not active until after the Office of Management and Budget signs off.

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After initially leaving out changes to health care in the American Families Plan, which will be announced in Wednesdays speech to a joint session of Congress, the administration took a ton of heat from all factions of the party, and it finally decided to include $200 billion to extend increased subsidies for the Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges (which were added for two years in the American Rescue Plan). This has not stopped the lobbying, as over 80 House Democrats spanning the ideological divide from AOC to Conor Lamb are pushing to lower the Medicare eligibility age and allow prescription drug price negotiation in Medicare, the latter a cost-reducing policy that Bidens team has still left out.

The Biden teams greatest legislative accomplishment, the expanded and advanced child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan, only lasts for one year. Democrats pressured Biden to make that permanent, but he rejected that, citing the high cost, and instead will reportedly only extend it to 2025 in tomorrows announcement. Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, has deviated from that script, today introducing a family care bill that makes the CTC permanent.

The Biden team needed only to sign a piece of paper to increase the refugee cap and allow tens of thousands of migrants in deplorable conditions to settle in the United States. Biden promised to do it and briefed Congress, then changed his mind (reportedly it was his decision) and left the refugees stuck on the tarmack. After tremendous pushback from all corners of the party, Biden relentedbut only to say that he would set a new refugee cap by May 15.

And I havent gotten into student debt cancellation, or marijuana legalization, or whats going on with the Yemen war, or more.

This is a defined trend, and Im willing to spell it out, even if it doesnt get me onto calls with Ron Klain. On a number of key areas, Bidens team has not been the one with the boundless ambition. Theyve reneged or stayed silent on a number of items, only moving when enough pressure has been created by the political system to make inaction impossible. And often those reluctant moves are half-steps: raw materials and AstraZeneca vaccines but no IP waiver on vaccine patents, or ACA exchange subsidies but no drug price reform, or so on. Even on the minimum wage increase for federal contractors, theres much more that can be done, as weve outlined in our Executive Action Tracker. Biden can ban contractors from forced employee arbitration agreements; he can require them to maintain neutrality in union organizing; he can mandate replacement contractors to rehire the previous firms workers. None of this has been done.

As were moving into an uncertain area on legislative policy, this is problematic. Joe Manchin wants the infrastructure package whittled down to next to nothing with the participation of Republicans. As his vote is critical, theres simply no guarantee that anything monumental will come of the infrastructure bill; the return of earmarks might spur cooperation, or it might not. Manchin also refuses to budge on the filibuster and thinks voting rights changes have to be done in common cause with a party thats actively moving to suppress the vote across the country. There are some bipartisan gangs circling one another on China policy and criminal justice, but again success is not ensured.

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Therefore, executive action and implementation is fast becoming the only remaining path by which change can happen, and the executive branch is, in many key areas lets say reluctant. I mentioned the Executive Action Tracker, and its 77 discrete agenda items. Bidens accomplished 7, and gets partial credit for another 5. Thats not good enough, leaving on the table a host of policies on climate, health care, financial regulation, conservation, consumer protection, and much more. Implementation of grants for arts venues was delayed four months and only restarted yesterday; implementation of rental assistance for desperate tenants is just as bad. Immigration policy is thus far a trail of broken promises.

The first 100 days have been successful, but by definition they are incomplete. The legislative window is rapidly closing thanks to recalcitrant Senators in a narrow majority, and that which Biden has control over, his executive authority, has established a defined trend of doing too little and being pushed to do more.

Again, theres a positive quality to this: the progressive movement really is at the table. It has a voice to move policy, though not always 100 percent. We might wish for Biden to get it right the first time, but the game of trial balloons and external pressure is common. Obama typically didnt listen, or took much more time to come around. Biden has improved on this. But for this presidency to reach transformative levels, advocates are just going to have to keep working. The president will not do it by himself.

Day 98.

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First 100: Biden Has Been Pushed to Deliver by Progressives and Advocates - The American Prospect

Ellison, a prominent ally of Bernie Sanders during both of the Vermont senators presidential bids, has received accolades from both flanks of the Democratic Party for his role in Chauvins trial. Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress and a longtime critic of Sanders, tweeted that she is so grateful that Ellison was in charge of the case. Progressives such as Justice Democrats spokesperson Waleed Shahid praised his leadership. Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, also singled out Ellison for his role.

He is a living example of how the states top law enforcement should not only react to a crime, but also assemble the evidence and facts, said Donna Brazile, the former chair of the DNC. He has been phenomenal. Theres no other way to describe it. He filled a void. He provided steady leadership.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced last May that Ellison would be at the helm of prosecuting Chauvin a decision that came in the wake of Floyds family members, activists and lawmakers voicing concerns about the local prosecutor who had been leading the case until then.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman had been managing it and would have been in charge of the prosecution, but that changed after 10 state representatives sent a letter to Walz saying they and particularly their Black constituents no longer trusted Freemans ability to impartially investigate and prosecute the case.

Ellison, on the other hand, was a more natural fit. A former state legislator, he was Minnesotas first Black member of Congress and the first-ever Muslim elected to Congress, where he represented a Minneapolis-based district for over a decade. Early in his career, he worked for 16 years in civil rights law five of them as the head of the Legal Rights Center, a Minnesota firm that promotes racial and social justice. As a law school student, he led a protest against police brutality and the failure to charge transgressing officers in Minneapolis. He also has been singled out by cops in his own life, he said, because he is Black.

He was the right person for this moment. Him and his team, they changed the course of history, said Nina Turner, Sanders former campaign co-chair who worked with Ellison during the senators presidential bids. Hes very down-to-earth, very committed, very focused but also warm. With all of his intellect and skills that he has, he is a Black man in America and he understood from lived experiences the historic import, too.

In an interview, Jackson called Ellison tough and said he has the capacity to relate to all people, and give them a comfort level.

Yet Ellisons record has also attracted criticism. Minneapolis Police Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the local Police Officers Federation, said in 2018 when Ellison was running for attorney general that Keith Ellison has a long history, and its a negative history, with the Minneapolis Police Department I dont wholeheartedly believe that [he respects law enforcement]. I think hes got a different agenda that, quite frankly, is anti-law enforcement.

The same year, Ellisons ex-girlfriend posted allegations of domestic abuse on social media. He denied the allegations, which came near the height of the #MeToo movement and nearly derailed his campaign. Ellison defeated his GOP opponent, Doug Wardlow, by 4 percentage points in 2018, the smallest margin of any statewide Democrat on the ballot that year.

Ellisons reputation as an unabashed progressive was highlighted when he ran for DNC chair in 2017 he was endorsed by Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. He ultimately lost the race, a blow to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party as a whole.

Despite Ellisons 2018 victory and current momentum, his future political options are somewhat limited. Walz, a Democrat, is in his first term after winning by 11 points in 2018 and has broken fundraising records in advance of the 2022 gubernatorial election. And given the hits the governor has taken from progressives over his handling of criminal justice, Ellison actually did Walz a favor by securing the conviction of Chauvin.

Minnesotas senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, are also incumbent Democrats and by Senate standards, fairly young.

A spokesperson for Ellison declined to comment for this story.

He can become a transformative figure, and I think he has the capacity for many great things, said James Zogby, a DNC member who served with Ellison on the national partys platform drafting committee in 2016, Hed be a great senator, a great governor whatever Keith Ellison feels hes ready to do, hell be good at it.

Even if opportunities to advance his career are limited in the near-term, the rise of Black Lives Matter and the widespread belief that the countrys criminal justice system is flawed has elevated the role of attorneys general and district attorneys, giving Ellison a national platform going forward.

The best use of [Ellisons] talent is right where he is right now, said Turner, though she added that doesnt mean he wont go other places.

Next year, Ellison is up for reelection as attorney general. Wardlow, a former state representative whos been working as general counsel for MyPillow, the bedding company owned by Donald Trump ally Mike Lindell, announced in February he is running again.

On Tuesday, Ellison said he would not call the verdict in Chauvins case justice.

Because justice implies true restoration, he said. But it is accountability, which is the first step towards justice. And now the cause of justice is in your hands. And when I say your hands, I mean the hands of the people of the United States.

Link:
Progressives swoon over Ellison role in Chauvin trial - POLITICO

(EPA)

As Joe Biden prepares to lay out his sweeping economic agenda, including massive investments in childcare and education, Bernie Sanders is capitalising on the presidents ambitions to urge support for even larger investments in childcare and education, as well as renewing his signature push to expand federal healthcare coverage.

The presidents first primetime address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday will begin the process of dealing with the structural problems facing this country, the progressive Vermont senator said in a video posted to social media.

Mr Bidens plan would provide universal preschool for millions of three- and four-year-old children, provide for two years of tuition-free community college enrolment, and build funding for childcare and federal paid family and medical leave, among other proposals.

The senator said the US needs to move aggressively to combat the nations high rates of child poverty and bridge disparities in childcare and education.

It is insane that hundreds of thousands of bright young kids cannot afford tuition costs, or end up leaving school before graduation so deeply in debt that theyre paying off that debt for decades, he said. That is pretty crazy stuff.

He also urged Congress and the administration to summon the courage to take on the healthcare industry, the pharmaceutical industry to lower the cost of health insurance and prescription medicine.

I would hope that right now in this session what we can begin the process is expanding Medicare, he said.

The senator supports a nationalised health insurance system through a Medicare For All proposal by expanding the federal healthcare programme for elderly Americans to everyone, rather than through private for-profit insurance networks.

In this legislative session, he is joining calls to lower the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 55, which could open the plan to 40 million more Americans. A growing number of congressional Democrats have also urged the White House to expand eligibility.

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Democrats have also called on the administration to expand Medicare benefits to cover dental, vision and hearing benefits by negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of prescription drugs, which would save the programme $450bn and increase revenues by $45bn over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

On Wednesday, a study commissioned by Mr Sanders revealed that Americans pay two to four times more for prescription medicine compared to other wealthy countries.

The senator, and Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal, have also proposed the College for All Act, which would grant tuition-free community college for all students, and allow students from families earning under $125,000 to enrol in public colleges and universities tuition-free and debt-free.

Senator Elizabeth Warren and US Rep Mondaire Jones have also proposed the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act, a $700bn plan to establish a network of childcare centres across the US in partnership with state and local governments and school districts.

The proposal aims to fix our broken child care system and ensure that women and families are not left behind in our recovery, she said in a statement. Expanding quality childcare would create jobs, increase productivity, and have lifelong benefits for childrens development and growth.

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Read more:
Bernie Sanders video rallies progressives ahead of Bidens speech to Congress - Yahoo News