Sorry, more ‘politics’ but there’s just some crazy shit going down not including Ted Cruz abandoning Texas for Mexico during a crisis. Even Fawx Snooze was aghast. But enough of that…and a caveat: I’m a musician and visual artist and don’t pretend to be an authority in politics, economics, science (although I have friends who are Junior Scientists), et al. Perhaps you could think of these posts as supplying useful food for thought and discussion, and as a way to ask questions.
On February 4th, President Biden’s administration put forth the American Rescue Plan, an emergency legislative package to fund vaccinations, provide immediate, direct relief to families bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis, and support struggling communities. The plan also includes extending expanded unemployment benefits with a $400 weekly supplement through end of September (vs. March 31 currently), $1,400 direct payments to individuals, funding to help address disproportionate impact on people of color, for community health centers, prisons, and jails, emergency paid leave for over 100 million Americans, tax credits for families to offset up to $8,000 in annual child care costs, aid to renters with unpaid debts to landlords, grants to small businesses, and $350 billion to help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls.
In his speech he said, “These investments are going to create jobs, maintain America’s competitive edge globally, and ensure all Americans share in the dividends.“ It’s been noted that Biden’s coronavirus plan is exceedingly popular and that 64% of voters approve. Of course, all Republican lawmakers are opposed to it. Stay tuned in the next week or so to see how Democrats can achieve passing popular legislation while preserving the power of Congress.
This legislation goes hand in hand with the administration’s approach to foreign policy. Biden argues that foreign policy is an integral part of domestic policy and it requires that the government address the needs of ordinary Americans. “We will compete from a position of strength by building back better at home,” he said. “That’s why my administration has already taken the important step to live our domestic values at home — our democratic values at home.”
Regarding this, Heather Cox Richardson pointed out on February 6th that “This idea—that the U.S. must reform its own society in order to extend the principles of democracy overseas-- was precisely the argument Theodore Roosevelt and other reformers made in the late 1890s when they launched the Progressive Era. When Roosevelt became president in 1901, he used this rationale to take the government out of the hands of business interests and use it to protect ordinary Americans.
Roosevelt argued that the government must clean up the cities, educate children, protect workers and consumers, support farmers, and make business pay its fair share. Biden shared his own list on Thursday: ending the so-called Muslim ban, reversing the ban on transgender troops, defending the free press, respecting science, addressing systemic racism and white supremacy, and rebuilding the economy.”
Over the last 45 years, the GOP has decried too much guv’ment regulation and have quite deliberately propagated the monstrous lie that scientists, economists, doctors, lawyers, and all professionals with a level of expertise in certain disciplines, people who know WTF they're talking about, are to be mocked as "elites" and as enemies of their fellow citizens with their knowledge ignored. Biden is bringing those people back to the table.
Yes, governmental regulation can be a pain in the arse in some cases but it can also hold in check those faceless corporations that would make serfs of the masses. Progressives lean toward being protective of civil liberties and toward an equality of all in society. Personally, the main reason to strive towards a more fiscally equal society is entirely selfish...I want less crime and stupid people. Poverty and stupidity lead to the more crass crimes such as murder, abuse, rape and vandalism. An educated, employed society is much more content and much more functional and creative.
I would rather be regulated by the government than by corporations for two reasons: 1) with a democratic government (in theory), there is hope for individual freedom and liberty whereas corporations allow for none (and in fact discourage it), and 2) with a democratic government, at least there's a chance that individuals will have some say (elections, revolt) whereas, once again, in the corporate world, there is none...zero accountability.
One more thing….the Biden Administration just announced that the United States will provide an initial $2 billion contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance for the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, the innovative financing instrument of the COVAX Facility, which supports access to safe and effective vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income economies.
COVAX is one of three pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was launched in April by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission and France in response to this pandemic. Bringing together governments, global health organizations, manufacturers, scientists, private sector, civil society and philanthropy, with the aim of providing innovative and equitable access to COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. The COVAX pillar is focused on the latter. It is the only truly global solution to this pandemic because it is the only effort to ensure that people in all corners of the world will get access to COVID-19 vaccines once they are available, regardless of their wealth.
This is called cooperating and partnering with countries across the globe, something the previous administration avoided unless it was with fascist regimes.
And now for the important stuff…