There’s something interesting in today’s news: A number of Republican Senators have said they are skipping the Republican National Convention this year. The convention was originally scheduled in Charlotte, North Carolina, but at Trump’s insistence was relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, last month. The stated reason was that Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper would not commit to permitting a full convention out of concerns about the spread of coronavirus, but the abrupt switch to Florida, less than 80 days before the convention, still seems odd to me. Regardless, the switch has created a new problem: Florida is in the midst of a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases, setting a record for new cases in a single day during the weekend —11,458—and running low of ICU beds.
One of the questions that troubles me is this: how will schools handle the families who believe their children don't have to wear a mask and practice other health measures because they infringe on their individual rights? The CDC has made it very clear that their guidelines are guidance (suggestions) and nothing more. If there is no national, unified plan to address the spread of this coronavirus how can we expect parents who belong to the "Coronavirus Hoax School of Thought" to follow mandates set forth by a school/school district? (I can visualize mothers standing in the hallways of schools across the country screaming at principals that their Johnny/Jenny will not be wearing a mask in school.)
The Manifest Destiny tweet from the White House is shameful. Every day we are given dozens of examples of Trump's misgovernance. Surely we will learn a lesson from this mess of a presidency.
Thanks, Heather, for your daily letters and notes. The time and effort you commit to this project and to us is invaluable.
I know that Trump scandals are everyday occurrences and people are getting numb to them. And, that the fuse on the Russian bounty story is still burning and it may soon explode and eclipse all others. But why isn’t the story of stimulus money going to his friends getting more attention/outrage?
Early on it was a small software company contracted to work for Trump’s re-election campaign that received an incredibly large award. Then a private helicopter company with ties to Trump. Now, over 100 companies and $273 million! Wow.
Trump famously stripped away all oversight from the stimulus package saying HE would be the oversight.
Seconding the thanks for the July 7 Politics Chat. Thank you for your service of bridging your academic knowledge to lay people. You manifest moral courage in a world of trolls to help people understand the fundamentals of democracy, and why such understanding is critical in today's world. And there should be a way for you to be appropriately compensated with more than our thank you messages.
Thank you. More must be done by everyone to get him out. If they try to steal the election dare we protest in the throes of a pandemic, and when he controls the military. I will soon be 70 and never imagined the possibility of being on the brink of destruction of Democracy. Listened to talk on Tuesday afternoon. Don’t let the trolls and bots stop your truth telling.
I’m picturing a cavernous, empty arena in Jacksonville, with Trump standing alone on the stage. He turns and hugs the flag, while out amongst the empty chairs Ivanka stands. Her clapping echoes weakly through the deserted hall, as a lone balloon falls from the ceiling...
I agree with tthe conclusion that those pulling Trump's strings are more dangerous than him. As the understand spreads and increases that Trump is no longer of any use to them, they will fade into the background, drop their current puppet and plan for the next time. If they are not all taken down and their duplicitous philosophy exposed for all to see it will come back again with increased force having learned the lesson of not relying on a weak, fractured imbecile to do the work.
Trump seems relatively unconcerned about his poll numbers and, weirdly, seems to be doing nearly everything in his power to lose the election. What does he know that we don't? He has spent numerous hours over the past 3 years speaking privately with Putin. Is the fix already in? What happens if the poll numbers remain the same but he wins? I'm afraid peaceful protests won't do us much good.
Calling Dr. Mary Trump...how will your uncle react when he realizes that his congressional supporters are, finally, casting him adrift to try to save themselves? How will it affect his eggshell-delicate ego and skewed view of reality? Or, dare we hope, if the Supreme Court rules against him regarding his finances? Safe to say it all will be rich fodder for Dr. Richardson.
I worked for a narcissist although trump is an exceptional specimen. They cannot change; their reality in very different from others’. Giving one the most powerful job on the globe is a disaster as we know now. When trump was running in 2016, I predicted much of this behavior, not because I’m so smart but because I lived it. I ultimately left the job because the narcissistic power holder always “wins.”
Covid-19 is so deadly that Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen had to be released from prison early, but it's also so benign that we need to be packing the nation's children back into their schools next month?
Yes!! Thank you. Too little, too late. And what are they going to do when he isn’t re-elected? Are they going to rig it, like they did in 2000 when Al Gore won the election? What are the people going to do then? Peaceful protests didn’t help in 2000, at all!
I haven’t heard yesterday’s chat yet. The school district I work for released our reopening plan at the same time and it overshadowed everything in my life!
In Texas, the director of education is Mike Morath. He is holding federal money and is claiming online virtual classes are just people talking online. So he has made new rules. Districts must fully open to get funding. Parents can opt to take virtual classes. But no funding to aid virtual learning below third grade. Districts will have to provide both in school and virtual classes at the same time. The guidelines for opening are shockingly lacking! There’s nothing for distancing in the classroom. It’s basically school as usual. We didn’t have any cases in March when we closed. Now we’re spiking with actual cases in our population and we’re forced to fully open. I have no choice! I need my paycheck! So a little panic stricken! Luckily, I work for an amazing district! No joke, I’ve never been so happy and felt so supported! I believe they will do everything in their power to make it as safe as possible. Just don’t know how safe that can be.
Morath is a big supporter of private and charter schools. The DeVos ideology. How he can withhold aid is beyond me! But he says he’s keeping emergency funds the state received to help his office, TEA, from expenses they incurred during the pandemic. Can that possibly be legal? Teachers everywhere are panicking. Parents, it’s in your court!
Request your mail-in ballots as early as possible. Complete and return your mail-in ballot asap. Do not wait until several weeks before November. Thank you.
One of the questions that troubles me is this: how will schools handle the families who believe their children don't have to wear a mask and practice other health measures because they infringe on their individual rights? The CDC has made it very clear that their guidelines are guidance (suggestions) and nothing more. If there is no national, unified plan to address the spread of this coronavirus how can we expect parents who belong to the "Coronavirus Hoax School of Thought" to follow mandates set forth by a school/school district? (I can visualize mothers standing in the hallways of schools across the country screaming at principals that their Johnny/Jenny will not be wearing a mask in school.)
The Manifest Destiny tweet from the White House is shameful. Every day we are given dozens of examples of Trump's misgovernance. Surely we will learn a lesson from this mess of a presidency.
Thanks, Heather, for your daily letters and notes. The time and effort you commit to this project and to us is invaluable.
I know that Trump scandals are everyday occurrences and people are getting numb to them. And, that the fuse on the Russian bounty story is still burning and it may soon explode and eclipse all others. But why isn’t the story of stimulus money going to his friends getting more attention/outrage?
Early on it was a small software company contracted to work for Trump’s re-election campaign that received an incredibly large award. Then a private helicopter company with ties to Trump. Now, over 100 companies and $273 million! Wow.
Trump famously stripped away all oversight from the stimulus package saying HE would be the oversight.
Just feels like this should be bigger.
Seconding the thanks for the July 7 Politics Chat. Thank you for your service of bridging your academic knowledge to lay people. You manifest moral courage in a world of trolls to help people understand the fundamentals of democracy, and why such understanding is critical in today's world. And there should be a way for you to be appropriately compensated with more than our thank you messages.
Thank you. More must be done by everyone to get him out. If they try to steal the election dare we protest in the throes of a pandemic, and when he controls the military. I will soon be 70 and never imagined the possibility of being on the brink of destruction of Democracy. Listened to talk on Tuesday afternoon. Don’t let the trolls and bots stop your truth telling.
I’m picturing a cavernous, empty arena in Jacksonville, with Trump standing alone on the stage. He turns and hugs the flag, while out amongst the empty chairs Ivanka stands. Her clapping echoes weakly through the deserted hall, as a lone balloon falls from the ceiling...
I agree with tthe conclusion that those pulling Trump's strings are more dangerous than him. As the understand spreads and increases that Trump is no longer of any use to them, they will fade into the background, drop their current puppet and plan for the next time. If they are not all taken down and their duplicitous philosophy exposed for all to see it will come back again with increased force having learned the lesson of not relying on a weak, fractured imbecile to do the work.
Trump seems relatively unconcerned about his poll numbers and, weirdly, seems to be doing nearly everything in his power to lose the election. What does he know that we don't? He has spent numerous hours over the past 3 years speaking privately with Putin. Is the fix already in? What happens if the poll numbers remain the same but he wins? I'm afraid peaceful protests won't do us much good.
Calling Dr. Mary Trump...how will your uncle react when he realizes that his congressional supporters are, finally, casting him adrift to try to save themselves? How will it affect his eggshell-delicate ego and skewed view of reality? Or, dare we hope, if the Supreme Court rules against him regarding his finances? Safe to say it all will be rich fodder for Dr. Richardson.
Trump promised to "drain the swamp" but instead he turned it into a Superfund Site.
If (when 🙏🏻) Biden is elected, can he reverse the decision to withdraw from the WHO?
And, once again, thank you for all of your time and insight in putting together these letters!!
I worked for a narcissist although trump is an exceptional specimen. They cannot change; their reality in very different from others’. Giving one the most powerful job on the globe is a disaster as we know now. When trump was running in 2016, I predicted much of this behavior, not because I’m so smart but because I lived it. I ultimately left the job because the narcissistic power holder always “wins.”
Covid-19 is so deadly that Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen had to be released from prison early, but it's also so benign that we need to be packing the nation's children back into their schools next month?
Yes!! Thank you. Too little, too late. And what are they going to do when he isn’t re-elected? Are they going to rig it, like they did in 2000 when Al Gore won the election? What are the people going to do then? Peaceful protests didn’t help in 2000, at all!
The Destiny Salute to America screen shot in the notes looks like Trump and Pence turning their backs on us.
I haven’t heard yesterday’s chat yet. The school district I work for released our reopening plan at the same time and it overshadowed everything in my life!
In Texas, the director of education is Mike Morath. He is holding federal money and is claiming online virtual classes are just people talking online. So he has made new rules. Districts must fully open to get funding. Parents can opt to take virtual classes. But no funding to aid virtual learning below third grade. Districts will have to provide both in school and virtual classes at the same time. The guidelines for opening are shockingly lacking! There’s nothing for distancing in the classroom. It’s basically school as usual. We didn’t have any cases in March when we closed. Now we’re spiking with actual cases in our population and we’re forced to fully open. I have no choice! I need my paycheck! So a little panic stricken! Luckily, I work for an amazing district! No joke, I’ve never been so happy and felt so supported! I believe they will do everything in their power to make it as safe as possible. Just don’t know how safe that can be.
Morath is a big supporter of private and charter schools. The DeVos ideology. How he can withhold aid is beyond me! But he says he’s keeping emergency funds the state received to help his office, TEA, from expenses they incurred during the pandemic. Can that possibly be legal? Teachers everywhere are panicking. Parents, it’s in your court!
Request your mail-in ballots as early as possible. Complete and return your mail-in ballot asap. Do not wait until several weeks before November. Thank you.