It feels like we are stuck, enduring Trump’s lame duck stint while dealing with cumulative effects of a needlessly unchecked pandemic. We have to dig deep within ourselves to do what we can to bear in these last seven weeks of an evil executive branch. 1/
For those with promising state and local electeds, maybe contact yours and find out how you can boost good government in your area. 2/
Read one good biography or history book that can help you think creatively about political, social, or cultural measures that can remedy government failures. 3/
Find an online, virtual exhibit or program related to art, science, literature - some broad field of human endeavor - and practice learning something completely new. Stretching your mind will prepare you to contribute new ideas about old challenges. 4/
We have to push ourselves to transcend the slog Trump and all his GOP minions trying to force on us. We have to refuse despair, we have to fight being completely overwhelmed by fear or sorrow - despite fear, sorrow, disgust all being warranted. 5/
Our continuing small acts in favor of justice and our mutual welfare-donating and volunteering, wearing masks, staying home, checking in with friends, colleagues, family-every one of these acts is an important stand against the degradations still being inflicted by Trump/GOP. 6/
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Best way to block corrupt pardons: don’t elect people inclined to exercise the pardon power corruptly. Also, demand Congress members who will impeach and convict Presidents of unconstitutional conduct that is also corrupt. 2/
Trump was violating his oath of office from the moment he took it. He was accepting unconstitutional emoluments and should have been impeached, tried, and removed from office because of it. 3/
Don’t be naive. McConnell and Barr are not trying to soothe Trump’s feelings. They want him to remain in power and they want the Senate to remain controlled by Republicans. Those are their goals and as with their other goals they will abandon norms and laws to realize them. 1/
The only deterrents to men like Barr, McConnell, and Trump is the personal cost of taking any given step to stay in power. Going to jail or being unable to support themselves financially are the only operable disincentives. So ... 2/
...we have to protect the results of the Presidential race and fight for free and fair runoffs in GA in such a way that the only workable counterefforts by Barr, McConnell, and Trump would be likely to land them in jail (as they have too much money to fear destitution). 3/
Relatively early in this awful, awful Trump administration I helped organize, attended, spoke at a protest here in DC. Good-sized crowd, strong local Indivisble presence, interesting assortment of speakers. 1/
Walking home, I phoned my husband to remark on how people, including myself, faced with a political disaster, were learning new forms and habits of collective action, and seeing that was giving me hope. 2/
Here are some photos from that rally, which was protesting Trump’s Muslim ban, if I recall correctly. 3/
As I have stated repeatedly, my objection to Barrett is her willingness to accept nomination from a President expressly counting on her to keep him in power and her willingness to participate in events that seriously jeopardize others’ health for her own advancement. 1/
In fact, I think it may be legitimate for Supreme Court justices to be activists, even sometimes overruling precedents. 2/
But do not jive me by painting Barrett as somebody unlikely to explicitly overrule Roe or limit it into nothingness. (Oped in NYT making this case this morning. nytimes.com/2020/10/12/opi…) 3/
Concerned about universities acting like public health approaches that don't include air refreshment in buildings are going to be safe enough for resuming instruction and residence on campus for next semester. 1/
I watched as universities over the summer had to face the fact that they could not have even the most minimal use of campus without extensive, frequent testing and contact tracing, measures. 2/
Just as universities thought they could reopen without such testing and tracing, they now think they can operate in the winter months so long as they have done this, along with masking and cleaning. 3/