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Walker Bragman Profile picture
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2 Aug, 4 tweets, 1 min read
If the federal government is unable to do more than it is currently doing in the face of a spiraling pandemic -- it's not, but let's make the argument -- then that institution itself is unworkable.
We do not have to have -- nor should we have -- a pandemic response led by the individual states where responsibility is placed on individuals.

Our federal government has emergency powers and it should use them to contain this virus.
We should do a paid lockdown or at the very least vaccine passports.

We should implement strict OSHA protections for all industries.

We should mandate health care workers get vaccinated.

We should be immediately releasing the vaccine IP and sending millions of doses abroad.
Now is also the best possible moment to implement a national health care system. Fears over cost (even though vaccines are free) are hindering our vaccination efforts.

We don't have to keep living in Reagan's America.

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More from @WalkerBragman

Walker Bragman Profile picture
4 Aug
On Aug 16, 12 days from now, the U.S. Census Bureau will release census data to the states and redistricting will begin.

In 37 states, elected officials redraw the congressional and state legislative districts. 20 of those states are fully controlled by Republicans; 9 are split.
Last time Republicans had such an advantage heading into the process (which will conclude within weeks for most of the US), the maps gave them 15-17 extra House seats.

This time will be worse. In 2019, the SCOTUS okayed gerrymandering, saying it is an issue for the legislature.
Republicans are already planning on pressing their advantage.

Rep. Ronny Jackson actually said at an event with religious conservatives that redistricting alone "should get us the majority back.”

Democrats can prevent this. But they have to act quickly.
Read 9 tweets
Walker Bragman Profile picture
4 Aug
Seems Dems will not pass redistricting reform by the time the congressional and state legislative districts are redrawn.

That means the GOP will dominate the process and completely disempower their base.

This is a historic blunder that will surely cost the country dearly.
If Dems pass redistricting reform after August 16, when the census data is released to the states, they’ll have to write the legislation to take retroactive effect. The bill will also not be as robust as it would if it were passed beforehand.

And it will surely mean lawsuits.
It will also make the bill harder to pass because some Democrats are surely going to enjoy their new safe districts—no matter how bad things are at the macro level for the party and liberal voters.
Read 4 tweets
Walker Bragman Profile picture
2 Aug
14 days until the Republicans gerrymander the Democrats out of power for a decade.

Congress is in recess.
If redistricting reform doesn't happen -- and it seems like it won't -- it will be a historic waste of power and time.

It will ensure climate change goes unchallenged and have devastating consequences for future generations.
I want to reiterate that this isn't about whether or not corporate Democrats have power.

It's about whether or not the demographics who typically vote liberal and left (a majority of Americans) can elect a congressional majority. If not, it's devastating.
Read 5 tweets
Walker Bragman Profile picture
29 Jul
Republicans are literally about to end majoritarian democracy in the U.S. and Democrats are going to let them do it.

Doesn’t matter what issue you care about most — climate change, health care, whatever. If the majority cannot elect a congressional majority, we’re fucked.
This doesn't just mean entrenched GOP control of the House. It means the same state legislatures across the country.

You can march in the streets, shouting until your face turns blue. If your elected officials don't have to worry about losing their power, you don't matter.
These congressional and state legislative maps will last a decade. That means we won't be able to prevent the worst climate change has to throw at us.

Democrats must pass redistricting reform before August 16 (or very shortly thereafter).

Everything depends on it.
Read 7 tweets
Walker Bragman Profile picture
16 Apr
There are 2 reasons the U.S. hasn't done a paid lockdown to combat COVID-19:

1) Opposition from the business community.

2) Decades of neoliberal thinking make such a huge federal undertaking unthinkable.

So we left it to states to respond and banked on vaccines.

565,000k died
There are people out there who think it's about "freedom" or whatever. It's not. It's about cowardice and lack of vision in DC.

Americans deserved better.
I've spent an hour talking to anti-lockdown people who insist that we can't control the virus, nor should we try, and that reopening is fairer to the vulnerable because everyone will be exposed and bear the cost.

I cannot stress enough how monstrous and wrong this thinking is.
Read 6 tweets
Walker Bragman Profile picture
23 Jan
Uncontrolled viral spread is creating mutated variants of COVID.

These variants may drive reinfections; may become vaccine-resistant; may be more deadly; may be more infectious...

Safety precautions while staying open can only go so far. We've seen it in NY.

We must lock down
In order to lock down, our federal government and state governments must step in and provide aid.

People will need at least $2k-a-month. Rent, mortgages, debt will have to be frozen and forgiven. The unhoused will have to be housed.

These are doable. But they require will.
This crisis is what government exists for. The private sector is incapable of leading the way out of it. Efforts to keep government limited have hamstrung our efforts so far and may have already ensured this virus becomes seasonal.

But we must try--must throw everything at it.
Read 4 tweets

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