Joe Manchin’s Foolish Demand for Bipartisanship

 By Mildred Robertson

Bipartisanship is a key component of a healthy democracy. It is a tool that allows thoughtful consideration of all sides of a political situation.  Impartial deliberation is a method by which a governing body can arrive at a solution that addresses the desires of the majority while considering the needs of the minority. It is the foundation of good government striving to meet the needs of all its constituents. However, this methodology requires good-faith negotiations on the part of all participants. Therein lies the problem with Sen. Joe Machin’s demand that any legislation to which he adds his support must be based on bipartisan consensus.

The Republican Congress, led by Senator Mitchell McConnell, has vowed over the past two democratic presidencies to oppose any legislation proposed by Democrats. He showed his skillfulness in keeping that vow during the Obama presidency, when he blocked all meaningful legislation except the Affordable Care Act known as “Obama Care”, which he successfully weakened before its passage.

Now, faced with legislation critical to the survival of self-governing rule in this country, Machin has made the irrational decision to reject the Democrats’ move to kill the filibuster, and allow majority rule to prevail. He insists that his crucial vote will be withheld unless Democrats are able to bring along ten Republicans to support any legislation, thereby bringing the 117^th Congress to stalemate. This decision is either disingenuous or delusional, depending upon whether Machin’s position is based on his desire to be pivotal in the political landscape, or that he truly believes that he can negotiate with a McConnell-led Republican Party which has already demonstrated its penchant for opposing rather than governing.

Manchin has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory…invalidating the hard-fought win that seemingly resulted in a Democratic majority when Georgia elected two democrats to the Senate in January 2021. When senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won their run-offs in January, it appeared that America had turned a corner, leaving behind the destructive politics of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. But with Manchin’s decision to oppose legislation that would strengthen voting rights, he denied Democrats the edge it needs to move forward without Republican support in the Senate. Manchin has single-handedly blocked progressive legislation that is overwhelmingly supported by the voting public; though possibly not by the majority of his constituents in West Virginia.

This conundrum has placed Democrats in a peculiar position. The will of the people, I believe, is clear. In 2021 they voted for leadership with a purpose and a plan. But with the defection of Manchin, and possibly one or two other democrats, the nation continues to be held hostage by the narrow, bigoted, and fruitless rule of the likes of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. Seemingly the majority; Democrats still languish in the halls of Congress, trying to determine a way to enact meaningful legislation to actually make America great again.  

Meanwhile, Manchin foolishly continues to attempt negotiation with an adversary who definitively states that negotiation is not an option; and he continues to fight efforts to eliminate the outdated and racist fillibuster which allows the minority to prevail. 

 

Nancy Pelosi Speaks Profound Truth

 By: Mildred Robertson

I watched Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi this morning on MSNBC, and she said something that to me was profound:  “Do the best you can, not the best you know how.”  It put into perspective the challenges faced by our congress, our country, and our individual selves.

Speaking from my personal life, I would rank myself an underachiever. I have many times said that, had my mother been given the opportunities I had, she would likely have achieved much more than I. I measure my God-given talent against my paltry accomplishments and think of all the missed opportunities in my life to just do better. Based upon my own measurement and my judgmental nature, I fall far short.

Speaker Pelosi’s words, however, gave me the opportunity to reassess and measure my life in terms of obstacles and opportunities. Just because you know what needs to be done in a particular situation does not mean that you have the wherewithal to do it. It may seem like giving yourself a pass; however those circumstances which block our way to success are sometimes out of our control. That does not mean that we don’t see and desire a particular goal. It just means we can’t access the necessary path to get there.

Case in point; the 117^th United States Congress. We celebrated the election of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to give congressional democrats the margin we needed to wrest power from the hands of Mitch McConnell. The majority of Americans recognized what was best for this country, and acted. Voters chose a progressive national agenda that would address voting rights, social justice, women’s issues, racial and economic disparity and a host of other issues that had suffered under the weight of oppressive Republican policies that made corporations people, and people less than human. While it was a major victory…there are obstacles.

The narrow margin that placed power in the hands of progressives is curated by Senator Joe Machin whose motivation is not yet clear. He, and his cohort, Sen. Kyrsten Senima have the power to deliver or deny democrats the vote on any particular initiative; and they have chosen to deny. They stand in the way of eliminating the filibuster which stymies the democrats’ efforts to go it alone to pass meaningful legislation opposed by intractable Republicans. You see, Nancy Pelosi and democratic senators know what’s best. It is just that obstacles deny them the opportunity to do what’s best.

The question is whether the obstacle is unmoved and unmovable. Are these two senators striving to do what’s best, or what’s best for themselves?

As we watch congressional leaders navigate the polluted waters of our nation’s politics we have to give them the leeway to address the obstacles. I do not know what it will take to persuade our two errant Senators to place the good of the nation above their own personal preferences and beliefs. I understand that that is a difficult ask. But in order for our nation to heal and move toward equality and prosperity for the masses, the progressive agenda must move forward.

I hope our leadership is fashioning a strategy to mitigate the obstacles to our recovery. I do not doubt that they are working diligently to eliminate opposition to the progressive agenda; whether it be disingenuous republicans, or stubborn democrats.  I am sure Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer know what is best; and they are trying to do the best they can.

Vaccine Hesitancy Endangers Us All

By Mildred Robertson

I get it. Covid-19 vaccination among blacks is a hard sell. America has a bad track record as it relates to abusing minorities when it comes to healthcare and healthcare trials. All one needs to say is ‘”the Tuskegee Experiment” or “Henrietta Lacks”. Healthcare researchers treated minorities as less than human as they exploited them for scientific gain. Then there is the way the Covid-19 Vaccine came into being. It seemed to have been created in a very short period of time compared to other vaccines which have been years—sometimes decade—in the making. Add to that the questionable practices of the previous administration which promoted ineffective and sometimes dangerous treatments to stop the spread of this deadly disease. It is easy to see why some question whether the Covid-19 Vaccine is safe and effective.

While many Americans worry about the negative effects the Covid-19 vaccine may have on an individual; it is clear what a Covid-19 infection can do to you. We do not have to look to India where a resurgence of Covid-19 is infecting thousands daily. We only have to look around at our friends, neighbors and relatives to see its devastating effects right here in America. I imagine that no individual reading this blog can say that they do not know someone who has either tested positive, become seriously ill, or perhaps even died from this disease. It is a fact that contracting Covid-19 could result in serious, life-threatening illness and death.

Much of the confusion rests with the CDC, which was severely compromised under the previous administration. Many experts either supported false claims promoted by the then president related to treatment of the disease, or remained silent in the face of his lies. They continue, even today to vacillate regarding what are the best practices to keep the majority of Americans safe from the disease. All that being said, I believe facts support the opinion that the COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. While these side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, they are generally transitory. Many experience no side effects at all.

Common side effects include pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. Contrary to reports one might hear on a Fox News Channel or a Facebook post; to date, the CDC has not identified a single case where the Covid-19 vaccine is the cause of someone passing away. And data indicate that the vaccine decreases the risk of severe illness and death from the disease.

Why does it matter whether an individual chooses to get vaccinated: because, while we draw boundaries around ourselves and others in our community, our state and our nation…the disease does not. If a sufficient number of people in our community fail to be immunized, it allows the disease to mutate. It is possible that a mutation may develop that is not responsive to current vaccines, thereby putting us all at risk. So your personal decision to immunize effects each of us.

For those who are still hesitant about the vaccine, I am attaching some myth-busters being distributed by Cedar-Sinai, recognized as one of the best hospitals in the nation:

MYTH #1: The vaccine was rushed into development and might not be safe

"While the development of the COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA technology is new, scientists have been working on this technology for many years, in fact decades. We are very excited that they are now being able to use the mRNA technology for vaccines in a safe way. The reason it was developed so rapidly is because scientists were able to implement this technology since they had the RNA sequence of the virus as it was released in January 2020. This allowed them to incorporate the mRNA for the spike protein into the vaccine. Nothing about the clinical trials for the vaccines was rushed nor any shortcuts taken. In fact, the numbers of participants in the clinical trials for both Moderna and Pfizer were quite robust and very similar to the number of participants needed and required in prior vaccine studies."

MYTH #2: I'm young and healthy, so I don't need a vaccine

"COVID-19 is still a very unpredictable infection, and just because you are young and healthy doesn’t mean you won't have any of the complications of the infection that we continue to see. There are a few risk factors for severe disease that we have identified, but there’s still no guaranteed way to predict that you would have a mild or severe course with the infection. It is much safer and wiser to get the vaccine and deal with the slight discomfort and side effects temporarily than to subject yourself to the infection."

MYTH #3: The COVID-19 vaccine will affect my chances of becoming pregnant

"There has been no link between the COVID- 19 vaccines and a negative impact on female fertility. The data is reassuring regarding the use of this vaccine during pregnancy, and because the mRNA degrades so rapidly, it would be highly unlikely that the vaccine could cause issues with fertility."

MYTH #4: I can get COVID-19 from the vaccine

"What you may feel after you receive the COVID-19 vaccine is a mild fever, muscle soreness at the site of injection and fatigue. That is your immune system activating and starting to form the protective antibodies that it needs to fight off this virus if you are infected in the future. Compared to some of the live attenuated virus vaccines we have previously seen, the vaccine is noninfectious, so there is no way you can get COVID-19 infection from taking the vaccine itself."

Myth #5: I've had COVID-19, so I don't need the vaccine

"As far as we know, the antibody response that you are going to get from a vaccine is far more robust and more predictable than natural antibodies post-infection. Even if you’ve had COVID-19, it is a great idea to get a vaccine when you are able. Don’t forget to schedule your second dose for the vaccine as well. We also remind all those getting a vaccine to stick with the same platform–if you got Pfizer for your first dose, make sure you get the same for your second dose."

MYTH #6: I received the vaccine, therefore I don't have to wear a mask or social distance

"Vaccines are one of the many tools in our toolkit that we know can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, just because you received the COVID-19 vaccine does not mean you should stop wearing masks or social distancing. We are still trying to determine whether or not a person can spread the infection to others even when they are not infectious and have been vaccinated. Until we learn more, we should continue to do our part and remain masked and socially distant." Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Covid-19 Vaccine Update for Patients

For those of you who still hesitate to take the vaccine, I urge you to do independent research, which means certified healthcare entities. Not Facebook, Instagram, Fox News, “Bubba or Donte” down the street; but experts in the field. I believe independent research will convince you that the Covid-19 vaccine is preferable to contracting Covid, and God forbid, passing it on to your loved ones.

Get vaccinated. I did.

Update: The CDC indicates it is not necessary for vaccinated individuals to wear masks. 

America's Road to Recovery

By Mildred Robertson

The past four months have been a time of turmoil. We have experienced a seditionist uprising, the inauguration of a president, an organized fight to end Covid-19 through inoculation and legislation and the beginning of a trial not only of Derek Chauvin, but of the American justice system and America itself. To quote the famous novelist Charles Dickinson, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times."  

As the nation emerges from the incompetent and tyrannical rule of the last four years, there is hope that the Biden/Harris administration can restore good governance and move this country forward. There are hopeful signs. Biden has been able to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccinations resulting in at least 114,436,039 people or 34% of the population having started the inoculation process.  Overall,  233,591,955 doses of the various vaccines have been distributed and 62,854,301 people have been fully vaccinated. 

That pace of distribution dwarfs the efforts of the previous administration. The Trump administration  predicted on December 15, 2020 that as many as 20 million Americans would be vaccinated by year's end. Their final result was a little over 31 million coronavirus vaccine doses distributed nationwide. They administered fewer than half of that number. But even with the Biden Amdinistration's accelerated production and distribution of the 3 vaccines found to be effective against the disease, Covid remains a threat to the nation's health and economy. 

As the battle against Covid continues, the nation is still plagued with continuing police violence against the black community. While in the midst of the Chauvin murder trial, the nation has learned of an "accidental" police shooting in Minnesota and the assault of a Lieutenant serving in the U.S. army who was pulled over, pepper sprayed, handcuffed and assaulted; all while displaying the license tag the police require in his back window.

Today as I pen this blog, our nation struggles with yet another school shooting. We again are sending out "thoughts and prayers" while republicans continue to block any realistic efforts to reform gun control...or police violence...or wage disparity, or healthcare...or; well, anything that might make the life of the common man more fair and equitable. 

And then, there is Joe Manchin. This West Virginia democrat chooses to stand in the way of the progressive agenda which is wildly popular among democrats and republicans alike. With a senate divided 51/50 in favor of the Democrats, Manchin has chosen to use the power of his one vote to hold the party hostage to his whims. He calls it a desire for bipartisanship. In reality, it appears to be a desire to buttress his personal ambitions. You see, it is clear that the party of "No" is not interested in bipartisanship and has no desire for a democratic president and a democratic congress to win. So, while Manchin's demand that democrats work across the aisle, appear noble, no one is fooled by his power play. The American people are thus forced to suffer and wait as democrats figure out a way to nuetralize their reticent 50th congressman.  

But, there is hope. 

President Biden has provided crucial funding through his Covid-relief bill, providing direct payments to citizens, many of whom were stuggling to meet the basic needs of life such as food and housing. The American Rescue Plan provides for child care credits, unemployment benefits, aid to local and state governments, housing assistance, school support, assistance for failing pension plans, employee retention tax credits, student loan relief and education funding. The bill also provides relief to assist rural health care providers, and much more. 

Biden also has signed a number executive orders undoing the damage done by the previous administration, and addressing issues that need immediate attention despite the failure of Congress to act.  (See sampling of Executive Orders below.) While these executive orders are effective in providing temporary relief to some of the problems caused by the previous administration, and many issues that existed prior to it, permanent legislation is required in order to achieve lasting change. 

If the Democratic Party can hold together its fragile lead in congress... If Biden can seduce a number of moderate republicans to abandon party and serve their constituents... If Joe Manchin would stop playing "Game of Thrones" and choose to legislate... If... 

Our president has a daunting task before him. He has already attacked it with vigor, and we see some evidence of the nation's revival. There are many important issues that have yet to be addressed that MUST be if we are to right this nation's path. 

But I believe he has a plan. The American people must have the patience to allow him to work it. Perhaps, with our patience and support,the worst of times in this nation's recent history can truly become the best of times. 

Follow the links below to access this sampling of  Executive Orders

1. Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families
2. Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act
3.Reforming Our Incarceration System To Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities
4. Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
5.Protecting Worker Health and Safety
6. Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19
7. Ensuring a Lawful and Accurate Enumeration and Apportionment Pursuant to the Decennial Census

Biden's in the White House: We're going to be Okay

 By Mildred Robertson

There is a Grimm’s Fairy Tale in which a young woman finds a pick axe in the ceiling of her wine cellar. The young woman laments the fact that were she to have a child whom she sent to the cellar to fetch wine, the axe might fall and kill the child. She and her entire family became distraught over the possibility. They simply missed the logic of removing the axe from the ceiling, thereby eliminating the danger.  Despite the numerous successes of the Biden Administration to date, many on both sides of the aisle continue to wait for the fall of the axe.

Biden seems to be of the opinion, it is better to simply pull the pick axe from the ceiling. He has ignored the incessant chatter of the media, and the constant GOP attacks. Rather than engage with either the media or the GOP in divisive political wrangling, Biden and his administration have focused on repairing the broken government he inherited. The Biden administration has begun to systematically shore up those areas weakened by Trump and his undisciplined, unprincipled, ineffective administration.   

Biden has pledged to Americans that “Help is on the Way,” and he has thus far been true to that pledge:

• President Joe Biden, sworn in on January 20, 2021, has assembled perhaps the most diverse array of cabinet nominees in history. As of March 10th, 16 of his cabinet-level nominees gained approval, despite Republican contentiousness. He lost his nominee for White House Budget, Chief Neera Tandem, based upon some innocuous tweets the GOP claimed to find offensive. Overall, however, his nominations are proceeding well.
• While the previous administration can be credited with the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, it fell far short of its goal of vaccinating 40 million by the end of December. Under the Biden Administration over 10% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated; averaging about 2 million vaccine doses administered per day. Biden anticipates the epidemic may be under control by July 4^th if Americans continue to strictly comply with CDC guidelines.
• On Thursday, March 11^th, President Biden signed a sweeping $1.9-trillion coronavirus relief package into law. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act creates a massive infusion of federal aid aimed primarily at working families. It provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses, and preserves jobs for American industries.
• The $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund provides assistance for state, local, and tribal governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
• States are able to extend unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks under the new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program. PEUC benefits are available for weeks of unemployment beginning after your state implements the new program and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before December 31, 2020.
• The COVID-19 support provides students 50% off the first-year tuition, which could equal approximately $6,000. In other words, a student could study for a full year for less than $6,000 without counting any other scholarships or grants they may be able to access.
• The Paycheck Protection Program is providing small businesses with the resources they need to maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead.
• Stimulus checks: The checks will be a maximum of $1,400 per individual, or $2,800 per married couple, plus $1,400 per dependent. Like past direct payments, this third round will be based on income. The income limits for those to receive the maximum amount will remain the same. Individuals who earn up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income, heads of household with up to $112,500, and married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000 will get the full $1,400 per person.

If you view these accomplishments, it is clear that Biden and his team are anything but fatalistic when they anticipate America’s future. Yet challenges still exist.

Still to be addressed are immigration, social justice, voting rights, pay equity and police reform. Every American should be able to walk the streets of America without fear of racial intimidation or violence. Our borders must be secured, but our policies must be humane and just. The minimum wage must be addressed so our workforce can be adequately compensated. Police need support, but the bad cops must be weeded out and discriminatory policing policies must be removed. States across the nation continue to write legislation to impede minority voting, so voting rights require a federal response.

All of these issues are pressing. This administration acknowledges the need for change in all these areas. But Biden is not like the young woman in the wine cellar. He does not just look up at the axe and lament. He has lifted his hand to pull the axe from the ceiling…one crisis at a time. Let’s give him the time and support he needs to remove the axe.

We are going to be okay.

N.C. Senator Censured For Impeachment Vote

By:  Mildred Robertson

It seems that the North Carolina Republican Party is at odds with the majority of American citizens when it comes to the impeachment of Donald J. Trump. Recent surveys show that 56% of Americans supported his conviction and nearly 60 percent of North Carolinians say the former president is either responsible or somewhat responsible for the violence at the US. Capitol on January 6, 2021.  However, only 11% of North Carolina Republicans share that opinion. So on February 15th the Party moved to censure Senator Burr, one of seven Republican Senators to vote to convict the former president who incited the January 6 riot that desecrated the U.S. Capitol building, claimed 6 lives and resulted in numerous injuries. 

As we watch the dissimilation of the Republication Party, it becomes apparent that the party's demise will also negatively impact the entire country. In a February 15 article published in the Greater Diversity Magazine, John E. Finn, Professor Emeritus of Government, Wesleyan University said, “In the end, a safe and healthy constitutional democracy depends upon elected public officials and an educated citizenry that values the principles and practices of constitutional democracy more than it values political power and partisan politics.”

It became clear in the last four years that many of our elected officials lack those values and principles referred to by Finn. Further, our citizenry has failed to pursue true understanding of our Constitution but rather have been seduced by conspiracy theorists and false leaders. There is no better evidence of this than the red states, North Carolina key among them, who have chosen to punish their representatives, rather than applaud their bravery for voting to impeach the 45th president of the United States.

And it is a matter of bravery. It is commonly agreed that, were the impeachment vote held by secret ballot, well more than the needed two-thirds majority would have cast their votes to convict. But our new reality is that the former president still has sway over an unhinged MAGA crowd which has demonstrated its proclivity for violence. Even if republican legislators did not have to fear physical violence to themselves and their families, there would remain the fear of the gerrymandered vote, where few republican candidates can survive the primary without the MAGA vote. 

During his tenure, I have seldom agreed with Richard Burr. His decision was made somewhat easier in that he had already planned his departure from the legislature. It took courage none-the-less, whatever his other motives. So I applaud him for doing what was right for North Carolina and the nation. But our nation stands in jeopardy as long as the former president is left unchecked and his seditionist followers remain unpunished. This is a heavy burden being borne by the Democrats and the Biden administration. It is my prayer that more elected officials will let go of fear and overcome partisanship and the pursuit of power to promote the true principles and practices of constitutional democracy. Again, Sen. Burr, I applaud you for being one of seven who had the courage to make that choice.   

 

North Carolina D.P.I. Ponders Adding Diversity and Inclusion To Curriculum

 By Mildred Robertson

There is a firestorm in North Carolina over the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s proposal to teach American history as it occurred rather than whitewashing it to show that our nation has always lived up to the lofty expectations set out in our constitution. It appears that teaching our students the truth about America’s founding, its slaughter of native Americans, its enslavement of Africans and its abuse of former slaves and other minorities is just too much for some in the state to bear.

DPI’s move to ensure diversity and inclusion in the standard K-12 curriculum is opposed by GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson who said Wednesday he has collected 27,000 signatures in an online petition calling on the state board to reject the new standards. Robinson, who is black, (More about him another time), said public education has become so anti-conservative that he has not been allowed to speak at schools while activities such as Black Lives Matter are promoted.

However, this is not an issue of conservative versus progressive; but rather an issue of fact over fiction. I recall when I was in middle school in Missouri when I had a heated disagreement with my history teacher over the inventor of the cotton gin. I was taught that Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, but in my individual studies, with prompting from my “woke” sisters, I had learned that slaves had invented many of the tools and practices that were attributed to their white owners. In my search for truth I found that Eli Whitney’s slaves invented the cotton gin. However, they were his chattel (not considered human therefore ineligible to file a patent). Their discoveries were attributed to him. He patented the cotton gin in 1794. Needless to say, when I stated as much on my test, my answer was marked wrong. She was incensed, even though I had provided her with proof that what she was teaching was incorrect.

That was more than 50 years ago, yet many white Americans still seem to struggle with the incongruence of history with perceived reality. Why is it so hard to state that America was a land stolen from its original owners and its economy built on the backs of enslaved people?  Why would such a statement be considered divisive?  Is it, perhaps, because this nation has yet to take the first step toward reconciliation with those that have been wronged—acknowledgement of guilt! 

We must teach our children the struggles this nation has endured in order to arrive at this place in history. We have to let them see what we did wrong, as well as what we did right.  How else can they be expected to make better decisions?

The American experiment is an awesome, somewhat successful one.  But it is not without flaws. Our country has brutalized many on its trek toward becoming the most powerful nation in the world.  Non-Europeans have borne the brunt of that brutality. But America has historically failed to admit the brutality and disparity that accompanied its progress.

Looking back toward slavery and its aftermath, forty acres and a mule would have been nice. But could those of you who wield the reigns of authority simply agree to those dark chapters of our nation’s history and codify methods to ensure that parity will be pursued in the future? Can we work toward building a nation where justice and equality are jealously safeguarded in our current social and political endeavors? Can we strive to see our past failures so they won’t be replicated in our future?

Can we simply teach our children the truth?