Good morning y'all - as Robert requested I just listened to Amy Jo. Wow - does she have her act together. I'd like to see her work with Rep. Katie Porter - they could really shake things up.
I am pretty sure I’ve said it here before—and it’s hardly new—but politics is the art of the possible. Yes, Joe Manchin is odious, but he’s there and there are few ways around him. One may be to take Mitt Romney up on his idea for a separate bill on the child tax credit. I’m deeply suspicious of Republicans, even Mitt (my former governor), but maybe he’s got something useful this time. Meanwhile, there are other parts of BBB that could get Manchin’s support, I hope; I do fear that he would say all the bills together are too expensive and pull down the whole house. Still, we need to make a deal that can pass, to save the Democratic majority, but more important, to make things better in our nation.
As for charges from the insurrection, we are so lucky to have judges who will apply the law; many nations do not. I believe that charge of sedition and even treason could apply, but if obstruction is the best we can do, it’s a lot better than trespassing! And, of course, Trump and his closest cronies should be charged. I’m reading Adam Schiff’s great memoir of the Trump investigations and prosecutions, and it amazes me how clear the evidence was, and how much or it had ceased to amaze and disgust me. Prosecute! Prosecute! Prosecute them all!
We only get one more filibuster proof bill. So, should we use that on the Child Tax Credit? Sure, then tell people that they can’t have paid leave when their children are sick, or that they can’t have access to affordable child care so can work, or tell seniors that the richest nation in the world won’t pay for their dental care, or that we are unable to do anything to stop climate change. The problem is that Republicans are so consistently bad that when one of them throws a morsel our way, our instinct is to say “Thank you!” I say let Mitt Romney go on record as voting against BBB, then tell the 10% of his constituents who live in poverty (20% of the children) that Romney doesn’t give a damn about them. Then, and only then, allow a vote on a standalone child tax credit (which Manchin opposes by the way because, in his view, the working poor are unworthy). But if it passes, we should not be grateful or tout the fact that we got one thing done at the cost of giving up a dozen other essential programs for the health and safety of all Americans. You are right, but as you can tell, I am not happy about it.
Wouldn’t it be better, if Romney’s bill is worth voting for, to strip the child tax credit from BBB, the pass what’s left, and then see if enough Republicans will vote for Romney’s bill for it to pass? Not an easy choice and I am open to being persuaded that the other way round would work better, but let’s get the most we can, whatever the result. Recriminations can wait.
To my great surprise, two of the three US District judges that affirmed the use of obstruction charge were Trump appointees. . . they must not have received or read the memo from the Federalist Society. . . .
Or the challenges raised by defendants are frivolous. I have not read the briefs, but per the press reports, they are claiming (among other things) that the constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress to count the electoral votes is not “an official proceeding.”
Still more words to live by! Thank you for Amy Jo Hutchinson’s video. It is so energizing to pit her testimony against Manchin’s prevarications, which have finally come home to roost. The January 6 Committee deserve Congressional Medals of Honor. Today’s Edition is the best present I can give anyone for Christmas.
Thank you, Robert, for today's newsletter. I watched the video of Amy Lou Hutchinson speaking about child poverty in West Virginia, per your suggestion, and found it rightfully damning of our government priorities. I also read the Biden Brag sheet memo and loved it! We need to brag about Biden's accomplishments through letters to the editor. I start my day with you because you provide light and ways to promote democracy. Linda from Maine
Thank you, Robert Hubbell. Since I subscribed to Today's Edition and Heather Cox Richardson's Letters From An American, I do not regret my choice to eschew turning on my television (it has been months since it was last on).
Good Morning, Robert! In today's edition you wrote "Biden has much to be proud of on a freestanding basis. He (and we) should stop being defensive and start bragging about Biden’s accomplishments—just like Republicans do for achievements that are far more modest" and I would just add "... and for achievements to which they objected." Watched/listened to Amy Hutchinson's testimony - very powerful and moving. Thank you to you and your Managing Editor for your positivity and encouragement. Pamela
Very good point! Democrats should make that point every time a Republicans crows about money flowing into their district that was sent courtesy of Joe Biden and a unified Democratic caucus.
Amy Jo Hutchinson's testimony was heartbreaking and powerful because she spoke the truth.
The more we all insist on the truth and call out the lies (damn, there are so many), the better our chance of success in '22 and '24. I am looking at what's printed on my treasured coffee mug, from a Today's Edition gathering on December 9, 2019: "We have every reason to be hopeful, but no reason to be complacent." Cheers!
We should leave a recording of Amy Jo Hutchison’s testimony on Manchin’s voicemail every day. What a voice. What a woman. Thank you for urging us to listen, Robert.
Good idea! Let me see if I can create a sound file with clips that can be alternated. Or, if any reader out their is an audio engineer / audiophile and can create a site with clips, let me know.
Excellent link-clicking today. Rattle My Windows, the always brilliant Rebecca Solnit and her link to Michelle Alexander. I will be carrying all of this on my “roiling River” forward today. I’m a solstice baby who turned 70 yesterday and I believe today brings one more minute of daylight.. I plan to fill it with optimism and action — thank you Hubbell Report!
Happy birthday! Rebecca Solnit has been on fire at the Guardian. She is now on my short list for everyday checks to see if she has written anything new.
Borrow whatever you like from my email to Joe yesterday, as inspired by HCR/Hubbell readers Carla (via Andrew B) and Cathy L, and add the news about the United Mine Workers of America:
Or any of your donors worried about the Goldman Sachs forecast for the detrimental effect if Build Back Better is NOT passed.
Furthermore, as a resident of California, which is not the second poorest state in the country, I can affirm that the rate of implementing clean air technologies has not resulted in “disastrous consequences” over the past two years. The world needs more clean air technologies, and sooner rather than later.
Help the West Virginian majority of people with all they desperately need from Build Back Better and make them proud of you.
Ok. I listened to Amy Jo's speech and it brought me to tears. But did Manchin listen?
As for Biden's achievements, his key failure was in selecting Garland, which has allowed the right wing rhetoric to spread unabated. The void Garland has allowed to expand is full of weakness that falls upon Biden.
Good morning y'all - as Robert requested I just listened to Amy Jo. Wow - does she have her act together. I'd like to see her work with Rep. Katie Porter - they could really shake things up.
Thank you for urging us(me) to listen to Amy Jo Hutchinson's Congressional testimony.
Hi, Dan. Thanks, and welcome to the message board!
I am pretty sure I’ve said it here before—and it’s hardly new—but politics is the art of the possible. Yes, Joe Manchin is odious, but he’s there and there are few ways around him. One may be to take Mitt Romney up on his idea for a separate bill on the child tax credit. I’m deeply suspicious of Republicans, even Mitt (my former governor), but maybe he’s got something useful this time. Meanwhile, there are other parts of BBB that could get Manchin’s support, I hope; I do fear that he would say all the bills together are too expensive and pull down the whole house. Still, we need to make a deal that can pass, to save the Democratic majority, but more important, to make things better in our nation.
As for charges from the insurrection, we are so lucky to have judges who will apply the law; many nations do not. I believe that charge of sedition and even treason could apply, but if obstruction is the best we can do, it’s a lot better than trespassing! And, of course, Trump and his closest cronies should be charged. I’m reading Adam Schiff’s great memoir of the Trump investigations and prosecutions, and it amazes me how clear the evidence was, and how much or it had ceased to amaze and disgust me. Prosecute! Prosecute! Prosecute them all!
We only get one more filibuster proof bill. So, should we use that on the Child Tax Credit? Sure, then tell people that they can’t have paid leave when their children are sick, or that they can’t have access to affordable child care so can work, or tell seniors that the richest nation in the world won’t pay for their dental care, or that we are unable to do anything to stop climate change. The problem is that Republicans are so consistently bad that when one of them throws a morsel our way, our instinct is to say “Thank you!” I say let Mitt Romney go on record as voting against BBB, then tell the 10% of his constituents who live in poverty (20% of the children) that Romney doesn’t give a damn about them. Then, and only then, allow a vote on a standalone child tax credit (which Manchin opposes by the way because, in his view, the working poor are unworthy). But if it passes, we should not be grateful or tout the fact that we got one thing done at the cost of giving up a dozen other essential programs for the health and safety of all Americans. You are right, but as you can tell, I am not happy about it.
Wouldn’t it be better, if Romney’s bill is worth voting for, to strip the child tax credit from BBB, the pass what’s left, and then see if enough Republicans will vote for Romney’s bill for it to pass? Not an easy choice and I am open to being persuaded that the other way round would work better, but let’s get the most we can, whatever the result. Recriminations can wait.
To my great surprise, two of the three US District judges that affirmed the use of obstruction charge were Trump appointees. . . they must not have received or read the memo from the Federalist Society. . . .
Or the challenges raised by defendants are frivolous. I have not read the briefs, but per the press reports, they are claiming (among other things) that the constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress to count the electoral votes is not “an official proceeding.”
True
Still more words to live by! Thank you for Amy Jo Hutchinson’s video. It is so energizing to pit her testimony against Manchin’s prevarications, which have finally come home to roost. The January 6 Committee deserve Congressional Medals of Honor. Today’s Edition is the best present I can give anyone for Christmas.
Thank you, Robert, for today's newsletter. I watched the video of Amy Lou Hutchinson speaking about child poverty in West Virginia, per your suggestion, and found it rightfully damning of our government priorities. I also read the Biden Brag sheet memo and loved it! We need to brag about Biden's accomplishments through letters to the editor. I start my day with you because you provide light and ways to promote democracy. Linda from Maine
Thank you, Robert Hubbell. Since I subscribed to Today's Edition and Heather Cox Richardson's Letters From An American, I do not regret my choice to eschew turning on my television (it has been months since it was last on).
Good Morning, Robert! In today's edition you wrote "Biden has much to be proud of on a freestanding basis. He (and we) should stop being defensive and start bragging about Biden’s accomplishments—just like Republicans do for achievements that are far more modest" and I would just add "... and for achievements to which they objected." Watched/listened to Amy Hutchinson's testimony - very powerful and moving. Thank you to you and your Managing Editor for your positivity and encouragement. Pamela
Very good point! Democrats should make that point every time a Republicans crows about money flowing into their district that was sent courtesy of Joe Biden and a unified Democratic caucus.
Amy Jo Hutchinson's testimony was heartbreaking and powerful because she spoke the truth.
The more we all insist on the truth and call out the lies (damn, there are so many), the better our chance of success in '22 and '24. I am looking at what's printed on my treasured coffee mug, from a Today's Edition gathering on December 9, 2019: "We have every reason to be hopeful, but no reason to be complacent." Cheers!
I still have about 100 of those coffee cups left if anyone is interested. Email me at rbhubbell@gmail.com with subject line “coffee mug.” Free!
We should leave a recording of Amy Jo Hutchison’s testimony on Manchin’s voicemail every day. What a voice. What a woman. Thank you for urging us to listen, Robert.
Good idea! Let me see if I can create a sound file with clips that can be alternated. Or, if any reader out their is an audio engineer / audiophile and can create a site with clips, let me know.
Thank you so much for sharing Amy Jo Hutchinson’s Video. So strong, honest, informative, smart, real… and heartfelt!
Excellent link-clicking today. Rattle My Windows, the always brilliant Rebecca Solnit and her link to Michelle Alexander. I will be carrying all of this on my “roiling River” forward today. I’m a solstice baby who turned 70 yesterday and I believe today brings one more minute of daylight.. I plan to fill it with optimism and action — thank you Hubbell Report!
Happy birthday! Rebecca Solnit has been on fire at the Guardian. She is now on my short list for everyday checks to see if she has written anything new.
Keep-the-Heat-on-Manchin Kit:
https://www.manchin.senate.gov/contact-joe
Borrow whatever you like from my email to Joe yesterday, as inspired by HCR/Hubbell readers Carla (via Andrew B) and Cathy L, and add the news about the United Mine Workers of America:
https://umwa.org/news-media/press/umwa-statement-on-build-back-better-legislation/
Dear Senator Manchin,
It is not evident that you are concerned with explaining yourself regarding the Build Back Better bill to these West Virginians:
Amy Jo Hutchison
https://www.rattlethewindows.com/
Gary Walton
https://twitter.com/meidastouch/status/1472677206887256064?s=21
Michael Tomasky in the New Republic
https://newrepublic.com/article/164822/joe-manchin-betrays-west-virginia-build-back-better
Josh Sword and the AFL-CIO
https://www.wvaflcio.org/media-center/recent-press/79-recent-press/369-a-statement-from-west-virginia-afl-cio-president-josh-sword-on-senator-joe-manchin-s-position-on-the-build-back-better-act.html
Charleston WV constituents on the front page of the Sunday Gazette
https://twitter.com/julienbcnews/status/1472927971526819840?s=21
Or the rest of the 68% of West Virginians who support Build Back Better.
https://twitter.com/neojane8/status/1472905359752941568?s=21
Or any of your donors worried about the Goldman Sachs forecast for the detrimental effect if Build Back Better is NOT passed.
Furthermore, as a resident of California, which is not the second poorest state in the country, I can affirm that the rate of implementing clean air technologies has not resulted in “disastrous consequences” over the past two years. The world needs more clean air technologies, and sooner rather than later.
Help the West Virginian majority of people with all they desperately need from Build Back Better and make them proud of you.
Thank you for your consideration.
Ellie, thanks for the wonderful links! I really appreciate it when readers highlight resources for me to consider discussing in the newsletter.
Thank you very much for sharing this - message sent, and thanks to your prompts I was able to refrain from swearing.
Ha! Thanks for making me smile this morning!
Amy Jo's testimony brought tears to my eyes.
Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because it’s not a problem to you, personally. David Gaiter
Ok. I listened to Amy Jo's speech and it brought me to tears. But did Manchin listen?
As for Biden's achievements, his key failure was in selecting Garland, which has allowed the right wing rhetoric to spread unabated. The void Garland has allowed to expand is full of weakness that falls upon Biden.
Wow! Thanks for sharing Ms. Huthenson’s amazing lecture to Congress & all of us. Please help as I can’t find where to send a donation. Pat Sax