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Barack Obama took office amid an economic crisis. Joe Biden takes office amid a civilizational crisis.
He must know that you don’t heal a nation through avuncular kumbaya bipartisan shamanism.
You heal a nation by fixing it. And that means transformation.
He must know that you don’t heal a nation through avuncular kumbaya bipartisan shamanism.
You heal a nation by fixing it. And that means transformation.
There is no question that this is a low moment in American life. But it is the kind of low moment that has often preceded real, sweeping change.
If democracy is to be taken off life support, we must administer the cure of real change on multiple fronts. https://the.ink/p/aftergeorgia
If democracy is to be taken off life support, we must administer the cure of real change on multiple fronts. https://the.ink/p/aftergeorgia
Many crises intersected to bring about this dark moment.
A health crisis. Which inflamed the preexisting economic crisis. Oligarchy. Age-old hatreds and traumas. Social change that makes many white people and men prefer burning down the country to sharing it. Disinformation.
A health crisis. Which inflamed the preexisting economic crisis. Oligarchy. Age-old hatreds and traumas. Social change that makes many white people and men prefer burning down the country to sharing it. Disinformation.
But here's the hope. This moment, this dire moment, creates a mandate more powerful than any electorate ever can.
It's change-or-die time for America. That's the beginning and the end of it.
It's change-or-die time for America. That's the beginning and the end of it.
And if Joe Biden likes healing and coming together, he’s going to LOVE fixing and DOING together. But that is our only shot at healing and unity.
The things the moment demands of him are not Healing-and-Unity
. They are change-or-die things. But -- and this is important -- if he gets them right, they will help him with the healing and unity.
. They are change-or-die things. But -- and this is important -- if he gets them right, they will help him with the healing and unity.
A real commitment to justice and accountability for the depredations of the Trump era will fight the sense of unfairness that has gripped America in the wake of torture, Iraq, Katrina, 2008, drones, the Trump plague, and these years of acid attacks on democracy.
Covid relief, in the form of things like $2,000 checks and student debt forgiveness and more, will help rebuild trust in government's ability to hear people, act, and solve problems.
The vaccine rollout is a chance to show people that science works, reason works, truth works, pluralism works, and, yes, the government that you've been told is the problem for the last 40 years -- it can work, it can save your life. It's going to be important to tell the story.
The insurrection last week makes a case for democratic reform, for combatting disinformation, for regulating Big Tech, and, above all, for facing white supremacy openly.
Joe Biden, as an older white guy, can push this conversation if he chooses.
Joe Biden, as an older white guy, can push this conversation if he chooses.
After the terrorist insurrection, we learned from @Reuters that 12 percent of Americans approved of it.
Twelve percent of Americans support Y’all Qaeda or Vanilla ISIS or Yokel Haram or the Yee-Hawdists, or whatever people are calling them.
This will demand epic work
Twelve percent of Americans support Y’all Qaeda or Vanilla ISIS or Yokel Haram or the Yee-Hawdists, or whatever people are calling them.
This will demand epic work
That number confirms what many Black and brown people have known all along, which is that there is a significant chunk of the American populace who wants them gone, who is willing to burn down democracy rather than share it, who prefer power and privilege to liberty and justice.
As I said, Joe Biden isn't going to solve any of this with his avuncular kumbaya bipartisan shamanism. With talk of healing and coming together. With cooling the rhetoric and such.
He might solve these problems, and the problem of division, by transforming America.
He might solve these problems, and the problem of division, by transforming America.
Some more thoughts along these lines here at The Ink. Sign up if you haven't.
"This is one of those times when you get to decide what the next era is... The promise of this moment is to end one era and bravely build the next one. It begins today." https://the.ink/p/aftergeorgia
"This is one of those times when you get to decide what the next era is... The promise of this moment is to end one era and bravely build the next one. It begins today." https://the.ink/p/aftergeorgia
