4Q22

Five weeks to the elections: Democracy is on the ballot - October 3 

Voter suppression, a democracy-challenged Supreme Court, criminalizing the vote, election deniers on the ballot, Moore v Harper, vote nullification efforts and the governor races in the 5 key swing states that could decide the 2024 elections

What's going on in Iran? - October 12  

Protests over the death of a 22-year-old woman in the custody of Iran's so-called "morality police" continued.  Mahsa Amini died after being detained for allegedly leaving some of her hair visible in violation of an Iranian law.  Oil workers joined women and students on the streets, and hackers interrupted Iranian state TV to call on viewers to join the mass protests. An estimated 185 protesters have been killed in the violent crackdown by Iranian authorities ,but the chants of "Women! Life! Freedom!" show no sign of slowing down.

Three weeks to the midterms - October 18 

The economy and inflation are the dominant issues for voters: at stake are Biden's agenda and judicial nominations, the future of Social Security and Medicare, and legislation for the common good ...the polls, organizations working for free and fair elections

War in Ukraine enters its ninth month - October 29

As the casualties and the devastation in the war in Ukraine mount, diplomacy appears to have taken a permanent exit from the stage.  In the West, the voices calling for a negotiated end to the war are outnumbered by the media wogs and politicians calling for more arms shipments to Ukraine.  In Russia, antiwar activists are being suppressed by the state.  Still there are some points of sanity and light in the darkness of this war, and it may not be too late to put an end to the bloodshed by negotiation...William Hartung, Noam Chomsky, Medea Benjamin and Nicolas Davies 

Midterms were not as bad as expected, but... - November 11

Thanks in large part to the turnout of young voters, the midterms were not as bad for Democrats as expected.  In what appeared to be his first 2024 primary campaign speech, President Joe Biden touted the remarkable mid-term success of Democrats across the country.  A closer look tells us that there may not be as much joy as Joe Biden thinks: the Republicans won control of the House, the Senate will be decided (once again) by a runoff in Georgia, and in an era of rampant election denial, Republican governors still preside over 25 states...Seven takeaways from the election...

Now what? A lame duck agenda for the 117th Congress - November 16

With Republicans set to take control of the House of Representatives in January, the current Democratic majority needs to progress several initiatives - most importantly: ending the debt ceiling, protecting Dreamers, and keeping the Covid expansions to health care in place.  Getting Trump to testify under oath is also critical as the Republicans will shut down any further investigations into January 6.  In the Senate, Democrats need to supercharge confirmation of judicial nominations and end the filibuster. 

COP 27's successes, disappointments and the unfinished business of stopping global warming - November 25

After two weeks of deliberations, COP 27, the UN's annual climate summit, has concluded.  Climate experts praised success in establishing the "loss and damage" fund and expressed disappointment at the failure to agree on the phaseout of fossil fuels.  Progress was made at COP27, but not enough for the planet to meet the 1.5 C temperature rise maximum target, the climate change tipping point.

Moore v. Harper: is the Supreme Court about to allow vote nullification by state legislatures? - December 1

On December 7, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Moore v. Harper, the latest serious threat to democracy in America.  An extremist opinion in a ruling for the plaintiffs upholding the discredited "independent state legislature theory" could enshrine the vote nullification concept at the heart of the January 6 Insurrection...background of the case, all the things wrong with the independent state legislature theory, where the justices are leaning

Warnock overcomes GOP voter suppression efforts to win Georgia Senate runoff - December 7

Overcoming a concerted effort by Georgia Republicans to suppress the votes of minorities, Raphael Warnock held onto his Senate seat.  Warnock defeated Trump-backed Herschel Walker in Georgia's Senate runoff election.  Walker is the eighth Trump-backed Senate candidate to lose this year, despite earlier predictions that Republicans would regain control of the Senate. Warnock's victory gives Democrats a true majority in the Senate with slightly more power on Senate committees as well as more breathing space for passing legislation via the reconciliation process.

SCOTUS hears oral arguments in Moore v. Harper - December 9

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Moore v. Harper.  More than a simple gerrymandering case, it represents the greatest threat since the civil rights era to the fundamental democratic principles of one person/one vote and of the right to have that vote counted.  Despite some skeptical questioning by the possible swing justices in the case, the door remains open to a "narrow ruling" for the plaintiffs, which would have serious consequences for American democracy.  

Peace on Earth - December 22

With at least 59 ongoing armed conflicts, this December may not seem much like a season of peace and joy for many.  Still there are some "points of light" in the darkness, and it is these that might give us hope.  Here are five stories of peacemaking and peace makers to kindle that hope...Francesco Da Vinci, Dissenters,  B'Tselem, Gustavo Petro, Campaign Non-Violence