Daily Roundup: February 21
Featuring our Undaunted honoree; Ben Wikler; Rep. Joe Neguse in conversation with Jen Rubin; The Democracy Index; Eliza Orlins; Ruben Bolling; Marissa Rothkopf, and our Pet of the Week!
It’s Friday, Contrarians! At the end of the week, we always honor an Undaunted figure who is fighting on behalf of the nation, celebrate a few robust takes from some of our favorite pro-democracy contributors or Representatives, and close by offering comics, cakes, and—of course—our Contrarian Pet of the Week! Have a wonderful weekend.
Undaunted: Courage is Contagious
Sadly, there is no governor as practiced in emergency response as Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. He has steered his state through a horrendous tornado, mass shootings (one of which took the lives of two friends), and record floods. The most recent left standing water statewide and twelve people dead.
Short-circuiting Democracy
Americans who believe in democracy can unite to defeat Elon Musk’s favored candidate—far-right extremist Brad Schimel—by electing Judge Susan Crawford on April 1. Doing so would not only preserve a critical check on Trump and the GOP’s power—it would preserve a path to a Democratic trifecta in Wisconsin and, perhaps most urgently, shatter the Musk/Trump…
Congressman Joe Neguse and Jen Rubin discuss Republican plan to Cut Medicaid
Jen Rubin and Congressman Joe Neguse discuss threats to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and Musk’s potential influence in government budget decisions.
The Democracy Index
When I first envisioned The Democracy Index last fall, I wrote in my newsletter, Civil Discourse, that I was concerned about Trump “outrage fatigue,” which leads people to shut down because it’s too much to take in. In his first month back in office, Trump more than delivered on the outrage, if little else. This week...
Eliza Orlins explains today's ruling in the Eric Adams case
New York City public defender Eliza Orlins breaks down the ruling in the Eric Adams case, and explains with her signature lucidity what it means that Judge Ho vacated the corruption trial yet appointed a known conservative attorney to argue against dropping the case.
Ukrainian honey poppyseed cake
Three years ago, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, I published a recipe for Ukrainian honey cake with poppyseeds. Since then, the war has had a devastating toll on Ukraine, its infrastructure, and, of course, its people, with 12.7 million Ukrainians in need of humanitarian aid within the country, 3.6 million people displaced…
I am sure most of you saw the performance of Musk with the chainsaw. 20 yrs ago a book was published entitled 'Chainsaw - the Notorious Career of Al Dunlop in the Era of Profit-at-Any Cost" He destroyed a company. I just dug it out of my library to have a short refresher.
We dodged the tax cut for now. We have to draw a line in the sand. We have to make that clear in our own heads. When will you take to the streets? I have a solid line. I think it makes sense. When they disobey the courts, we move.
https://bit.ly/4ke53KH