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🗞 THE NEWSSTAND
To say 2021 has kicked off with a rocky start would be a gross understatement. As many of us looked ahead with hope that tuning into a virtual ball drop might be a portal to a new reality, we were quickly jolted when only days into the new year our Capitol Building was overtaken by a mob of Trump fanatics, QAnon conspirators, and what appeared to be Game of Thrones fanboys. Democracy is fragile.
We have yet again experienced a series of freakish events to kick off another orbit around the sun (I am making a strong effort to not use ‘unprecedented’ in 2021) and the next chapter of How Not To Lead a Country Through a Pandemic has been written.
With the historic second impeachment and acquittal of Donald J. Trump, the Democrats put together a case showcasing the danger of the former president in hopes of setting a precedent that might ward off future would-be authoritarian demagogues. Meanwhile, the defense argued the “they started it” approach commonly heard outside the principal’s office by 2nd graders following a heated food fight in the lunchroom. The vote tally was 57-43 guilty but under the Constitution Trump was found not guilty enough to convict.
In the end, only seven Republicans gathered the courage to stand up to the MAGA-hold on their party—Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Though the effort to prove culpability for the insurrection has not come to a complete halt. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced a 9/11 style commission report that will look into the events surrounding the Capitol siege at the end of the month.
One must wonder how much longer the MAGA-hold on our nation will continue. If you were to ask Republican Senator Ben Sasse he’d tell you to short MAGA and go long on the GOP. Meanwhile, Georgia Congresswoman MTG has doubled down on MAGA though she did sell off remaining QAnon ties after they cost her committee posts. It turns out sporting conspiracy theories on school shootings and 9/11 are less popular. For now, the GOP has been divided between “Born Again MAGAts” and “Reformed Conservatives.”
The newest tenant at the White House has invited several friends from his past employer to help out on a total home makeover. Some of these renovations include a halt to the closed-in layout, a shift to eco-friendly materials, tenant-friendly housing, and a dress code that is a bit less “showy” than his predecessor’s.
🌍Around the Globe
As we look across the globe to Myanmar we witness an insurrection at its worst, as the democratically-elected National League for Democracy was deposed by the Myanmar military. Anti-coup protests have taken to the streets and protestors are facing up to 20 years in prison for fighting for this delicate thing we call democracy. Democracy is fragile.
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🎧 WEEKLY MIXTAPE
Despite the global state of affairs appearing bleak and chaotic, the year in music has been inspiring with exciting performances that help us feel a bit more sanguine about the year ahead.
English singer-songwriter, Tahliah Debrett Barnett, known as FKA twigs, delivers a deep and powerful video on her latest “Don’t Judge Me.”
Another British artist and rapper, slowthai featuring Skepta delivered a theatrical performance on Jimmy Fallon with his track “Cancelled.”
Jazz supergroup R+R=NOW recently released a live album from an emotional set that takes its listeners through a performative journey.
Globally-inspired electronic, ambient artist and friend Andrew Smith releases his Mirroring LP under alias MÒZAMBÎQÚE featuring melodic tracks like “Late Night (Exo)moon.”
After a stellar SNL performance, Denver-based folk and R&B artist Nathaniel Rateliff is back at it again with “Redemption” on the soundtrack for the new movie Palmer.
Speaking of soundtracks, A$AP Rocky released new rhymes on his single for the extraordinary new movie Judas and the Black Messiah streaming on HBO MAX.
Remember Chet Faker, the man who brought us the infamous rendition of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity?” Well, he’s back at it again with the new release “High” which is sure to leave you feeling that way after four minutes of upbeat, experimental funk.
🥃 THE CABINET
Hot Toddy
Ah, the infamous cure-all bourbon cocktail that your grandparents prescribed to cure any ailment from a sore throat to a runny nose. Yes, that’s right folks, the Hot Toddy. Now, this has not yet been approved by the CDC but there are rumors Dr. Fauci enjoys this hot beverage followed by a cold plunge before starting his day.
Ingredients
1 oz bourbon
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup boiling-hot water
Directions
Put bourbon, honey, and lemon juice in a 6-ounce mug. Top off with hot water and stir until honey is dissolved.
🎙FIRESIDE CHAT
Presidents Day is a holiday that celebrates two of the most infamous leaders our country has elected—George Washington, our nation’s first president, and Abraham Lincoln, possibly our nation’s greatest president.
This Presidents Day weekend marked a particularly unique occasion with not the first, but second impeachment trial of one of the most divisive presidents in U.S. history. Our country yearns for unity and healing as it faces a political party system that has promoted domestic terrorism and allowed for an insurrection of our Capitol Building, not to mention an ongoing pandemic wreaking havoc on our public health and economy. The monumental task that President Biden is up against during his first 100 days in office demands bold and persistent action.
This scrutinized period of time in the presidential office got its roots from a Fireside Chat in which Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the nation in his commitment to act in haste to tackle a depressed economy and the growing threat of a second World War. FDR enacted a bold approach to the myriad of challenges ahead, setting a benchmark for the first 100 days in office that subsequent presidents would be judged on thenceforth.
Parallels can be traced to Biden's early presidency as he makes efforts to heal a divided nation suffering from a deadly virus and countless social and environmental related issues coming across his desk.
Already, Biden has taken many steps through a series of executive actions targeting these pressing issues while trying to maintain a healthy distance from the political quagmire his party has placed him with the effort to impeach his predecessor while he maintains his commitment to unity across the aisle.
The moment for Biden to carve his name in the presidential history books is now. It is his moment to reinstall trust in the political system, to denounce conspiracies, racism, and the darker sides of society while restoring a sense of unity under our republic. In an age when anything one writes or says will forever be etched into their digital biography (or potentially deleted altogether), the stakes are high.
I, for one, am optimistic about the coming months but at the same time will not accept much less than boldness and greatness as a benchmark. A new deal and a better republic are achievable. But it is going to take ‘bold and persistent’ experimentation.
“The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt
We're in this together
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