First the good news. The monstrous Trump is out of office — can you even imagine our situation if he had prevailed or swung the election through the courts or Congress? We have a decent, competent president who is restoring dignity, normality, and good sense to the highest office in the land. As the Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin noted, Biden has already made 50 things better.
Biden must act fast — on subduing the pandemic and pushing through a major stimulus that includes big investments in infrastructure. Not just "roads and bridges" but passenger railroads and rail transit. America is the only advanced urbanized nation without high-speed rail. He must bring the economy back.
People need to feel the improvement directly. Otherwise, Republicans will win the Congress in 2022 and the administration will be stymied as happened in six of Obama's eight years.
The bad news is that Republicans will try to defeat Biden at every turn. They are suddenly clutching their pearls about the debt and deficit (which they didn't care about when they were giving tax cuts for corporations and the rich that added so much red ink). Trump's Supreme Court and lower-court appointments will be another major impediment. Also, the wokesters on the left will be a problem for Biden. Defund the police and other moronic slogans helped cost the Democrats seats in the House in 2020.
So the table is set. Optimists see Biden as the second coming of FDR, as they saw Obama as the new Lincoln. Maybe. We desperately need to move the country forward, finally, rather than being stuck where another GOP administration comes in and undoes the work of its Democratic predecessor. One step forward, two steps back.
Please discuss in the comments.
I'm afraid that the reelection of kelly ward by the AZ gop has finally sucked all the remaining hope out of AZ.
Posted by: AzRebel | January 26, 2021 at 05:20 PM
The American tragedy is that we can only barely see the outlines of a political deliverance from the never-ending culture war. For that to happen, we would need a more thoughtful citizenry than the one we have. The right would need to put the country first and the left would need to give up the conceit that socialism is a majority taste. Could there be a grand bargain where each side gave up something in order to get something? No, because our political dysfunction is now both an addiction and identity. How we think of ourselves and our tribe now matters more than the nation itself.
Joe Biden is as great a patriot as we can endure at this moment. He won't inspire the denizens of Fox Land or for those inebriated with the moral superiority of "wokeness". But for the beleaguered center he represents a cessation of never-ending trench warfare. His instinctive decency will contrast brilliantly with the carnivorous political arena of the populists. Into that healing space we may catch a glimpse of a higher truth: we are only as good as our respect and tolerance for one another permit.
I am willing to let go of my disgust for those whose opinions I despise and mock. Maybe it's a concession to this simple reality: we cannot hate each other into a change of heart. I am worn out by my own extravagant opinions. Maybe there's room for ambiguity and wonder when we stop pretending we're defending some ironclad principle every time we declaim opinions like some ancient god. If we are to love this country on any level, we must love one another well enough that we lower our voices as if our nation were a sacred wood. If you can find that space, your life may transform itself into an instrument of reconciliation and peace. If there's something better, please let me know.
Posted by: soleri | January 26, 2021 at 07:16 PM
Rebel, you gotta be kidding me, Kelly Ward is the best thing that ever happened to AZ Democrats. She's so batshit crazy she can't even compete in a Republican primary, what was it, like 30+ points in her loss to McSally? Censuring John and Cindy McCain, Ducey, and Jeff Flake is further evidence of the off the rails dysfunction of the party in AZ. She has been instrumental turning AZ sort of blue.
Posted by: DoggieCombover | January 27, 2021 at 09:06 AM
For the most part, spot on Jon! However, it wasn't "moronic slogans" that cost the Dems, it was moronic voters (how's that for reconciliation). Just as it will be moronic Senators that will most likely prevent any semblance of meaningful action or progress.
Posted by: Norm W. | January 27, 2021 at 09:31 AM
Well I'm certainly prepared for disappointment. In 1976 I registered as a Democrat. I became a Democrat because I supported universal healthcare. Healthcare for everyone regardless of wealth, birth, race, religion, ethnic group or political party. Well I'm still waiting 45 years later. So I can handle disappointment. I'm more than willing to settle for some improvement over the last 4 years. Now if we can't improve on the last 4 years, well then I will really be disappointed. And the country will be forked, to use a phrase from The Good Place.
Posted by: Rich Weinroth | January 27, 2021 at 10:55 AM
Doggie, I agree with your thought process. I’m saddened when AZ is put in a bad light on the national stage.
Ward’s re-election, while close, tells me the majority of the precinct captains around the state still want crazy, religious, conspiracy freaks in office. To quote Laurie Roberts, “who would have thought Wendy Rogers would make us miss Sylvia Allen.”
The current class of crazy is really bad for AZ: Ward, Gosar, Biggs, Lesko, Kelly Townsend ( a special level of crazy), Rogers.
These nuts don’t just show up out of nowhere. They are recruited and promoted by the precinct captains.
As we speak, 10,000 registered Republicans have changed to Independent. Will that trend continue. I hope so.
Posted by: Azrebel | January 27, 2021 at 12:44 PM
After 60 years I am not changing my registration. I have known a number of Wards in the last 70 years. In 54 I met Homer Ward and he was a good down to earth guy that I learned quickly to not try and out grip his handshake. He was built like a tank.
Current opinions seem to favor that the current Arizona GOP party is responsible for bluing up Arizona.
But herein is the issue 74,111,419!
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 01:03 PM
Jon, (Please discuss in the comments.)
Soleri, Great poetry. But lacking rhythm.
I find it difficult to think there is much to discuss after Jon's blog and Soleri's s post. Americas fucked!
But I'll try and come up with something for youall too dissect.
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 01:09 PM
Something: 100 minutes close,
https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 02:00 PM
By the way, AZ is not blue. Phoenix and Tucson are blue. The rest of the state is deep red. Otherwise, you wouldn't have the AZ Looneyslature trying to eliminate mail in voting, making abortion punishable same as murder, still trying to overturn the election, fighting mask wearing and who knows what other crazy ideas they come up with next.
Cal, yours and my doomsday clocks are the ones ticking in our chests. Those clocks will get us before the world clock.
Posted by: AzRebel | January 27, 2021 at 02:15 PM
Ruben, your right
Bluing, blue powder used to preserve the whiteness of laundry.
I should have said
finally
pardeamiento
the vote arrived
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 03:23 PM
I propose that Republicans and Trump fans should demand that the Democrats and Biden pass all the legislation that they have proposed.
Why? If they crash the US economy fast enough the next election in two years should fix the problem. If the economy recovers and improves, no one except the "gold bugs" will be unhappy.
Posted by: Bill Wald | January 27, 2021 at 03:31 PM
Let's not forget climate change in this discussion. Case in point, one of today's links concerns the Upper Colorado River Basin (https://kjzz.org/content/1653745/were-all-going-have-live-less-water-upper-basin-states-activate-activate-colorado ).
Posted by: IA_Ed | January 27, 2021 at 04:16 PM
IA ED
2050
Maricopa County 6,698000
Arizona 10,821000
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 06:06 PM
IA ED
Disappointment
HOPE
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/27/biden-climate-orders-energy-463051
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 08:00 PM
Disappointment: horrific US-backed mass atrocities in Yemen.
Hope: The Biden administration has taken two small steps toward ending the horrific US-backed mass atrocities in Yemen, with temporary holds placed on both a murderous sanctions measure and on arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE pending review. Both items being reviewed are unconscionable decisions made by the previous administration.
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 27, 2021 at 08:17 PM
The newest book is now available for preorder on Amazon.
I just ordered it.
Posted by: Ramjet | January 28, 2021 at 07:27 AM
We'll see how ruthless the Dems want to be. There seem to be a lot of them who still believe they can compromise with Republicans. Recent history shows that the current Republican party does not compromise. When they have the majority they use every trick in the book to ram their legislation through. If Dems want to accomplish anything they will have to be similarly ruthless. There is a very small window here do get things done. The 2022 campaign begins now. They have to show they can enact popular policies while they have the chance. If they don't they will be viewed correctly as the other do-nothing party.
Posted by: Guy | January 28, 2021 at 09:26 AM
Book mentioned above is JT's newest scheduled for releasevin May
Posted by: Ramjet | January 29, 2021 at 06:48 AM
Could be a lot worse.
It seems likely that we'll have the virus largely under control by summer or early fall. Paul Krugman and others have predicted that once that happens, the economic recovery should be swift.
True, climate change hasn't gone away. At least we now have a president and a congress that recognize it as a serious problem.
Ordinarily you'd have to expect the Republicans to gain congressional seats in two years. If the party remains Trumpist, though, it'll be hard pressed to win close races. The alliance between business Republicans and social conservatives seems to be coming apart at the seams.
Posted by: El Kabong | January 29, 2021 at 07:35 AM
Disappointment:
1798 Population 800 million
2020 Population 7.8 billion
2100 Population 11.2 billion
Recently a wandering group of Jesus College undergraduates at Bath Abbey report an image appeared before them loudly asking WTF. They noted at that instant they were at the 1834 burial site of a renowned English cleric. The startled students claimed the apparition ranted on about a speech he gave in 1827 to a committee of the House of Commons on emigration.
One chap later remarked that this ghostly appearance reminded him of a "dystopian novel set in a World State which controls reproduction, women wearing strange belts," containing "the regulation supply of contraceptives."
In a nod to IA ED and his comments on Rogue as to water scarcity I must note that such has been bantered about since the Ark went to ground and such scarcity was given a nod in Urinetown. Reminds me of the old man peeing on his lemon tree in the movie starring Anthony Hopkins, The World’s Fastest Indian.
On the whole it may be said that revolutionary ideas in the sphere of population growth remain relevant to economic thought even today and continue to make economists ponder about the future.
https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.12/south-pollution-in-california-1-million-people-lack-access-to-clean-water?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email
Note: its rained hard here again today on the Superstitions. We had rain and snow on the mountains on the 25th and some even fell at 7th Street and Thomas.
Stay safe
Double Mask
Avoid humans
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 29, 2021 at 06:58 PM
So as it turns out, the vast majority of Republicans in Congress won't actually refute/rebuke Trump for more than one or two news cycles. And here I thought that maybe there was a chance we'd turn this shitshow around.
If naivete ever becomes an Olympic sport, I'm your guy.
Posted by: Jimmy C | January 30, 2021 at 12:58 AM
Disappointment:
Jimmy C might I suggest a new religion:
Pessimism
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 30, 2021 at 10:33 AM
Republicans play for blood.
Democrats try to play fair.
Posted by: Helen Highwater | January 30, 2021 at 11:56 AM
HMM Helen
I heard from GOP congress Pols that
Democrats "drink blood."
Bad info?
Posted by: Cal Lash | January 30, 2021 at 12:07 PM
Just found out one of Cal’s Phx coworkers lives across the street from me. If I were Qanon, I would be suspicious.
Just think, if the Catholic Church hadn’t spent its time molesting small boys, they too could have developed a space laser to start forest fires in CA.
Posted by: Helen Highwater | January 30, 2021 at 03:40 PM
The Democrats need to move boldly without any delay through the reconciliation process to pass the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill.
They should not delay one minute to negotiate with alleged "moderate" Republican senators. The voting history of the "moderate" Republican senators, when push comes to shove, in legislation or impeachment, has always been against passage.
The way to demonstrate bipartisanship is to immediate pass the proposed legislation through Congess and have Biden sign it. After the bill has been enacted in its entirety, Senate Democrats and Republicans can form committees entertaining Republican proposed amendments to the enacted $1.9 trillion legislation.
Don't screw it up again Democrats like you did in 2008-2009.
Posted by: HMLS | January 31, 2021 at 08:31 AM
Jon Talton is a Pedo Apologist.
Posted by: Bo | January 31, 2021 at 04:25 PM
"Pedo apologist"? Is that someone who likes foot doctors?
Posted by: El Kabong | January 31, 2021 at 07:34 PM
“Bipartisanship” is a term that should not even be relevant for the next two years. Dems very narrowly clinched a majority, and they should actually make an attempt to put that to use. We can’t blame past failures to pass multi-trillion dollar stim bills on republicans anymore. They need to make it happen, and fast. And then they need to continue doing even more while they still have the guaranteed opportunity.
I don’t miss trump, but I will surely miss the open criticisms of congress if the media makes no attempt to criticize the failures of both the GOP and the dems.
Posted by: paraffin | January 31, 2021 at 10:52 PM
The GOP has not compromised for 40 years.
Trump lost.
Biden won.
Sanders got screwed again but remains correct in many ways.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/passing-coronavirus-relief-important-bipartisanship-sen-bernie-sanders/story?id=75583108
Posted by: Cal Lash | February 01, 2021 at 01:32 PM
Just when you think the wokesters couldn't be any more clueless:
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/2021/02/02/kyrsten-sinema-could-face-progressive-challenger-2024-democrats-nuts/4356781001/
Posted by: DoggieCombover | February 02, 2021 at 01:42 PM