SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 25, 2021
Sullivan’s Salvos 3/2/21
In this edition:
*Correction Re: African American Electeds
*The COVID Blues
*Night of 1000 Dinners
*Are Dems Moving?
*Did You Know?
*Correction Re: African American Electeds
I wrote last week about the African Americans who have served in elected office in Johnson County. I mentioned that there was no central database, so there was a chance we were missing someone.
Well, guess what? I missed someone! I had written that Orville Townsend was the first African American to serve on the ICCSD Board. As a matter of fact, that honor goes to Dr. Classie Hoyle, who was elected to the ICCSD Board in 1980.
It appears Dr. Hoyle only served a couple years, choosing not to seek reelection when the ICCSD Board changed the way they do elections. So she was off the Board just as I was getting to town. But I deeply regret the error.
For those that do not know, Dr. Classie Hoyle ran the UI Office of Affirmative Action in the 70s and 80s, and still has many admirers in the community. I see that she just decided to step down (at age 77) from the Annapolis, MD City Council, where she has served for 12 years.
Again, I regret the mistake!
*The COVID Blues
Please allow me to get the qualifiers out right up front. Compared to many people, COVID has not really affected my family. (Knock on wood!) While I have had a couple of friends die, I have been very lucky. Not only have I not gotten sick, but Melissa and I have maintained our employment throughout. We have maintained our health insurance throughout. We are very lucky.
OK. Now that I have acknowledged our privilege, you get to hear me complain. I am SO depressed right now! I am an extrovert, and I am simply not getting enough contact with other people. I am sure there are a lot of people out there just like me. Please reach out to them. Give them a call, and let them hear your voice. It has already been a long winter. Help your friends to get through it.
*Night of 1000 Dinners
The Johnson County UNA invites you to Night of 1000 Dinners 2021, a virtual community celebration of International Women's Day on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m.
We will honor organizations founded by, led by, and/or serving women: The Domestic Violence Interventional Program, Houses into Homes, and Sankofa Outreach Connection.
The program will feature performances by the Oakdale Community Choir, International Academy of Russian Music, Art, and Culture, the UI International Writing Program, and a dance performance by Iowa Andhi.
Proceeds will benefit the UN World Food Programme, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank, Coralville Community Food Pantry, and North Liberty Community Pantry.
Tickets: $25 per household for community members; $10 for students or those hard hit by the pandemic. Order online at Eventbrite.com (enter "Night of 1000 Dinners" in search box at upper left corner of screen) OR mail a check payable to JCUNA to JCUNA, 308 E. Burlington St. #245, Iowa City, IA 52240. Can't attend? Donations gratefully accepted!
Ticket purchasers and donors will receive a link for the event and be entered into a drawing for $50 gift cards purchased from local ethnic restaurants. See you there!
*Are Dems Moving?
I ran the following in mid-January, urging Democrats in the Federal government to work quickly. Let’s check in and see how they are doing:
Lost in the tragic events of the past couple of weeks is the fact that Democrats have a trifecta, with the Presidency, Senate, and House. So what comes next? What do they take on first?
Before we get into that, let’s review the playing field. The Democrats have control, but by the slimmest possible margins. I talked last week about the way in which Mitch McConnell has broken the Senate, and therefore broken our democracy. God forbid something happens to one Democratic Senator – if so, McConnell stops EVERYTHING. So everything is urgent, and everything hangs by a thread.
Even if things get passed, they will run into a hostile Supreme Court. It does not matter what the law is, if it was passed by Democrats, Alieto and Thomas want it repealed. Kavanaugh and Gorsuch might be a bit better, but not much. Coney Barrett’s reputation precedes her. And Roberts is a longtime advocate of voter suppression, among other things. So it will not be easy getting ANYTHING done.
So what should get done first? Here are my suggestions, in the form of a top ten list. And yes, these are in order, as far as I am concerned:
1. Justice Steven Breyer needs to retire, and Biden needs to replace him.
Breyer is 82 years old. We have seen this before. One thing happens to Sherrod Brown, Jon Tester, Joe Manchin, etc. and this becomes yet another GOP appointment. This needs to be done within hours of Biden being sworn in, and I am not kidding!
Check in: Get moving, Breyer!
2. Send $2000 COVID relief checks.
Democrats pushed for this; they should follow through.
Check in: This has moved far too slowly.
3. Do all the other COVID relief that needs to be done.
There are many common sense COVID relief measures that McConnell refused to entertain. We should get them done.
Check in: This, also, has moved far too slowly.
4. Improve vaccine distribution; perhaps with Defense Production Act.
The best way to save lives and fix our economy is to improve vaccine distribution. The Biden Administration can do this.
Check in: This has actually been fairly successful, especially considering the mess they inherited.
5. Confirm Biden’s cabinet selections.
No need to worry about McConnell blocking anyone.
Check in: This has moved along pretty nicely.
6. Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
The House will pass it. Some Republican will filibuster it. Democrats should make them do this as long as the law allows, then hold them to account. So while I don’t see this passing, at least Democrats will have given it a go.
Check in: This is a desperate need. This is the issue to challenge the filibuster. States like Arizona, North Carolina, and Iowa are already passing radical voter suppression laws. The only way to fight back is at the federal level. It must happen now!
7. Fill vacant judicial openings.
There are no longer filibusters on judicial nominations. So Biden should fill every single vacancy as fast as humanly possible. First up? Merrick Garland’s old seat on the CD Circuit.
Check in: This, too, needs to move more quickly.
8. Reverse the Trump tax cuts for the wealthy.
This should be brought to a vote in the Senate – again, make them filibuster it. Then pass it through budget reconciliation.
Check in: This needs to happen, but it is not as urgent as some of the other things on the list.
9. Reverse all Trump’s Executive Orders.
Trump has done tremendous damage to the environment, labor, civil rights, and other areas. Just as it was done by the stroke of a pen, it can be undone.
Check in: This is happening at a pretty good pace!
10. Forgive most student loan debt.
Like several previous issues, this should be brought to a vote in the Senate – again, make them filibuster it. Then pass it through budget reconciliation. This is TREMENDOUS economic stimulus, and good politics, too!
Check in: Biden’s decision to only go up to $10,000 makes no sense politically or economically. The only acceptable response to the GOP is do nothing. Janet Yellin and other experts assure him $10,000 is good, but $25,000 or more would be better. Why voluntarily take half a loaf? Still, $10,000 will be better than nothing. I hope Biden acts soon!
All in all, I give them a mixed score. Let’s call it a C-. They have accomplished a lot under difficult conditions, but the moment calls for much more. Remember, one small thing happens to one of a group of about 5 Senators, and poof! All is lost. We simply must move more quickly.
*DID YOU KNOW? Actor Rob Lowe was playing in a PGA Pro-Am celebrity golf tournament in West Des Moines when a golf ball he had just hit struck and killed a goldfinch in mid-flight. Actuaries actually calculated the odds of him going to Iowa and killing the state bird with a golf ball: 1 in 747 million.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 11:07 AM
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