President Biden inherits one of the worst job markets of any president, with the country’s unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and nearly 10 million less people with jobs than at the beginning of last year, as the pandemic has wreaked havoc on industries like tourism, hospitality and food service.
And, speaking of the pandemic --
Our daily update is published. States reported 1.8M tests, 186k cases, 122,700 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19, and a record 4,409 deaths. pic.twitter.com/5WYUdLQoFw
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) January 21, 2021
Over 400,000 deaths to date in America.
This is just part of what the Biden-Harris Administration has to begin to address immediately, some of it subsumed under the pending COVID relief bill. The laundry list is long, though: addressing immigration policy, climate action, police reform, racial equity, voting rights, domestic terrorism, and more. We're lucky we have a competent Administration coming in to tackle this daunting list.
But fighting the pandemic and helping fellow citizens who are hurting should not simply be on the shoulders of the Administration. Of course, first of all, follow the health guidelines and get vaccinated as soon as you are eligible. But, as citizens, we should reflect right now on other ways we can help, at the local, state or national level. We each know how and what talents, resources, and time availability we can bring to bear on helping our fellow citizens. Some of us are donating or volunteering at food distribution centers, or are prepared to help with vaccinations through the Medical Reserve Corps. For retirees wishing to volunteer, AmeriCorps Seniors offers different time commitments and requirements tailored to your situation, and is one place to begin if you're serious about linking with a partner organization. Even the smallest effort, multiplied by millions, can make a difference.
This, rather than any phony papering over of the recent past, is what "unity" should look like.
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