Monday Reading

 

As always, please go to the links for the full articles/op eds.

As President Biden has said of the coronavirus pandemic, "Help is on the way."  Recent signs are encouraging, with 38 million vaccine doses administered (14 million fully vaccinated) and cases dropping. But, we're far from finished and can't relax our guard:

In recent weeks, U.S. coronavirus case data — long a closely-watched barometer of the pandemic’s severity — has sent some encouraging signals: The rate of newly recorded infections is plummeting from coast to coast and the worst surge yet is finally relenting. But scientists are split on why, exactly, it is happening.

Some point to the quickening pace of coronavirus vaccine administration, some say it’s because of the natural seasonal ebb of respiratory viruses and others chalk it up to social distancing measures.

And every explanation is appended with two significant caveats: The country is still in a bad place, continuing to notch more than 90,000 new cases every day, and recent progress could still be imperiled, either by new fast-spreading virus variants or by relaxed social distancing measures.

A competent, humane, science- driven Administration is in charge, which is the best news of all. 

Speaking of which, the Biden Administration is opening up Obamacare sign- ups starting today for three months, which would also include a temporary boost in subsidies with passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill:

HealthCare.gov’s market for subsidized health plans reopens Monday for a special three-month sign-up window as the Democratic-led Congress pushes a boost in financial help that could cut premiums by double digits.

This enrollment period during the coronavirus pandemic is an early test of President Joe Biden’s strategy to use the Affordable Care Act as a springboard toward health coverage for all. Advancing on a parallel track, the new COVID-19 relief bill from House Democrats would offer a generous, though temporary, increase in subsidies for people covered by the law known as “Obamacare.”

“It is a hugely important signaling move,” said Katherine Hempstead of the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “The administration is doing more than having open enrollment here, they're saying they want to make this coverage more affordable.”

If you know anyone who needs a subsidized health insurance plan, let them know about this opportunity, please.

President Biden will also be engaging leaders from the G-7 later this week to discuss the pandemic and the global economy.  What a relief not to have the Orange Buffoon "representing" our country:

President Joe Biden will hold his first event with other leaders from the Group of Seven nations in a virtual meeting on Friday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, the world economy and dealing with China, the White House said on Sunday.

The meeting is the first by top leaders from the G7 group of rich democracies since April, it said.

"This virtual engagement with leaders of the world’s leading democratic market economies will provide an opportunity for President Biden to discuss plans to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, and rebuild the global economy," the White House said in a statement.

The White House said Biden would focus his remarks on a global response to COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution as well as "continued efforts to mobilize and cooperate against the threat of emerging infectious diseases by building country capacity and establishing health security financing."

E.J. Dionne, Jr., reflects on "the beginning of the end of Trumpism" (paywall):

Led with extraordinary grace by Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.), a diverse and able group of prosecutors laid out an indelible record not only of what happened on Jan. 6 and why, but also Trump’s irresponsibility throughout his term of office: his courting of the violent far right; his celebration of violence; his habit of privileging himself and his own interests over everything and everyone else, including his unrequitedly loyal vice president.

This record matters. We often like to pretend that we can move on and forget the past. But our judgments about the past inevitably shape our future. Every political era is, in part, a reaction to the failures — perceived and real — of the previous one. The Hoover-Coolidge Republicans loomed large for two generations of Democrats. Ronald Reagan built a thriving movement by calling out what he successfully cast as the sins of liberalism.

By tying themselves to Trump with their votes, most House and Senate Republicans made themselves complicit in his behavior. And Trump will prove to be even more of an albatross than Hoover, who, after all, had a moral core.

The latest ABC News/ Ipsos poll shows a strong majority of the American people have made their judgement on Trump -- they wanted him convicted:

Driven by sharp divisions that reflect the persistent partisan fissures within the country, the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump solidified public support for convicting him of inciting insurrection, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds.

Over half of Americans (58%) say that Trump should have been convicted, which tracks with the 56% who said the same last week before the 57-43 Senate vote to acquit left Trump free to possibly run for office again.

That's a solid base for keeping Trump -- and Republicans -- out of office in the future (assuming Democrats come through with pandemic and economic relief).

Democrats can accelerate the weakening of Republican power in the Senate, and counteract egregious Republican voter suppression and gerrymandering by passing statehood bills for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  The latter's governor says his Commonwealth's behind it:

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi told "Axios on HBO" that "Congress is morally obligated to respond" to the island's recent vote in support of statehood, and said he expects a bill to be introduced in the House by mid-March. [snip]

 

... While the vote for statehood was a narrow one (52% support to 47% against), the governor told "Axios on HBO" it's the best way for Puerto Ricans to receive equal treatment as Americans citizens.

Granting statehood not only is likely to help Democrats hold the Senate for the foreseeable future, it's absolutely the right thing to do.

As usual, your next stop (if you haven't already been there recently) should be Infidel 753's link round-up.  You should also be checking out his blog on a regular basis simply for the thought- provoking posts that are his hallmark.