thenation--2020-11-10--We Could Use a Leader Like George McGovern Again

As I lived through the nightmare of the election campaign just past , I often found myself dreaming of another American world entirely .
Anything but this one .
In that spirit , I also found myself looking at a photo of my fourth-grade class , vintage 1972 .
Tacked to the wall behind our heads was a collage , a tapestry of sorts that I could make out fairly clearly .
It evoked the promise and the chaos of a turbulent year so long ago .
The promise lay in a segment that read “ peace ” and included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baseball player ( Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson , who had died that year ) , and a clenched fist inside the outline of the symbol for female ( standing for the new feminism of that moment and the push for equal rights for women ) .
Representing the chaos of that era were images of B-52s dropping bombs in Vietnam ( a war that was still ongoing ) and a demonstration for racist Alabama governor and presidential candidate George Wallace ( probably because he had been shot and wounded in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocket labeled “ USA ” reminded me that this country was then still launching triumphant Apollo missions to the moon .
How far we ’ ve come in not quite half a century !
In 2020 , “ peace ” isn ’ t even a word in the American political dictionary ; despite Greta Thunberg , a growing climate-change movement , and Joe Biden ’ s $ 2 trillion climate plan , ecology was largely a foreign concept in the election just past as both political parties embraced fracking and fossil fuels ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less tight ) ; Major League Baseball has actually suffered a decline in the number of African American players in recent years ; and the quest for women ’ s equality remains distinctly unfulfilled .
Bombing continues , of course , though those bombs and missiles are now aimed mostly at various Islamist insurgencies rather than communist ones , and it ’ s often done by drones , not B-52s , although those venerable planes are still used to threaten Moscow and Beijing with nuclear carnage .
George Wallace has , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a racist who turned President Richard Nixon ’ s Southern strategy of my grade school years into a national presidential victory in 2016 and who , as president , regularly nodded in the direction of white supremacists .
Progress , anyone ?
Indeed , that class photo of mine even featured the flag of China , a reminder that Nixon had broken new ground that very year by traveling to Beijing to meet with Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong and de-escalate the Cold War tensions of the era .
Nowadays , Americans only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic threat ; that Joe Biden and some Democrats are allegedly far too China-friendly ( they aren ’ t ) ; and that Covid-19 ( aka the “ Wuhan Flu ” or “ Kung Flu ” ) was—at least to Trump and his followers—a plague sent by the Chinese to kill us .
Another symbol from that tapestry , a chess piece , reminded me that in 1972 we witnessed the famous Cold War meeting between the youthful , brilliant , if mercurial , Bobby Fischer and Soviet chess champion Boris Spassky in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and paranoia of the Cold War .
Inspired by Fischer , I started playing the game myself and became a card-carrying member of the US Chess Federation until I realized my talent was limited indeed .
The year 1972 ended with Republican Nixon ’ s landslide victory over Democratic Senator George McGovern , who carried only my home state of Massachusetts .
After Nixon ’ s landslide victory , I remember bumper stickers that said : “ Don ’ t blame me for Nixon , I ’ m from Massachusetts.
” Eighteen years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefly meet the former senator .
He was attending a history symposium on the Vietnam War at the US Air Force Academy and , as a young Air Force captain , I chased down a book for him in the academy ’ s library .
I don ’ t think I knew then of McGovern ’ s stellar combat record in World War II .
A skilled pilot , he had flown 35 combat missions in a B-24 bomber , winning the Distinguished Flying Cross for successfully landing a plane heavily damaged by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nixon , who had served in the Navy during that war , never saw combat .
But he did see lots of time at the poker table , winning a tidy sum of money , which he would funnel into his first political campaign .
Like so many combat veterans of the “ greatest generation , ” McGovern never bragged about his wartime exploits .
Over the years , however , that sensible , honorable , courageous American patriot became far too strongly associated with peace , love , and understanding .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believer in progressive government , a committed opponent of the Vietnam War , he would find himself smeared by Republicans as weak , almost cowardly , on military matters and an anti-capitalist ( the rough equivalent today of democratic-socialist Bernie Sanders ) .
Apparently , this country couldn ’ t then and still can ’ t accept any major-party candidate who doesn ’ t believe in a colossal military establishment and a government that serves business and industry first and foremost—or else our choice in 2020 wouldn ’ t have been Trump-Pence versus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece in late October , I didn ’ t yet know that Joe Biden would indeed win the most embattled election of our lifetime .
What I did know was that the country that once produced ( and then rejected ) thoughtful patriots like George McGovern was in serious decline .
Most Americans desperately want change , so the pollsters tell us , whether we call ourselves Republicans or Democrats , conservatives , liberals , or socialists .
Both election campaigns , however , essentially promised us little but their own versions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s may have been .
In truth , Trump didn ’ t even bother to present a plan for anything , including bringing the pandemic under control .
He just promised four more years of Keeping America Trumpish Again with yet another capital gains tax cut thrown in .
Biden ran on a revival of Barack Obama ’ s legacy with the “ hope and change ” idealism largely left out .
Faced with such a choice in an increasingly desperate country , with spiking Covid-19 cases in state after state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us sought relief in opioids or gun purchases , bad habits like fatty foods and lack of exercise , and wanton carelessness with regard to the most obvious pandemic safety measures .
Since the presidencies of Nixon and Reagan , and especially since September 11 , 2001 , it ’ s amazing what Americans have come to accept as normal .
Forget about peace , love , and understanding .
What we now see on America ’ s streets aren ’ t anti-war protesters or even beat cops , but Robocops armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indefensible acts of violence .
Extremist “ militias ” like the Proud Boys are celebrated ( by some ) as “ patriots.
” Ludicrous QAnon conspiracy theories are taken all too seriously , with political candidates on the Republican side of the aisle lining up to endorse them .
Even six-figure death tolls from a raging pandemic were normalized as President Trump barnstormed the country , applauding himself to maskless crowds at super-spreader rallies for keeping Covid-19 deaths under the mythical figure of 2.2 million .
Meanwhile , the rest of us found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be thought of as a new body count , this time right here in the homeland .
And speaking of potential future body counts , consider again the Proud Boys whom our president in that first presidential debate asked to “ stand back and stand by.
” Obviously not a militia , they might better be described as a gang .
Close your eyes and imagine that all the Proud Boys were black .
What would they be called then by those on the right ?
A menace , to say the least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real militia would , of course , be under local , state , or federal authority , an organization with a chain of command and a code of discipline , not just a bunch of alienated guys playing military dress-up and spoiling for a fight .
Yet too many Americans see them through a militarized lens , applauding those “ boys ” as they wave blue-line pro-police flags and shout “ all lives matter.
” Whatever flags they may wrap themselves in , they are , in truth , nothing more than nationalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boys are only the most extreme example of the “ patriotic ” poseurs , parades , and pageantry in the USA of 2020 .
And collectively all of it , including our lost and embattled president , add up to a red-white-and-blue distraction ( and what a distraction it ’ s been ! )
from an essential reality : that America is in serious trouble—and you can take that “ America ” to mean ordinary people working hard to make a living ( or not working at all right now ) , desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed their kids .
It ’ s a distraction as well from the reality that America hasn ’ t decisively won a war since the time McGovern flew all those combat missions in a B-24 .
It ’ s a distraction from the fates of some ordinary Americans like George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Jacob Blake , who were not just manipulated and exploited but murdered—hence the need for a Black Lives Matter movement to begin with .
It ’ s a distraction from the fact that we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now swell annually above a trillion dollars , while no one in a position of power blinks .
Today ’ s never-ending wars and rumors of more to come remind me that McGovern was against not only the Vietnam conflict but the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq too .
Biden , meanwhile , voted for the Iraq War , which Trump also spoke in favor of , at the time , only to campaign in 2016 on ending this country ’ s wars , which by 2020 he hadn ’ t done—though he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Space Force .
Feeling the need to sharpen his own pro-war bona fides , Biden recently said he ’ d raise “ defense ” spending over and above what even Trump wanted .
If you ’ ll indulge my fantasy self for a moment , I ’ d like to channel Lloyd Bentsen , the 1988 Democratic vice presidential nominee , when , in a debate with his Republican opposite , Dan Quayle , he dismissed him as “ no Jack Kennedy.
” In that same spirit , I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biden in the wake of the recent Covid-19 nightmare of a campaign : “ I met George McGovern .
George McGovern , in a different reality , could have been my friend .
You , Joe and Donald , are no George McGovern.
” Prior military service is not essential to being president and commander in chief , but whose finger would you rather have on America ’ s nuclear button : that of Trump , who dodged the draft with heel spurs ; Biden , who dodged the draft with asthma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who served heroically in combat , a leader who was willing to look for peaceful paths because he knew so intimately the blood-spattered ones of war ?
What about a class photo for fourth graders today ?
What collage of images would be behind their heads to represent the promise and chaos of our days ?
Surely , Covid-19 would be represented , perhaps by a mountain of body bags in portable morgues .
Surely , a “ Blue Lives Matter ” flag would be there canceling out a Black Lives Matter flag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missiles , perhaps in Somalia or Yemen or some other distant front in America ’ s endless war of ( not on ) terror , would make an appearance .
And here are some others : surely , the flag of China , this time representing the growing tensions , not rapprochement , between the two great powers ; surely , a Trump super-spreader rally filled with the unmasked expressing what I like to think of as the all-too-American “ ideal ” of “ live free and die ” ; surely , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West , joined perhaps by a hurricane flag to represent another record-breaking year of such storms , especially on the Gulf Coast ; surely , some peaceful protesters being maced or tased or assaulted by heavily armed and unidentified federal agents just because they cared about the lives of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , among others .
And I suppose we could add something about sports into that collage , maybe an image of football players in empty stadiums , kneeling as one for racial equality .
Look , sports used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but in his woebegone presidency , Donald Trump , among others , used sports only to divide us .
Complex racial relations and legacies have been reduced to slogans , Black Lives Matter versus blue lives matter , but what ’ s ended up being black and blue is America .
We ’ ve beaten ourselves to a pulp and it ’ s the fight promoters , Donald Trump above all , who have profited most .
If we are to make any racial progress in America , that kind of self-inflicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be missing from the 2020 collage that was in my 1972 one ?
Notably , clear references to peace , ecology , and equal rights for women .
Assuming that , on January 20 , Biden really does take his place in the Oval Office , despite the angriest and most vengeful man in the world sitting there now , those three issues would be an ideal place for him to start in his first 100 days as president ( along , of course , with creating a genuine plan to curb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace in Afghanistan and elsewhere by ending America ’ s disastrous wars ; ( 2 ) put the planet first and act to abate climate change and preserve all living things ; ( 3 ) revive the Equal Rights Amendment and treat women with dignity , respect , and justice .
One final image from my fourth-grade collage : An elephant is shown on top of a somewhat flattened donkey .
It was meant , of course , to capture Nixon ’ s resounding victory over McGovern in 1972 .
Yet , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can we say with any confidence that the donkey is now on top ?
Certainly not the one of McGovern ’ s day , given that Biden has already been talking about austerity at home and even higher military spending .
Sadly , it ’ s long past time to reclaim American idealism and take a stand for a lot less war and a lot more help for the most vulnerable among us , including the very planet itself .
How sad that we don ’ t have a leader like George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daunting new year looms .

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To stay on top of important articles like these, sign up to receive the latest updates from TomDispatch.
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
As I lived through the nightmare of the election campaign just past, I often found myself dreaming of another American world entirely. Anything but this one.
In that spirit, I also found myself looking at a photo of my fourth-grade class, vintage 1972. Tacked to the wall behind our heads was a collage, a tapestry of sorts that I could make out fairly clearly. It evoked the promise and the chaos of a turbulent year so long ago. The promise lay in a segment that read “peace” and included a green ecology flag, a black baseball player (Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson, who had died that year), and a clenched fist inside the outline of the symbol for female (standing for the new feminism of that moment and the push for equal rights for women).
Representing the chaos of that era were images of B-52s dropping bombs in Vietnam (a war that was still ongoing) and a demonstration for racist Alabama governor and presidential candidate George Wallace (probably because he had been shot and wounded in an assassination attempt that May). A rocket labeled “USA” reminded me that this country was then still launching triumphant Apollo missions to the moon.
How far we’ve come in not quite half a century! In 2020, “peace” isn’t even a word in the American political dictionary; despite Greta Thunberg, a growing climate-change movement, and Joe Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan, ecology was largely a foreign concept in the election just past as both political parties embraced fracking and fossil fuels (even if Biden’s embrace was less tight); Major League Baseball has actually suffered a decline in the number of African American players in recent years; and the quest for women’s equality remains distinctly unfulfilled. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann
Bombing continues, of course, though those bombs and missiles are now aimed mostly at various Islamist insurgencies rather than communist ones, and it’s often done by drones, not B-52s, although those venerable planes are still used to threaten Moscow and Beijing with nuclear carnage. George Wallace has, of course, been replaced by Donald Trump, a racist who turned President Richard Nixon’s Southern strategy of my grade school years into a national presidential victory in 2016 and who, as president, regularly nodded in the direction of white supremacists.
Progress, anyone? Indeed, that class photo of mine even featured the flag of China, a reminder that Nixon had broken new ground that very year by traveling to Beijing to meet with Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong and de-escalate the Cold War tensions of the era. Nowadays, Americans only hear that China is a military and economic threat; that Joe Biden and some Democrats are allegedly far too China-friendly (they aren’t); and that Covid-19 (aka the “Wuhan Flu” or “Kung Flu”) was—at least to Trump and his followers—a plague sent by the Chinese to kill us.
Another symbol from that tapestry, a chess piece, reminded me that in 1972 we witnessed the famous Cold War meeting between the youthful, brilliant, if mercurial, Bobby Fischer and Soviet chess champion Boris Spassky in a match that evoked all the hysteria and paranoia of the Cold War. Inspired by Fischer, I started playing the game myself and became a card-carrying member of the US Chess Federation until I realized my talent was limited indeed. Current Issue View our current issue
The year 1972 ended with Republican Nixon’s landslide victory over Democratic Senator George McGovern, who carried only my home state of Massachusetts. After Nixon’s landslide victory, I remember bumper stickers that said: “Don’t blame me for Nixon, I’m from Massachusetts.”
Eighteen years later, in 1990, I would briefly meet the former senator. He was attending a history symposium on the Vietnam War at the US Air Force Academy and, as a young Air Force captain, I chased down a book for him in the academy’s library. I don’t think I knew then of McGovern’s stellar combat record in World War II. A skilled pilot, he had flown 35 combat missions in a B-24 bomber, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross for successfully landing a plane heavily damaged by enemy fire and saving his crew. Nixon, who had served in the Navy during that war, never saw combat. But he did see lots of time at the poker table, winning a tidy sum of money, which he would funnel into his first political campaign.
Like so many combat veterans of the “greatest generation,” McGovern never bragged about his wartime exploits. Over the years, however, that sensible, honorable, courageous American patriot became far too strongly associated with peace, love, and understanding. A staunch defender of civil rights, a believer in progressive government, a committed opponent of the Vietnam War, he would find himself smeared by Republicans as weak, almost cowardly, on military matters and an anti-capitalist (the rough equivalent today of democratic-socialist Bernie Sanders).
Apparently, this country couldn’t then and still can’t accept any major-party candidate who doesn’t believe in a colossal military establishment and a government that serves business and industry first and foremost—or else our choice in 2020 wouldn’t have been Trump-Pence versus Biden-Harris.
Channeling Lloyd Bentsen
As I began writing this piece in late October, I didn’t yet know that Joe Biden would indeed win the most embattled election of our lifetime. What I did know was that the country that once produced (and then rejected) thoughtful patriots like George McGovern was in serious decline. Most Americans desperately want change, so the pollsters tell us, whether we call ourselves Republicans or Democrats, conservatives, liberals, or socialists. Both election campaigns, however, essentially promised us little but their own versions of the status quo, however bizarre Donald Trump’s may have been.
In truth, Trump didn’t even bother to present a plan for anything, including bringing the pandemic under control. He just promised four more years of Keeping America Trumpish Again with yet another capital gains tax cut thrown in. Biden ran on a revival of Barack Obama’s legacy with the “hope and change” idealism largely left out. Faced with such a choice in an increasingly desperate country, with spiking Covid-19 cases in state after state and hospitals increasingly overwhelmed, too many of us sought relief in opioids or gun purchases, bad habits like fatty foods and lack of exercise, and wanton carelessness with regard to the most obvious pandemic safety measures.
Since the presidencies of Nixon and Reagan, and especially since September 11, 2001, it’s amazing what Americans have come to accept as normal. Forget about peace, love, and understanding. What we now see on America’s streets aren’t anti-war protesters or even beat cops, but Robocops armed to the teeth with military-style weaponry committing indefensible acts of violence. Extremist “militias” like the Proud Boys are celebrated (by some) as “patriots.” Ludicrous QAnon conspiracy theories are taken all too seriously, with political candidates on the Republican side of the aisle lining up to endorse them.
Even six-figure death tolls from a raging pandemic were normalized as President Trump barnstormed the country, applauding himself to maskless crowds at super-spreader rallies for keeping Covid-19 deaths under the mythical figure of 2.2 million. Meanwhile, the rest of us found nothing to celebrate in what—in Vietnam terms—could be thought of as a new body count, this time right here in the homeland.
And speaking of potential future body counts, consider again the Proud Boys whom our president in that first presidential debate asked to “stand back and stand by.” Obviously not a militia, they might better be described as a gang. Close your eyes and imagine that all the Proud Boys were black. What would they be called then by those on the right? A menace, to say the least, and probably far worse.
A real militia would, of course, be under local, state, or federal authority, an organization with a chain of command and a code of discipline, not just a bunch of alienated guys playing military dress-up and spoiling for a fight. Yet too many Americans see them through a militarized lens, applauding those “boys” as they wave blue-line pro-police flags and shout “all lives matter.” Whatever flags they may wrap themselves in, they are, in truth, nothing more than nationalist bully boys.
Groups like the Proud Boys are only the most extreme example of the “patriotic” poseurs, parades, and pageantry in the USA of 2020. And collectively all of it, including our lost and embattled president, add up to a red-white-and-blue distraction (and what a distraction it’s been!) from an essential reality: that America is in serious trouble—and you can take that “America” to mean ordinary people working hard to make a living (or not working at all right now), desperate to maintain roofs over their heads and feed their kids.
It’s a distraction as well from the reality that America hasn’t decisively won a war since the time McGovern flew all those combat missions in a B-24. It’s a distraction from the fates of some ordinary Americans like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake, who were not just manipulated and exploited but murdered—hence the need for a Black Lives Matter movement to begin with. It’s a distraction from the fact that we don’t even debate gargantuan national security budgets that now swell annually above a trillion dollars, while no one in a position of power blinks.
Today’s never-ending wars and rumors of more to come remind me that McGovern was against not only the Vietnam conflict but the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq too. Biden, meanwhile, voted for the Iraq War, which Trump also spoke in favor of, at the time, only to campaign in 2016 on ending this country’s wars, which by 2020 he hadn’t done—though he had set up a new military service, the Space Force. Feeling the need to sharpen his own pro-war bona fides, Biden recently said he’d raise “defense” spending over and above what even Trump wanted.
If you’ll indulge my fantasy self for a moment, I’d like to channel Lloyd Bentsen, the 1988 Democratic vice presidential nominee, when, in a debate with his Republican opposite, Dan Quayle, he dismissed him as “no Jack Kennedy.” In that same spirit, I’d like to say this to both Trump and Biden in the wake of the recent Covid-19 nightmare of a campaign: “I met George McGovern. George McGovern, in a different reality, could have been my friend. You, Joe and Donald, are no George McGovern.”
Prior military service is not essential to being president and commander in chief, but whose finger would you rather have on America’s nuclear button: that of Trump, who dodged the draft with heel spurs; Biden, who dodged the draft with asthma; or a leader like McGovern, who served heroically in combat, a leader who was willing to look for peaceful paths because he knew so intimately the blood-spattered ones of war?
A Historical Tapestry for Fourth Graders as 2020 Ends
What about a class photo for fourth graders today? What collage of images would be behind their heads to represent the promise and chaos of our days? Surely, Covid-19 would be represented, perhaps by a mountain of body bags in portable morgues. Surely, a “Blue Lives Matter” flag would be there canceling out a Black Lives Matter flag. Surely, a drone launching Hellfire missiles, perhaps in Somalia or Yemen or some other distant front in America’s endless war of (not on) terror, would make an appearance.
And here are some others: surely, the flag of China, this time representing the growing tensions, not rapprochement, between the two great powers; surely, a Trump super-spreader rally filled with the unmasked expressing what I like to think of as the all-too-American “ideal” of “live free and die”; surely, a vast firenado rising from California and the West, joined perhaps by a hurricane flag to represent another record-breaking year of such storms, especially on the Gulf Coast; surely, some peaceful protesters being maced or tased or assaulted by heavily armed and unidentified federal agents just because they cared about the lives of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others.
And I suppose we could add something about sports into that collage, maybe an image of football players in empty stadiums, kneeling as one for racial equality. Look, sports used to unite us across race and class lines, but in his woebegone presidency, Donald Trump, among others, used sports only to divide us. Complex racial relations and legacies have been reduced to slogans, Black Lives Matter versus blue lives matter, but what’s ended up being black and blue is America. We’ve beaten ourselves to a pulp and it’s the fight promoters, Donald Trump above all, who have profited most. If we are to make any racial progress in America, that kind of self-inflicted bludgeoning has to end.
And what would be missing from the 2020 collage that was in my 1972 one? Notably, clear references to peace, ecology, and equal rights for women. Assuming that, on January 20, Biden really does take his place in the Oval Office, despite the angriest and most vengeful man in the world sitting there now, those three issues would be an ideal place for him to start in his first 100 days as president (along, of course, with creating a genuine plan to curb Covid-19): (1) seek peace in Afghanistan and elsewhere by ending America’s disastrous wars; (2) put the planet first and act to abate climate change and preserve all living things; (3) revive the Equal Rights Amendment and treat women with dignity, respect, and justice.
One final image from my fourth-grade collage: An elephant is shown on top of a somewhat flattened donkey. It was meant, of course, to capture Nixon’s resounding victory over McGovern in 1972. Yet, even with Biden’s victory last week, can we say with any confidence that the donkey is now on top? Certainly not the one of McGovern’s day, given that Biden has already been talking about austerity at home and even higher military spending.
Sadly, it’s long past time to reclaim American idealism and take a stand for a lot less war and a lot more help for the most vulnerable among us, including the very planet itself. How sad that we don’t have a leader like George McGovern in the White House as a daunting new year looms.


thenation--2020-11-10--Behind the Doors of New York’s Public Housing

The ongoing struggle for racial justice .
The future for immigrant families .
The health and well-being of all Americans .
The very fate of our fragile planet .
The United States faces a crossroads in this year ’ s elections .
Seeking out the stories flying under the national radar , The Nation and Magnum Foundation are partnering on What ’ s At Stake , a series of photo essays from across the country through the lenses of independent imagemakers .
Follow the whole series here .
This installment was produced with support from the Economic Hardship Reporting Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Lower East Side , one of the most diverse , densely built neighborhoods in the world .
Boutique shops now stand side by side with bodegas , and rising rents are changing the face of this once-affordable enclave .
But the heart of the neighborhood , where some of its residents of longest standing still live , is the many public housing buildings operated by the New York City Housing Authority .
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit New York , I wanted to stay connected to my community .
The NYCHA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , and more than 400,000 New Yorkers live in these buildings , so even with chronic underfunding and a years-long backlog for repairs and upkeep , these buildings allow many people to keep a long-term , stable home in a city that seems to be constantly changing .
I started volunteering with frontline workers to help deliver food and PPE to my neighbors .
We ’ d go from floor to floor , knocking on doors and chatting with residents .
I began to notice that these doors , though standardized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were serving as impromptu canvases for residents to express their perspectives and attitudes about the outside world .
A crucifix on a door attests to one resident ’ s faith ; an “ I Voted ” sticker expresses another ’ s civic-mindedness ; a Puerto Rican flag signals another ’ s background .
I started photographing these doors , and as I did so I also began talking to the people behind the doors , to learn about the many different walks of life that call NYCHA housing home .
On any given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise classes for seniors , attends church , helps at food pantries and other grassroots events , and makes sure his neighbors are informed .
Especially during elections .
Every election season since 2013 , he works the polls to help his neighbors , this year as site coordinator at the LES Girls ’ Club , where he “ makes sure everyone does their job.
” Recognized by his community for “ always wearing courage like a lion , ” 66-year-old Dave “ Braveheart ” Brasuell is equipped with a powerful voice that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amplifying calls for change and celebrating acts of resilience .
And on the eve of the election this year in particular , he feels his obligation to roar is paramount .
“ We need people to vote .
There was a time when people of color like me could not vote .
There was a time that women couldn ’ t vote .
So now that we have the opportunity .
And that ’ s what it ’ s all about : opportunity .
When it comes to voting , it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunist.
” Lilah Mejia is a 42-year-old Puerto Rican mother of six , community activist , education advocate , and program director at the nonprofit Henry Street Settlement .
Her confident outspokenness , intellect , and pride have made her an impactful activist , esteemed leader , and invaluable role model for the community , particularly for her three sons and three daughters .
“ Everything is a teaching moment for little people , ” she believes , especially when it comes to politics .
“ I bring my kids with me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they can experience that , they can understand that , and they can take pride in that .
I don ’ t think that we cover enough what ’ s happened in the past [ in education ] .
” Lorraine and her family turned to art to help make sense of the world during quarantine .
She and her daughter , Jasmine , created visual collages reflecting 2020 ’ s events , from riots and protests to national and local elections .
“ We ’ ve never been through anything like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time capsule , ” says Jasmine .
“ I focused on climate change , racism , police reform , Trump… .
and right now , I ’ m especially sensitive when it comes to immigration .
I ’ m half Mexican .
I ’ m not comfortable with the way they ’ re being treated right now .
I have to put my voice out there somehow , I have to say something.
” Thirty-two-year-old Afro-Latina Krystal Mejias is a community organizer and committed professional working in social services .
Today she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support services at the African American Planning Commission .
“ Homelessness in New York City is just getting worse .
And , being that I come from a housing background I understand what ’ s happening now , with evictions and the consequences of Covid and the shutdown .
It ’ s just the beginning.
” Krystal is dedicated to helping educate her community on current events so they don ’ t just rely on misleading sensational headlines and tweets .
“ I ’ m nervous because a lot of people look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than multiple different lenses .
You can ’ t just look at the world through one lens.
” John Blasco and Aura Olavarria were elected by their community to serve as Democratic district leaders of Manhattan ’ s 74th district .
Together , they fight tirelessly for progressive politics and the overall welfare of their neighbors .
“ Opportunities like elections are so meaningful and important because we need to vote for people in power who are actually going to give rights to these communities who have been discriminated against for so long.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ action and change starts at the grassroots level .
As Aura notes , “ I think people are engaged , but sometimes it does take a lot of door-knocking .
I ’ m grateful for all the women leaders in our community because those are the ones that really came through .
We have to just keep doing what we ’ re doing .
The fight continues.
” Eighteen-year-old Shandra Rogers exudes an air of maturity and determination unexpected from someone her age .
This fall marked her first year at Howard University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Her NYCHA rooftop was a perfect setting to capture her story , as it symbolizes the crossroads she and other first-time voters find themselves at today .
Shandra escapes to the roof to reflect on lessons learned and project ambitions for the future .
“ I love my roof because it ’ s smack in the middle of the Lower East Side .
On the right you can see all of the projects on Avenue D. On my left , I see all the high rises .
It reminds me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and where I ’ m going.
” Shandra was raised in low-income public housing within a family “ very rooted in their blackness , ” and going to school at predominantly white institutions .
“ I have a lot of different perspectives and views of things .
One of the biggest issues with our politics and society today is the lack of empathy and love , largely because of the representation we have in government .
That ’ s why I want to become a politician.
” Sage Altamirano is a fiery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College and works as a receptionist at a pediatric office—both full-time .
Well-versed in topics like generational and societal clashes and systemic issues of racism , capitalism , and mental health , she has a lot to say and the intellect to say it .
“ Our generation is going to give the world a good run for their money .
We ’ re speaking out without filters .
We ’ re protesting .
We ’ re challenging the cops .
We ’ re challenging the president .
We ’ re literally trolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over.
” “ Right now , we as a society are not connecting .
Some people can ’ t even acknowledge that America has a problem with racism .
Why aren ’ t we having these conversations ?
We need to educate ourselves and we need to start actively listening to one another .
We ’ re all humans .
Why can ’ t we help each other ?
Maybe that ’ s a young and ideal way of thinking , but that kind of positive mindset can have a ripple effect.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artist and veterinary technician , has largely “ removed herself from politics in the last four years , ” she ’ s knowledgeable and passionate about today ’ s mountain of challenges .
“ It ’ s hard to prioritize one issue or the other .
But I can speak to the ones that affect me personally—like police brutality , I ’ m a big advocate for defunding the police .
I ’ ve had to rely on Planned Parenthood in the past—obviously women ’ s reproductive rights .
And mental health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issues , but especially from lower-income neighborhoods where people don ’ t have access to [ mental health ] facilities.
” When I talked to her before the election , she said the outcome wouldn ’ t shape her activism that much : “ I ’ ll continue to do what I do .
I ’ m still going to advocate for women ’ s rights .
I ’ m still going to advocate for mental health through my art .
There ’ s always something to fight .
Always .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Turquoise is laying the foundation for a career in civil service , majoring in urban policy and planning at Hunter College and working as a community organizer for Assembly member Harvey Epstein .
“ As we see gentrification happening , ” she told me , “ we don ’ t want to feel like our communities are changing without our control.
” “ I ’ m just a community-driven kind of gal , so one of my biggest concerns around the elections is that the community is aware , that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educated about how that impacts them .
Even if people choose not to vote , I ’ m very big on freedom of choice , to me the point is to be informed.
” As a leader of the Tenant Association of Baruch Houses , the largest NYCHA development in Manhattan , Camille Napoleon takes pride in her home and extended family of neighbors .
During this election , she personally took a group of first-time voters from Baruch to the polls to encourage and support them as they cast their ballots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , Camille was one of the first leaders to step up on the front lines , rallying a team of volunteers and setting an unparalleled standard of what true community looks like .
What began with distributing emergency food boxes to seniors and vulnerable neighbors transformed into a well-organized , efficient system that has blessed thousands of people in need with essentials—and it continues through this day .

Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
The ongoing struggle for racial justice. The future for immigrant families. The health and well-being of all Americans. The very fate of our fragile planet. The United States faces a crossroads in this year’s elections. Seeking out the stories flying under the national radar, The Nation and Magnum Foundation are partnering on What’s At Stake, a series of photo essays from across the country through the lenses of independent imagemakers. Follow the whole series here. This installment was produced with support from the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.
I grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, one of the most diverse, densely built neighborhoods in the world. Boutique shops now stand side by side with bodegas, and rising rents are changing the face of this once-affordable enclave. But the heart of the neighborhood, where some of its residents of longest standing still live, is the many public housing buildings operated by the New York City Housing Authority.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit New York, I wanted to stay connected to my community. The NYCHA is the largest public housing agency in the United States, and more than 400,000 New Yorkers live in these buildings, so even with chronic underfunding and a years-long backlog for repairs and upkeep, these buildings allow many people to keep a long-term, stable home in a city that seems to be constantly changing. I started volunteering with frontline workers to help deliver food and PPE to my neighbors. We’d go from floor to floor, knocking on doors and chatting with residents. I began to notice that these doors, though standardized like a lot of NYCHA housing, were serving as impromptu canvases for residents to express their perspectives and attitudes about the outside world. A crucifix on a door attests to one resident’s faith; an “I Voted” sticker expresses another’s civic-mindedness; a Puerto Rican flag signals another’s background. I started photographing these doors, and as I did so I also began talking to the people behind the doors, to learn about the many different walks of life that call NYCHA housing home.
On any given day, 66-year-old Dave Brasuell leads virtual exercise classes for seniors, attends church, helps at food pantries and other grassroots events, and makes sure his neighbors are informed.
Especially during elections. Every election season since 2013, he works the polls to help his neighbors, this year as site coordinator at the LES Girls’ Club, where he “makes sure everyone does their job.”
Recognized by his community for “always wearing courage like a lion,” 66-year-old Dave “Braveheart” Brasuell is equipped with a powerful voice that has long spoken on their behalf, amplifying calls for change and celebrating acts of resilience. And on the eve of the election this year in particular, he feels his obligation to roar is paramount.
“We need people to vote. There was a time when people of color like me could not vote. There was a time that women couldn’t vote. So now that we have the opportunity. And that’s what it’s all about: opportunity. When it comes to voting, it is a great opportunity. You have to be an opportunist.”
Lilah Mejia is a 42-year-old Puerto Rican mother of six, community activist, education advocate, and program director at the nonprofit Henry Street Settlement. Her confident outspokenness, intellect, and pride have made her an impactful activist, esteemed leader, and invaluable role model for the community, particularly for her three sons and three daughters.
“Everything is a teaching moment for little people,” she believes, especially when it comes to politics. “I bring my kids with me to vote so they can see that, they can experience that, they can understand that, and they can take pride in that. I don’t think that we cover enough what’s happened in the past [in education].”
Lorraine and her family turned to art to help make sense of the world during quarantine. She and her daughter, Jasmine, created visual collages reflecting 2020’s events, from riots and protests to national and local elections.
“We’ve never been through anything like this before. I wanted to create a time capsule,” says Jasmine. “I focused on climate change, racism, police reform, Trump…. and right now, I’m especially sensitive when it comes to immigration. I’m half Mexican. I’m not comfortable with the way they’re being treated right now. I have to put my voice out there somehow, I have to say something.”
Thirty-two-year-old Afro-Latina Krystal Mejias is a community organizer and committed professional working in social services. Today she works within emergency homeless shelters and social support services at the African American Planning Commission.
“Homelessness in New York City is just getting worse. And, being that I come from a housing background I understand what’s happening now, with evictions and the consequences of Covid and the shutdown. It’s just the beginning.”
Krystal is dedicated to helping educate her community on current events so they don’t just rely on misleading sensational headlines and tweets. “I’m nervous because a lot of people look at things through one single lens, rather than multiple different lenses. You can’t just look at the world through one lens.”
John Blasco and Aura Olavarria were elected by their community to serve as Democratic district leaders of Manhattan’s 74th district. Together, they fight tirelessly for progressive politics and the overall welfare of their neighbors.
“Opportunities like elections are so meaningful and important because we need to vote for people in power who are actually going to give rights to these communities who have been discriminated against for so long.” These two local leaders prove that action and change starts at the grassroots level. As Aura notes, “I think people are engaged, but sometimes it does take a lot of door-knocking. I’m grateful for all the women leaders in our community because those are the ones that really came through. We have to just keep doing what we’re doing. The fight continues.”
Eighteen-year-old Shandra Rogers exudes an air of maturity and determination unexpected from someone her age. This fall marked her first year at Howard University and her first year of voting in the election.
Her NYCHA rooftop was a perfect setting to capture her story, as it symbolizes the crossroads she and other first-time voters find themselves at today. Shandra escapes to the roof to reflect on lessons learned and project ambitions for the future.
“I love my roof because it’s smack in the middle of the Lower East Side. On the right you can see all of the projects on Avenue D. On my left, I see all the high rises. It reminds me of where I’m coming from and where I’m going.”
Shandra was raised in low-income public housing within a family “very rooted in their blackness,” and going to school at predominantly white institutions. “I have a lot of different perspectives and views of things. One of the biggest issues with our politics and society today is the lack of empathy and love, largely because of the representation we have in government. That’s why I want to become a politician.”
Sage Altamirano is a fiery, smart, self-confident 22-year-old who attends Mercy College and works as a receptionist at a pediatric office—both full-time. Well-versed in topics like generational and societal clashes and systemic issues of racism, capitalism, and mental health, she has a lot to say and the intellect to say it.
“Our generation is going to give the world a good run for their money. We’re speaking out without filters. We’re protesting. We’re challenging the cops. We’re challenging the president. We’re literally trolling the president! We’re taking over.”
“Right now, we as a society are not connecting. Some people can’t even acknowledge that America has a problem with racism. Why aren’t we having these conversations? We need to educate ourselves and we need to start actively listening to one another. We’re all humans. Why can’t we help each other? Maybe that’s a young and ideal way of thinking, but that kind of positive mindset can have a ripple effect.”
Even though Kay Prieto, a 23-year-old artist and veterinary technician, has largely “removed herself from politics in the last four years,” she’s knowledgeable and passionate about today’s mountain of challenges.
“It’s hard to prioritize one issue or the other. But I can speak to the ones that affect me personally—like police brutality, I’m a big advocate for defunding the police. I’ve had to rely on Planned Parenthood in the past—obviously women’s reproductive rights. And mental health. I feel like everybody deals with mental health issues, but especially from lower-income neighborhoods where people don’t have access to [mental health] facilities.”
When I talked to her before the election, she said the outcome wouldn’t shape her activism that much: “I’ll continue to do what I do. I’m still going to advocate for women’s rights. I’m still going to advocate for mental health through my art. There’s always something to fight. Always. And I will 100 percent stand by that.”
Turquoise is laying the foundation for a career in civil service, majoring in urban policy and planning at Hunter College and working as a community organizer for Assembly member Harvey Epstein. “As we see gentrification happening,” she told me, “we don’t want to feel like our communities are changing without our control.”
“I’m just a community-driven kind of gal, so one of my biggest concerns around the elections is that the community is aware, that people are aware of the voting process and are educated about how that impacts them. Even if people choose not to vote, I’m very big on freedom of choice, to me the point is to be informed.”
As a leader of the Tenant Association of Baruch Houses, the largest NYCHA development in Manhattan, Camille Napoleon takes pride in her home and extended family of neighbors. During this election, she personally took a group of first-time voters from Baruch to the polls to encourage and support them as they cast their ballots. When the pandemic shut NYC down in March, Camille was one of the first leaders to step up on the front lines, rallying a team of volunteers and setting an unparalleled standard of what true community looks like. What began with distributing emergency food boxes to seniors and vulnerable neighbors transformed into a well-organized, efficient system that has blessed thousands of people in need with essentials—and it continues through this day.


Bye, Donald

Support independent cartooning : join Sparky ’ s List—and don ’ t forget to visit TT ’ s Emporium of @ @ @ @ @ book and plush Sparky !

Support independent cartooning: join Sparky’s List—and don’t forget to visit TT’s Emporium of Fun, featuring the new book and plush Sparky!


thenation--2020-11-10--This Would Be a Very Good Time to Impeach William Barr

Democrats have a duty to use this time of transition to define how they will respond during a Biden presidency to Republican lying , obstruction , and blatant disregard for the rule of law .
And immediately impeaching Attorney General William Barr , who on Monday authorized federal prosecutors to examine baseless “ allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities ” before states move to certify results in the 2020 presidential election , is the place to start .
As Barr and President Trump promote legal chaos in a subversive challenge to an election result that has gone against them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underpinnings of the Constitution and the republic that extends from it .
The Constitution outlines a remedy , and it ought to be employed , immediately and unapologetically .
US Senator Elizabeth Warren was right to argue on Monday night that “ Attorney General Bill Barr is a corrupt Trump henchman who should have been impeached months ago.
” With the attorney general now moving to upend an election , the argument for impeachment is even stronger .
This should not be a tough call , and this is not a time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatigue.
” No one expects Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and his Republican cronies to disrupt Barr ’ s long train of abuses and usurpations .
But impeachment is a multifaceted tool of accountability that can be used not merely to set up a process for the Senate to remove an official—as should have happened in February when that chamber considered Trump ’ s high crimes and misdemeanors—but for the House of Representatives to rebuke a wrongdoer .
The chamber that Democrats control , the House , needs to sanction lawlessness , setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the future .
While Barr is hardly the only Trump associate now engaged in efforts to deny and derail the 2020 vote count , this is especially important when the official engaging in the lawlessness is the attorney general of the United States .
A failure to hold Barr accountable when he is so obviously conniving with Trump to meddle in the processes of counting votes and certifying results would signal to the American people and to both parties that when Republicans are perverting their positions for purely partisan and deeply destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sending that signal is every bit as dangerous as anything Trump or his allies might do at this point ; it would continue a Democratic pattern of pulling punches when the party ’ s congressional leaders should be using all the tools at their disposal to defend the will of the people against abuses of the public trust .
John Kasich Contributed Nothing to Biden ’ s Election , So Why Should Democrats Listen to His Claptrap ?
Georgia Voters Can Put an End to Mitch McConnell ’ s Grim Reaping It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he disregards his oath of office in order to undermine confidence in an election result .
The attorney general , who long ago indicated that he is more interested in representing Trump ’ s political interests than serving as the nation ’ s chief law enforcement officer , has tossed aside Department of Justice standards that have historically prohibited prosecutors from engaging in blatantly partisan interventions in the electoral processes of the states .
So egregious was Barr ’ s action that Richard Pilger , the career prosecutor who has served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department ’ s Public Integrity Section , resigned in protest Monday night , warning that the attorney general had implemented “ an important new policy abrogating the forty-year-old Non-Interference Policy for ballot fraud investigations in the period prior to elections becoming certified and uncontested.
” In a memo to colleagues , Pilger wrote , “ Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications , and in accord with the best tradition of the John C. Keeney Award for Exceptional Integrity and Professionalism ( my most cherished Departmental recognition ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role as Director of the Election Crimes Branch.
” Vanita Gupta , who served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general and head of the Civil Rights Division in President Barack Obama ’ s Department of Justice , says Pilger ’ s “ resignation from election crimes and the memo are a testament to how grossly politicized and partisan the Barr DOJ is , in service of Trump .
It is a total travesty.
” Gupta , who now leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , argues that Barr ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinformation , and sowing chaos .
Trump is furious , demanding all ‘ his ’ lawyers take action .
They have no evidence so they ’ ll push the PR .
Doesn ’ t change the result.
” She ’ s right about that .
She ’ s also right when she explains that while Barr had little power to alter results , the attorney general is using his latest order “ to undermine confidence in [ the ] outcome [ of the election ] with Trump voters and ultimately a Biden administration.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when she mentioned impeachment as a necessary response to Barr ’ s lawlessness , and when she argued , “ If he cared one shred about our democracy , he ’ d be focused on the peaceful transition of power instead of doing the bidding of a wannabe dictator.
” The former law professor is not alone in her thinking .
Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen , a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee , in June proposed a Congressional Resolution demanding an inquiry into whether the chamber should impeach Barr based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit the president and his political allies.
” Thirty-five House Democrats cosponsored Cohen ’ s proposal to hold Barr accountable for having “ undermined our judicial system and perverted the rule of law.
” At the time , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed Cohen ’ s initiative , saying that while Barr is “ contemptible , ” it ’ s better to “ solve our problems by going to the polls and voting on Election Day.
” OK , following that logic , roughly 150 million Americans voted on Election Day .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s behest , Barr is messing with the process of counting the votes , so it ’ s long past time for Democrats to do something about it .
House Democrats have the power to fight every effort to undermine confidence not just in the election but in the soon-to-be-inaugurated Biden administration .
In doing so , the Democrats can indicate that they are finally prepared to check and balance conservative miscreants .
The scope and character of their response to Trump and Barr ’ s lawless scheming to upend an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 5 million votes—and with a clear Electoral College majority—will communicate to the American people whether they ’ re going to govern boldly or compromise , whether they are willing to fight to restore the rule of law or are so determined to “ play nice ” that they invite further abuse .
John Nichols is the author of The Genius of Impeachment : The Founders ’ Cure for Royalism ( New Press ) .

Democrats have a duty to use this time of transition to define how they will respond during a Biden presidency to Republican lying, obstruction, and blatant disregard for the rule of law. And immediately impeaching Attorney General William Barr, who on Monday authorized federal prosecutors to examine baseless “allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities” before states move to certify results in the 2020 presidential election, is the place to start. As Barr and President Trump promote legal chaos in a subversive challenge to an election result that has gone against them, they are kicking at the essential underpinnings of the Constitution and the republic that extends from it. The Constitution outlines a remedy, and it ought to be employed, immediately and unapologetically.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren was right to argue on Monday night that “Attorney General Bill Barr is a corrupt Trump henchman who should have been impeached months ago.” With the attorney general now moving to upend an election, the argument for impeachment is even stronger.
This should not be a tough call, and this is not a time for House Democrats to whine about “impeachment fatigue.” No one expects Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and his Republican cronies to disrupt Barr’s long train of abuses and usurpations. But impeachment is a multifaceted tool of accountability that can be used not merely to set up a process for the Senate to remove an official—as should have happened in February when that chamber considered Trump’s high crimes and misdemeanors—but for the House of Representatives to rebuke a wrongdoer. The chamber that Democrats control, the House, needs to sanction lawlessness, setting down a marker—for this tumultuous moment and for the future. While Barr is hardly the only Trump associate now engaged in efforts to deny and derail the 2020 vote count, this is especially important when the official engaging in the lawlessness is the attorney general of the United States.
A failure to hold Barr accountable when he is so obviously conniving with Trump to meddle in the processes of counting votes and certifying results would signal to the American people and to both parties that when Republicans are perverting their positions for purely partisan and deeply destructive purposes there will be no consequences. Sending that signal is every bit as dangerous as anything Trump or his allies might do at this point; it would continue a Democratic pattern of pulling punches when the party’s congressional leaders should be using all the tools at their disposal to defend the will of the people against abuses of the public trust. More From John Nichols A GOP Debate Without Trump Is the Definition of Pointlessness August 11, 2023 A Win for Abortion Rights, a Win for Democracy: Ohio Voters Reject Issue 1 August 9, 2023 The Biggest Threat to Donald Trump Could Be the Constitution Itself August 4, 2023
It is undeniable that Barr is abusing that trust when he disregards his oath of office in order to undermine confidence in an election result.
The attorney general, who long ago indicated that he is more interested in representing Trump’s political interests than serving as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, has tossed aside Department of Justice standards that have historically prohibited prosecutors from engaging in blatantly partisan interventions in the electoral processes of the states. So egregious was Barr’s action that Richard Pilger, the career prosecutor who has served as director of the election crimes branch in the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, resigned in protest Monday night, warning that the attorney general had implemented “an important new policy abrogating the forty-year-old Non-Interference Policy for ballot fraud investigations in the period prior to elections becoming certified and uncontested.” In a memo to colleagues, Pilger wrote, “Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications, and in accord with the best tradition of the John C. Keeney Award for Exceptional Integrity and Professionalism (my most cherished Departmental recognition), I must regretfully resign from my role as Director of the Election Crimes Branch.”
Vanita Gupta, who served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general and head of the Civil Rights Division in President Barack Obama’s Department of Justice, says Pilger’s “resignation from election crimes and the memo are a testament to how grossly politicized and partisan the Barr DOJ is, in service of Trump. It is a total travesty.” Gupta, who now leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, argues that Barr’s action “is about disruption, disinformation, and sowing chaos. Trump is furious, demanding all ‘his’ lawyers take action. They have no evidence so they’ll push the PR. Doesn’t change the result.” She’s right about that. She’s also right when she explains that while Barr had little power to alter results, the attorney general is using his latest order “to undermine confidence in [the] outcome [of the election] with Trump voters and ultimately a Biden administration.” The AG Is Bill Barr Trump’s Most Dangerous Sidekick? Elie Mystal
Senator Warren responded with appropriate fury when she mentioned impeachment as a necessary response to Barr’s lawlessness, and when she argued, “If he cared one shred about our democracy, he’d be focused on the peaceful transition of power instead of doing the bidding of a wannabe dictator.” The former law professor is not alone in her thinking. Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen, a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, in June proposed a Congressional Resolution demanding an inquiry into whether the chamber should impeach Barr based on a pattern of “obstructing justice to benefit the president and his political allies.” Thirty-five House Democrats cosponsored Cohen’s proposal to hold Barr accountable for having “undermined our judicial system and perverted the rule of law.”
At the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed Cohen’s initiative, saying that while Barr is “contemptible,” it’s better to “solve our problems by going to the polls and voting on Election Day.”
OK, following that logic, roughly 150 million Americans voted on Election Day. Now, at the loser of that election’s behest, Barr is messing with the process of counting the votes, so it’s long past time for Democrats to do something about it.
House Democrats have the power to fight every effort to undermine confidence not just in the election but in the soon-to-be-inaugurated Biden administration. In doing so, the Democrats can indicate that they are finally prepared to check and balance conservative miscreants. The scope and character of their response to Trump and Barr’s lawless scheming to upend an election that Biden will ultimately win by more than 5 million votes—and with a clear Electoral College majority—will communicate to the American people whether they’re going to govern boldly or compromise, whether they are willing to fight to restore the rule of law or are so determined to “play nice” that they invite further abuse.
John Nichols is the author of The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders’ Cure for Royalism (New Press).


thenation--2020-11-10--How Biden Could Use the Presidential Bully Pulpit to Drive Climate Action

With Donald Trump defeated and Joe Biden declared president-elect , the climate movement is already engaged in a fierce discussion about how to move policy forward in the Biden era , especially if Mitch McConnell manages to maintain his control of the Senate .
But the debate over policy misses one of the most important things Biden must do when he finally makes it to the White House : Use his new bully pulpit to advance the politics of climate action .
Past presidents have used the bully pulpit to sell and advance their political agendas , often despite resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who coined the term , used his to rail against corporate monopolies such as Standard Oil and to advance his environmental agenda ( as well as some despicable ideas about white supremacy ) .
Ronald Reagan used his reputation as “ the great communicator ” to push forward his tax cuts and anti-government agenda .
Trump turned the presidential megaphone up to eleven , using it to shatter political norms and advance his toxic ideology .
President Biden needs to use the Oval Office to advance the bold climate agenda he adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been transformed over the last year , thanks in large part to youth-led groups like the Sunrise Movement and grassroots groups that insisted that climate justice become the centerpiece of Democratic plans to address the crisis .
Large parts of the labor movement also got on board , giving credibility to Biden ’ s claim that when he thought about climate change , he thought about “ jobs.
” Meanwhile , investors continue to flee fossil fuels as the market shifts toward clean energy .
With Biden talking about the climate crisis against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hurricanes , parts of the mainstream media finally got the memo that covering the largest crisis facing humanity should be a top priority .
Newspapers made the connection between extreme weather and global warming .
Climate change got more time in this year ’ s presidential and vice presidential debates than ever before , although cable news largely continues to drop the ball .
The World Is Burning , but the Political Press Insists It ’ s a Horse Race What Amy Coney Barrett Means For the Climate Journalists Must Demystify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All this had an impact : Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic , economic crisis , and Trump ’ s daily tirades , climate remained a top-tier issue for Democratic voters .
And large numbers of Republicans also said they were concerned about the crisis .
According to a Fox News exit poll on election night , 70 percent of voters supported increased government spending on green and renewable energy .
The lesson for the Biden administration should be clear : Keep climate change and the clean-energy revolution in the spotlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lives following politics on Twitter or reading climate stories over coffee , it ’ s easy to forget that for many people , the benefits of acting on climate are still abstract .
Worse , there are plenty of people out there who still embrace the outdated notion that they must choose between jobs and the environment .
They don ’ t know that more people are employed in the clean-energy economy than in fossil fuels .
That a Green New Deal could rescue communities that have depended on coal , oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes wouldn ’ t just save the climate but also make us healthier , safer , and more secure .
Most of the public also don ’ t know that the fossil fuel industry is working around the clock to stop all these good things from happening .
Your daughter ’ s asthma ?
Chevron knows the pollution from its refineries makes that worse , but lobbies against regulations to control it .
Your Florida city is going underwater ?
Exxon predicted that , and then spent millions to convince you it wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dried up and you can ’ t get your black lung benefits ?
The coal industry lobbied to get out of those requirements , even as it gave its CEOs a golden parachute .
President Biden could bring these issues to the forefront in dramatic ways that build the case for climate action .
He could start his term by convening an Environmental Justice Summit at the White House to highlight the ways that Black , brown , and Indigenous people are championing solutions .
He could hit the road in an electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are creating jobs across the country .
He could take a helicopter flight over the Block Island Wind Farm and talk about the potential for offshore wind .
He could convene the nation ’ s governors to talk about how they can set state mandates for 100 percent clean electricity .
And he could do all of this and more in partnership with the climate movement , so that as people get interested in these issues , they can plug into grassroots organizing that builds political momentum on the ground .
And here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this requires approval from McConnell .
If Republicans maintain control of the Senate and refuse to let a climate bill modeled on the Green New Deal come to the floor , the temptation from some congressional Democrats will be to let the issue die and move on to other topics .
This is exactly what advisers like Rahm Emanuel urged President Obama to do back in 2009 , leading to years of climate silence from Obama that left the public misinformed and inactive and undercut his administration ’ s ability to pass strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and his fellow Democrats should put a bill on McConnell ’ s desk and then go out across the country and fight for it—and make McConnell and his followers own their opposition to an agenda most Americans support .
This barnstorming tour could visit communities being poisoned because Republicans won ’ t crack down on pollution .
It could visit solar companies that could hire more workers if the government would just act .
I live in Utah , where we ’ ve got a growing clean-energy sector—and a senator named Romney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a stimulus package if local businesses were organized to apply pressure .
We all know we ’ re running out of time to address the climate crisis .
There ’ s no way the climate movement is going to let President Biden get away with just doing a big public relations campaign on climate change ; he ’ s going to have to take action .
And we ’ ll be there to make sure Biden follows through on his promises to stop fossil fuel extraction on public lands and more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be , the larger political fight is just as critical .
Even as we take action on climate , we need to make climate action popular .
Biden should use his presidential bully pulpit to do just that .

Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
With Donald Trump defeated and Joe Biden declared president-elect, the climate movement is already engaged in a fierce discussion about how to move policy forward in the Biden era, especially if Mitch McConnell manages to maintain his control of the Senate. But the debate over policy misses one of the most important things Biden must do when he finally makes it to the White House: Use his new bully pulpit to advance the politics of climate action.
Past presidents have used the bully pulpit to sell and advance their political agendas, often despite resistance from the opposing party. Theodore Roosevelt, who coined the term, used his to rail against corporate monopolies such as Standard Oil and to advance his environmental agenda (as well as some despicable ideas about white supremacy). Ronald Reagan used his reputation as “the great communicator” to push forward his tax cuts and anti-government agenda. Trump turned the presidential megaphone up to eleven, using it to shatter political norms and advance his toxic ideology.
President Biden needs to use the Oval Office to advance the bold climate agenda he adopted during his campaign. Climate politics has been transformed over the last year, thanks in large part to youth-led groups like the Sunrise Movement and grassroots groups that insisted that climate justice become the centerpiece of Democratic plans to address the crisis. Large parts of the labor movement also got on board, giving credibility to Biden’s claim that when he thought about climate change, he thought about “jobs.” Meanwhile, investors continue to flee fossil fuels as the market shifts toward clean energy.
With Biden talking about the climate crisis against a backdrop of wildfires, derechos, and hurricanes, parts of the mainstream media finally got the memo that covering the largest crisis facing humanity should be a top priority. Newspapers made the connection between extreme weather and global warming. Climate change got more time in this year’s presidential and vice presidential debates than ever before, although cable news largely continues to drop the ball. Covering Climate Now How to Stop the Spread of Climate Disinformation Erika Seiber and Michael Khoo A Soundtrack for the Climate Emergency Mark Hertsgaard Can Gen Z Save the Midterms for Democrats? Mark Hertsgaard
All this had an impact: Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, economic crisis, and Trump’s daily tirades, climate remained a top-tier issue for Democratic voters. And large numbers of Republicans also said they were concerned about the crisis. According to a Fox News exit poll on election night, 70 percent of voters supported increased government spending on green and renewable energy.
The lesson for the Biden administration should be clear: Keep climate change and the clean-energy revolution in the spotlight.
For those of us who spend our lives following politics on Twitter or reading climate stories over coffee, it’s easy to forget that for many people, the benefits of acting on climate are still abstract. Worse, there are plenty of people out there who still embrace the outdated notion that they must choose between jobs and the environment. They don’t know that more people are employed in the clean-energy economy than in fossil fuels. That a Green New Deal could rescue communities that have depended on coal, oil, and gas. That all these changes wouldn’t just save the climate but also make us healthier, safer, and more secure. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Current Issue View our current issue
Most of the public also don’t know that the fossil fuel industry is working around the clock to stop all these good things from happening. Your daughter’s asthma? Chevron knows the pollution from its refineries makes that worse, but lobbies against regulations to control it. Your Florida city is going underwater? Exxon predicted that, and then spent millions to convince you it wasn’t true. Your pension has dried up and you can’t get your black lung benefits? The coal industry lobbied to get out of those requirements, even as it gave its CEOs a golden parachute.
President Biden could bring these issues to the forefront in dramatic ways that build the case for climate action. He could start his term by convening an Environmental Justice Summit at the White House to highlight the ways that Black, brown, and Indigenous people are championing solutions. He could hit the road in an electric sports car and visit clean-energy companies that are creating jobs across the country. He could take a helicopter flight over the Block Island Wind Farm and talk about the potential for offshore wind. He could convene the nation’s governors to talk about how they can set state mandates for 100 percent clean electricity. And he could do all of this and more in partnership with the climate movement, so that as people get interested in these issues, they can plug into grassroots organizing that builds political momentum on the ground.
And here’s the thing: None of this requires approval from McConnell. If Republicans maintain control of the Senate and refuse to let a climate bill modeled on the Green New Deal come to the floor, the temptation from some congressional Democrats will be to let the issue die and move on to other topics. This is exactly what advisers like Rahm Emanuel urged President Obama to do back in 2009, leading to years of climate silence from Obama that left the public misinformed and inactive and undercut his administration’s ability to pass strong legislation on Capitol Hill. Instead, Biden and his fellow Democrats should put a bill on McConnell’s desk and then go out across the country and fight for it—and make McConnell and his followers own their opposition to an agenda most Americans support. Climate Politics Democrats Should Stop Worrying About Debating Climate Change Karthik Ganapathy
This barnstorming tour could visit communities being poisoned because Republicans won’t crack down on pollution. It could visit solar companies that could hire more workers if the government would just act. I live in Utah, where we’ve got a growing clean-energy sector—and a senator named Romney who might just be convinced to vote for a stimulus package if local businesses were organized to apply pressure.
We all know we’re running out of time to address the climate crisis. There’s no way the climate movement is going to let President Biden get away with just doing a big public relations campaign on climate change; he’s going to have to take action. And we’ll be there to make sure Biden follows through on his promises to stop fossil fuel extraction on public lands and more. But as important as these policy fights will be, the larger political fight is just as critical. Even as we take action on climate, we need to make climate action popular. Biden should use his presidential bully pulpit to do just that.