thenation--2020-12-17--Women in Mexico Reckon With the High Cost of Migration

Emilia Melo still can ’ t believe that Jaime Solano is dead .
The husband she hadn ’ t seen in 11 years died from Covid-19 this summer , alone , in a New York City hospital , 2,700 miles from home .
When Jaime left his family in the town of Tlapa in the mountainous region of Guerrero in southern Mexico , he was only to be gone a short while .
But the reasons he left Tlapa—bills to pay , children to support , and the dreams of guaranteeing a better life for his family—never disappeared .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decade , working low-wage jobs in kitchens and delivering food , waiting for the day he could return .
Now , Emilia refuses to accept that her healthy husband , just 48 years old , is gone .
This reporting was supported by the National Geographic Society .
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the United States , at least 2,500 Mexican migrants have died from the disease in this country .
These deaths , a tragedy in their own right by any measure , has been compounded by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families they leave behind .
The deaths of those like Jaime , who come from some of Mexico ’ s poorest regions , has severed a vital economic lifeline for thousands of families .
Many are now picking up the pieces of a life shattered by loss , and like Emilia and her four grown-up daughters , they are now contending not only with the pain of losing a husband and a father , but also with finding a new means of survival .
Migration is a way of life in Tlapa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain region .
Those who can afford it or have relatives who can lend them the money , make the perilous journey to the United States .
Tlapa ’ s main streets are lined with New York–style pizzerias , money exchange centers , and stores advertising “ American merchandise ” like Air Jordans and Adidas t-shirts funded by the money migrants send home .
In this largely indigenous region , remittances build the two- or three-story cinder block houses , and the flow of cash keeps the local economy—in which opportunities for paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While migrant labor is not sufficient to break cycles of poverty , it is a lifeline .
Mexican migrants have sent home a record amount of money in remittances this year , despite the global pandemic .
The figures have surpassed experts ’ expectations : From January to September , they broke a record at nearly $ 30 million , a 10 percent increase from the same period last year .
Even in a normal year , remittances are Mexico ’ s main source of income , surpassing even oil profits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Mexican migrants in the US , according to a study by the BBVA foundation .
Guerrero ranks within the ten top states fueling migration to the US , and almost half of all remittances sent to Mexico in 2018 were received by 7 states , including Guerrero .
Despite expelling so many , the majority in the mountain region migrate internally within Mexico .
Poverty is so stark in the mountains that most people can ’ t afford a smuggler for the journey north , especially as the cost has skyrocketed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent government estimates , 70 percent of Guerrero ’ s population lives in poverty , 30 percent of them in extreme poverty .
The gaps and deficiencies people in Guerrero live with tell their own striking story : 20 percent of households lack a toilet , 38 percent lack running water , 46 percent can ’ t access health services .
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador calls migrants “ living heroes ” keeping regions like Guerrero afloat , and often thanks them for their help in developing Mexico , but like his predecessors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize its own failure in supporting the millions of families who see migration as their best option for survival .
For her family , making money has always been a kind of suffering , Emilia told us under the shade of a large guaje tree outside her house .
Emilia lives with her five children and three grandchildren in an old two-bedroom house , while the two-floor cinder block structure she began building with Jaime ’ s remittances remains unfinished .
Jaime worked 12 hours a day , seven days a week in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s basic expenses .
While he was away , his daughters practically grew up without him .
Emilia also spent a few years in New York and left their four daughters with their grandmother while she was away—she always dreamt of migrating but never imagined how difficult it would be .
“ Without an education you get paid very little , ” she said reminiscing upon those years , which is why both she and Jaime wanted their kids to receive an education .
When she got pregnant with her son , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jaime was meant to come with her , but they didn ’ t have enough money for two tickets .
The house was meant to be the reward of all these years of labor— “ a house for everyone , ” as Emilia calls it—but construction was put on hold for lack of funds , despite the loans both Emilia and Jaime had to take out to build it .
The house was supposed to have a room at the front to set up a shop , but saving enough to finish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was impossible .
He used to send between $ 200 and $ 300 every month to cover expenses for his children , two of whom are single moms with young children .
Earning a living in Tlapa isn ’ t easy either .
Those who don ’ t make the trip across the northern border often migrate to the fields of northwest and central Mexico for arduous seasonal labor for $ 5 to $ 10 a day .
That meager salary is still better than what Guerrero has to offer , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reach .
Emilia herself grew up in one of such fields in Sinaloa picking tomatoes , cucumbers and eggplants , and taking care of her siblings .
Emilia was the oldest of thirteen children , and she was pulled out of school in the fifth grade before she could learn to read .
She met Jaime at 18 in one of those trips to Sinaloa , and they married a year later .
Now that Jaime is gone , his family doesn ’ t think the long years away from his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was breaking his back working day and night and for what ?
, ” says Emilia in tears .
“ He is no longer here.
” Her daughter Leticia sits next to her hugging a large portrait of Jaime .
As the oldest , she is the one who remembers her father the most .
“ I would tell him , ‘ Daddy , Daddy come back ’ , and he would answer each time that he would return in December , ” says Leticia .
When December came , Leticia and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was time for him to meet his promise .
Jaime would simply answer : “ I said December but I didn ’ t say what year.
” Women in Tlapa are traditionally caregivers , since this care labor still falls largely on them , and migration forces them to take up the role of providers typically reserved to men .
Without migrants ’ financial support , women in families like Emilia ’ s face grim prospects : The work available to women keeps them from caring for their children and performing household chores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it means long hours away and low pay .
The loss of a male provider is a huge blow .
Emilia ’ s family now gets by with her sporadic sale of Avon products and the $ 150 a month her daughter—the only one in the family to have graduated from college—is able to make with an administrative job at a supermarket .
“ We need to create jobs otherwise we won ’ t be able to reverse this tendency of migration , ” said Fabian Morales , the head of Guerrero ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrated to Illinois back in 1970 when he was 15 years old .
He is now 65 , and has been back in Mexico working for the state government these last five years .
Morales wanted to escape a life in the fields with low pay , so he left 50 years ago for the same reasons people migrate today .
According to Morales , southern states in Mexico which are underdeveloped and with the highest rates of poverty , lack industries and strong investment from the federal government to spark growth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t make it a prime spot for agriculture , but it is the country ’ s major producer of poppy seeds .
The violence and organized crime groups that come with this crop , on top of economic need and lack of political will to develop the region , fuel migration .
Teodora Romano has five children in New York City .
They followed , one by one , in the footsteps of their father , Jose Melgarejo , who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in New York six years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ others later .
But now it ’ s been so long that Teodora , who speaks the indigenous language nahuatl , doesn ’ t remember how old they are .
Teodora runs a small kitchen along one of the main roads that cut through the mountains .
Remittances from Jose weren ’ t enough to pay for the children ’ s education , so they left young , she says while taking a break from serving hearty stews to a hungry crew of workers .
Her two youngest live with her at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York send her money occasionally .
“ When my husband died , the world collapsed on me , ” says Teodora , “ I didn ’ t know how I would feed my children.
” She didn ’ t work while her husband was alive , and when she suddenly had to , working in the fields was out of the question .
Teodora had contracted polio when she was a child that left her with a limp and painful back problems .
She began selling tacos and tamales outside schools and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the mountains .
She also mends clothes and is constantly searching for ways to earn enough to feed her children .
The dependency women have on men and the gender dynamics in the region are also a source of violence , says Neil Arias , a lawyer in Tlachinollan , a human rights organization in Tlapa .
Arias has seen cases of domestic violence when men are the sole administrators of the household finances , particularly if women are illiterate .
Women like Teodora and Emilia must also assess the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young daughters to work .
Arias has also seen a rise in sexual abuse and drug addiction in young men in households where fathers migrated to the US and the mothers are out working .
“ The burden on women is immense , ” she adds .
Teodora doesn ’ t blame her children for leaving .
Xalpatlahuac can only offer enough for them to get by , and sometimes not even that .
Jose left for New York in order to build a house for his family , and in that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months , eating only corn drenched in salsa , she says , so that they could channel all the money into the house .
Jose was away for 11 years , came home once , but the pull of higher pay , and the idea of building another house for their growing family , eventually sent him back to the United States .
After the second trip , Jose never came back .
He was 36 years old when he was hit by a car , 15 days after he arrived .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain of her husband ’ s passing and the loneliness that comes with his absence .
She doesn ’ t think her children will return but she is hopeful that her two youngest will get a chance to study and access better opportunities .
“ He wanted them to be someone in life , ” she said .
Migration is never easy , and the loss of a loved one and a provider so far away from home is a pain that time can never fully heal .
But for those who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options .
The pandemic has thrown Mexico into the worst economic crisis in a century , with GDP expected to contract up to 12 percent this year .
The World Bank sees global extreme poverty rising in 2020 as a result of the pandemic with an additional 88 million to 115 million people joining the ranks of the extremely poor .
But migration has become harder in recent years , and the dividends it pays are shrinking .
According to Morales , of Guerrero ’ s Migrant and International Affairs , the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wages are too low in the United States , the cost of living is too high , and the current immigration policies make it difficult for undocumented migrants to find formal employment .
“ There was a time when the US held great opportunities , ” he said .
Not anymore .
In Tlapa , Emilia and her daughters are thinking of what they can do to get by .
One of her daughters , Veronica , likes to cook and began selling meals .
Her youngest daughter , Alicia , is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go back to school to follow her father ’ s wishes .
Her oldest daughter , Leticia , found a job in hotel housekeeping .
While the women dream of starting their own businesses , they also toy with the American dream .
Leticia and Veronica , both single moms , are considering migrating to the US and leaving their children behind .
Emilia has considered it as well , but she knows it might be her turn to take care of her grandchildren .
For Emilia , the road ahead is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that defines her present moment .
“ Life no longer has meaning , ” she said .
“ It ’ s very painful knowing I no longer have my husband .
”

Emilia Melo still can’t believe that Jaime Solano is dead. The husband she hadn’t seen in 11 years died from Covid-19 this summer, alone, in a New York City hospital, 2,700 miles from home. When Jaime left his family in the town of Tlapa in the mountainous region of Guerrero in southern Mexico, he was only to be gone a short while. But the reasons he left Tlapa—bills to pay, children to support, and the dreams of guaranteeing a better life for his family—never disappeared. And so he stayed, over more than a decade, working low-wage jobs in kitchens and delivering food, waiting for the day he could return. Now, Emilia refuses to accept that her healthy husband, just 48 years old, is gone. This reporting was supported by the National Geographic Society.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the United States, at least 2,500 Mexican migrants have died from the disease in this country. These deaths, a tragedy in their own right by any measure, has been compounded by the lasting effect of their loss for the families they leave behind. The deaths of those like Jaime, who come from some of Mexico’s poorest regions, has severed a vital economic lifeline for thousands of families. Many are now picking up the pieces of a life shattered by loss, and like Emilia and her four grown-up daughters, they are now contending not only with the pain of losing a husband and a father, but also with finding a new means of survival.
Migration is a way of life in Tlapa, the municipal seat of Guerrero’s mountain region. Those who can afford it or have relatives who can lend them the money, make the perilous journey to the United States. Tlapa’s main streets are lined with New York–style pizzerias, money exchange centers, and stores advertising “American merchandise” like Air Jordans and Adidas t-shirts funded by the money migrants send home. In this largely indigenous region, remittances build the two- or three-story cinder block houses, and the flow of cash keeps the local economy—in which opportunities for paid labor are few and wages are low—moving. While migrant labor is not sufficient to break cycles of poverty, it is a lifeline.
Mexican migrants have sent home a record amount of money in remittances this year, despite the global pandemic. The figures have surpassed experts’ expectations: From January to September, they broke a record at nearly $30 billion, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year. Remittances make up one of Mexico’s main sources of foreign-source income, surpassing that of oil exports and direct foreign investment in 2019. In 2017, there were about 12.8 million Mexican migrants in the US, according to a study by the BBVA foundation. Guerrero ranks within the ten top states fueling migration to the US, and almost half of all remittances sent to Mexico in 2018 were received by 7 states, including Guerrero. Despite expelling so many, the majority in the mountain region migrate internally within Mexico. Poverty is so stark in the mountains that most people can’t afford a smuggler for the journey north, especially as the cost has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the most recent government estimates, 70 percent of Guerrero’s population lives in poverty, 30 percent of them in extreme poverty. The gaps and deficiencies people in Guerrero live with tell their own striking story: 20 percent of households lack a toilet, 38 percent lack running water, 46 percent can’t access health services. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador calls migrants “living heroes” keeping regions like Guerrero afloat, and often thanks them for their help in developing Mexico, but like his predecessors, his government doesn’t publicly recognize its own failure in supporting the millions of families who see migration as their best option for survival.
For her family, making money has always been a kind of suffering, Emilia told us under the shade of a large guaje tree outside her house. Emilia lives with her five children and three grandchildren in an old two-bedroom house, while the two-floor cinder block structure she began building with Jaime’s remittances remains unfinished. Jaime worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week in the United States to cover his family’s basic expenses. While he was away, his daughters practically grew up without him. Emilia also spent a few years in New York and left their four daughters with their grandmother while she was away—she always dreamt of migrating but never imagined how difficult it would be. “Without an education you get paid very little,” she said reminiscing upon those years, which is why both she and Jaime wanted their kids to receive an education. When she got pregnant with her son, she decided it was time to return. Jaime was meant to come with her, but they didn’t have enough money for two tickets. The house was meant to be the reward of all these years of labor—“a house for everyone,” as Emilia calls it—but construction was put on hold for lack of funds, despite the loans both Emilia and Jaime had to take out to build it. The house was supposed to have a room at the front to set up a shop, but saving enough to finish construction, on Jaime’s salary, was impossible. He used to send between $200 and $300 every month to cover expenses for his children, two of whom are single moms with young children.
Earning a living in Tlapa isn’t easy either. Those who don’t make the trip across the northern border often migrate to the fields of northwest and central Mexico for arduous seasonal labor for $5 to $10 a day. That meager salary is still better than what Guerrero has to offer, as the traditional subsistence farming becomes increasingly out of reach. Emilia herself grew up in one of such fields in Sinaloa picking tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, and taking care of her siblings. Emilia was the oldest of thirteen children, and she was pulled out of school in the fifth grade before she could learn to read. She met Jaime at 18 in one of those trips to Sinaloa, and they married a year later.
Now that Jaime is gone, his family doesn’t think the long years away from his family were worth the cost. “He was breaking his back working day and night and for what?,” says Emilia in tears. “He is no longer here.” Her daughter Leticia sits next to her hugging a large portrait of Jaime. As the oldest, she is the one who remembers her father the most. “I would tell him, ‘Daddy, Daddy come back’, and he would answer each time that he would return in December,” says Leticia. When December came, Leticia and her siblings would let their father know it was time for him to meet his promise. Jaime would simply answer: “I said December but I didn’t say what year.”
Women in Tlapa are traditionally caregivers, since this care labor still falls largely on them, and migration forces them to take up the role of providers typically reserved to men. Without migrants’ financial support, women in families like Emilia’s face grim prospects: The work available to women keeps them from caring for their children and performing household chores and, on top of that, it means long hours away and low pay. The loss of a male provider is a huge blow. Emilia’s family now gets by with her sporadic sale of Avon products and the $150 a month her daughter—the only one in the family to have graduated from college—is able to make with an administrative job at a supermarket.
“We need to create jobs otherwise we won’t be able to reverse this tendency of migration,” said Fabian Morales, the head of Guerrero’s Migrant and International Affairs. Morales migrated to Illinois back in 1970 when he was 15 years old. He is now 65, and has been back in Mexico working for the state government these last five years. Morales wanted to escape a life in the fields with low pay, so he left 50 years ago for the same reasons people migrate today. According to Morales, southern states in Mexico which are underdeveloped and with the highest rates of poverty, lack industries and strong investment from the federal government to spark growth. Guerrero’s geographic location doesn’t make it a prime spot for agriculture, but it is the country’s major producer of poppy seeds. The violence and organized crime groups that come with this crop, on top of economic need and lack of political will to develop the region, fuel migration.
Teodora Romano has five children in New York City. They followed, one by one, in the footsteps of their father, Jose Melgarejo, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in New York six years ago. Some left before Jose was killed, others later. But now it’s been so long that Teodora, who speaks the indigenous language nahuatl, doesn’t remember how old they are.
Teodora runs a small kitchen along one of the main roads that cut through the mountains. Remittances from Jose weren’t enough to pay for the children’s education, so they left young, she says while taking a break from serving hearty stews to a hungry crew of workers. Her two youngest live with her at home, and her five children in New York send her money occasionally.
“When my husband died, the world collapsed on me,” says Teodora, “I didn’t know how I would feed my children.” She didn’t work while her husband was alive, and when she suddenly had to, working in the fields was out of the question. Teodora had contracted polio when she was a child that left her with a limp and painful back problems. She began selling tacos and tamales outside schools and in the streets of Xalpatlahuac, her community in the mountains. She also mends clothes and is constantly searching for ways to earn enough to feed her children.
The dependency women have on men and the gender dynamics in the region are also a source of violence, says Neil Arias, a lawyer in Tlachinollan, a human rights organization in Tlapa. Arias has seen cases of domestic violence when men are the sole administrators of the household finances, particularly if women are illiterate. Women like Teodora and Emilia must also assess the risk of leaving their children unattended or sending their young daughters to work. Arias has also seen a rise in sexual abuse and drug addiction in young men in households where fathers migrated to the US and the mothers are out working. “The burden on women is immense,” she adds.
Teodora doesn’t blame her children for leaving. Xalpatlahuac can only offer enough for them to get by, and sometimes not even that. Jose left for New York in order to build a house for his family, and in that they succeeded. They built it in a few months, eating only corn drenched in salsa, she says, so that they could channel all the money into the house. Jose was away for 11 years, came home once, but the pull of higher pay, and the idea of building another house for their growing family, eventually sent him back to the United States. After the second trip, Jose never came back. He was 36 years old when he was hit by a car, 15 days after he arrived. Years later, Teodora still feels the pain of her husband’s passing and the loneliness that comes with his absence. She doesn’t think her children will return but she is hopeful that her two youngest will get a chance to study and access better opportunities. “He wanted them to be someone in life,” she said.
Migration is never easy, and the loss of a loved one and a provider so far away from home is a pain that time can never fully heal. But for those who can afford it, there are few other options. The pandemic has thrown Mexico into the worst economic crisis in a century, with GDP expected to contract up to 12 percent this year. The World Bank sees global extreme poverty rising in 2020 as a result of the pandemic with an additional 88 million to 115 million people joining the ranks of the extremely poor. But migration has become harder in recent years, and the dividends it pays are shrinking. According to Morales, of Guerrero’s Migrant and International Affairs, the American Dream doesn’t exist anymore: Wages are too low in the United States, the cost of living is too high, and the current immigration policies make it difficult for undocumented migrants to find formal employment. “There was a time when the US held great opportunities,” he said. Not anymore.
In Tlapa, Emilia and her daughters are thinking of what they can do to get by. One of her daughters, Veronica, likes to cook and began selling meals. Her youngest daughter, Alicia, is working in a store and is trying to go back to school to follow her father’s wishes. Her oldest daughter, Leticia, found a job in hotel housekeeping. While the women dream of starting their own businesses, they also toy with the American dream. Leticia and Veronica, both single moms, are considering migrating to the US and leaving their children behind. Emilia has considered it as well, but she knows it might be her turn to take care of her grandchildren.
For Emilia, the road ahead is still unclear, and grief is the one thing that defines her present moment. “Life no longer has meaning,” she said. “It’s very painful knowing I no longer have my husband.”
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that from January to September 2020, Mexican migrants had sent home more than $30 million in remittances; the correct number is more than $30 billion.


thenation--2020-12-17--How Homeland Security Blurs Jurisdictions

This list of intelligence reports was obtained through a request filed by The Nation under the Florida Sunshine Law , the state ’ s open records statute .
It was produced by the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange , one of 80 such entities—called fusion centers—all over the country .
( We ’ re suing another Florida agency for similar records that were withheld . )
Fusion centers were established after 9/11 to facilitate the sharing of counterterrorism intelligence among federal , state , and local law enforcement agencies and private sector partners .
But the centers have been criticized for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the ACLU wrote , “ The lack of proper legal limits on the new fusion centers not only threatens to undermine fundamental American values , but also threatens to turn them into wasteful and misdirected bureaucracies that , like our federal security agencies before 9/11 , won ’ t succeed in their ultimate mission of stopping terrorism and other crime.
” ❶ “ Black Extremism ” “ Black identity extremists ” is a controversial designation used by the FBI since 2017 to refer to African Americans deemed a terrorism threat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 after public criticism .
Looking for last-minute holiday gifts with a conscience ?
Check out The Nation Shop and help support The Nation ’ s journalism while you complete your list .
❷ “ WSEs ” ( white supremacist extremists ) In congressional testimony in September , FBI Director Christopher Wray identified white supremacists as the leading domestic terrorism threat .
❸ “ SAR ” ( suspicious activity report ) This is a type of intelligence report used to flag potential criminal or terrorist activity .
Homeland Security Thinks Everything Looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Current Situation in Puerto Rico ” Puerto Rico has been rocked by demonstrations opposing austerity measures imposed on the territory in the wake of Hurricane Maria .
❺ “ Anarchist Extremist ” Donald Trump vowed to formally designate antifa ( short for “ antifascist ” ) as a terrorist group , which would include associated anarchist groups .
His FBI director challenged this , characterizing antifa as an ideology rather than an organization .
❻ “ ICE Detention Facility Arson ” As we reported in 2020 , Immigration and Customs Enforcement was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at its facilities , it acquired a secrecy designation exempting it from disclosing employee information .

This article appears in the December 28, 2020/January 4, 2021 issue.
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This list of intelligence reports was obtained through a request filed by The Nation under the Florida Sunshine Law, the state’s open records statute. It was produced by the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, one of 80 such entities—called fusion centers—all over the country. (We’re suing another Florida agency for similar records that were withheld.) Fusion centers were established after 9/11 to facilitate the sharing of counterterrorism intelligence among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and private sector partners. But the centers have been criticized for blurring the boundaries of the various jurisdictions. As the ACLU wrote, “The lack of proper legal limits on the new fusion centers not only threatens to undermine fundamental American values, but also threatens to turn them into wasteful and misdirected bureaucracies that, like our federal security agencies before 9/11, won’t succeed in their ultimate mission of stopping terrorism and other crime.”
❶ “Black Extremism” “Black identity extremists” is a controversial designation used by the FBI since 2017 to refer to African Americans deemed a terrorism threat, though the bureau officially discontinued its use in 2019 after public criticism. Looking for last-minute holiday gifts with a conscience? Check out The Nation Shop and help support The Nation’s journalism while you complete your list.
❷ “WSEs” (white supremacist extremists) In congressional testimony in September, FBI Director Christopher Wray identified white supremacists as the leading domestic terrorism threat.
❸ “SAR” (suspicious activity report) This is a type of intelligence report used to flag potential criminal or terrorist activity. Fusion reaction Homeland Security Thinks Everything Looks Like Terrorism Ken Klippenstein
❹ “Local Protests Inspired by Current Situation in Puerto Rico” Puerto Rico has been rocked by demonstrations opposing austerity measures imposed on the territory in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
❺ “Anarchist Extremist” Donald Trump vowed to formally designate antifa (short for “antifascist”) as a terrorist group, which would include associated anarchist groups. His FBI director challenged this, characterizing antifa as an ideology rather than an organization.
❻ “ICE Detention Facility Arson” As we reported in 2020, Immigration and Customs Enforcement was so concerned about protests and potential unrest at its facilities, it acquired a secrecy designation exempting it from disclosing employee information.


thenation--2020-12-17--The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice

Black votes in this country are worth less than white votes .
Joe Biden won the Electoral College because Black voters in Atlanta , Detroit , Milwaukee , and Philadelphia turned out in significant numbers .
But even with overwhelming Black support—94 percent of Detroit voted for Biden !
—the outcomes in Georgia , Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania were worryingly close.1 One core problem is the Electoral College .
Wyoming , which has just 580,000 residents and is 93 percent white , gets three electors because of its two senators and one representative in the House .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District—which includes Atlanta , has 710,000 residents , and is 58 percent Black—has no dedicated electors or senators and can only occasionally overcome the mostly white and conservative votes from elsewhere in the state .
This devaluation of Black votes allows our political system to ignore Black lives , and the consequences are devastating .
Unequal representation has led to unequal health care outcomes , which the Covid-19 pandemic has only worsened .
Without sufficient voting power , Black communities receive substandard education , and politicians are free to appoint judges who sanction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral disenfranchisement.2 Looking for last-minute holiday gifts with a conscience ?
Check out The Nation Shop and help support The Nation ’ s journalism while you complete your list .
This is all by design .
The Constitution ’ s framers set up the Electoral College to protect the interests of slave states .
Along with the Senate , the Electoral College was critical in the endurance of slavery and its continuation by other means .
Abolishing this system would mean that ballots cast by Black voters—or any voters , for that matter—would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another way to undo the damage of the Electoral College and other structurally racist political institutions : We can implement vote reparations by double-counting ballots cast by all Black residents .
The poisonous legacy of slavery applies to Black people regardless of when we or our ancestors arrived in this country .
Vote reparations should also extend to Native Americans .
Slavery is rightly called America ’ s original sin , but so too was the United States ’ genocidal seizure of land from its original inhabitants .
Various legal forms of disenfranchisement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t until 1962 that all Native Americans were allowed to vote , and even then they faced—and still face—electoral obstacles .
These are not the only examples of American oppression ; we should include in vote reparations others who have suffered similar disenfranchisement.4 One of the largest objections to monetary reparations is the impracticality of implementing them on a scale that would meaningfully address the injustices .
Vote reparations , in contrast , would be a simple , low-cost way to begin to make amends.5 This idea isn ’ t entirely new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Brennan Center for Justice , discussed a similar proposal in 2015 in The Washington Post .
While his plan to make Black Americans ’ votes worth five-thirds has a poetic symmetry with the three-fifths clause of the Constitution , we shouldn ’ t bind a remedy to the mathematics of the compromise that formalized and furthered the dehumanization of Black people .
That bargain allowed the very people who stripped us of our rights to have their votes counted for more—even more than other white people—in Congress and the Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only way politicians have legally denied representation to Black people .
This country ’ s history of poll taxes , literacy tests , gerrymandering , voter purges , and intimidation should all be addressed .
Tying a remedy to the three-fifths compromise implies that clause was the heart of the problem .
It wasn ’ t and isn ’ t .
Counting Black votes twice keeps the point clear and provides redress for myriad forms of disenfranchisement deployed against Black voters.6 Vote reparations would create possibilities to build what W.E.B .
Du Bois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the practice of achieving a racially just society .
Abolition democracy invites us to engage with abolition not as a finite goal but as a radical process of challenging injustices wherever and in whatever form they might appear .
Vote reparations would empower us to replace oppressive institutions with life-affirming structures of economic , social , and political equality .
And if our elected representatives did not prioritize this transformational work , we could vote them out.7 Because white votes currently count more than Black ones , double-counting Black votes would restore electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant step toward remedying our nation ’ s long history of denying and devaluing Black votes .
To address systemic racism , we must transform how we choose our government .
Even if vote reparations aren ’ t instituted , Black voters will keep tirelessly dragging our states toward a more perfect union .
But just imagine our country if our votes counted twice.8

This article appears in the December 28, 2020/January 4, 2021 issue.
Black votes in this country are worth less than white votes. Joe Biden won the Electoral College because Black voters in Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia turned out in significant numbers. But even with overwhelming Black support—94 percent of Detroit voted for Biden!—the outcomes in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania were worryingly close.1 The Argument is a column where writers and thinkers propose a provocative idea that may not be politically realizable in the short term but that pushes one to think broader about a pressing issue of public importance.
One core problem is the Electoral College. Wyoming, which has just 580,000 residents and is 93 percent white, gets three electors because of its two senators and one representative in the House. By comparison, Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District—which includes Atlanta, has 710,000 residents, and is 58 percent Black—has no dedicated electors or senators and can only occasionally overcome the mostly white and conservative votes from elsewhere in the state. This devaluation of Black votes allows our political system to ignore Black lives, and the consequences are devastating. Unequal representation has led to unequal health care outcomes, which the Covid-19 pandemic has only worsened. Without sufficient voting power, Black communities receive substandard education, and politicians are free to appoint judges who sanction mass incarceration, abusive policing, and electoral disenfranchisement.2
This is all by design. The Constitution’s framers set up the Electoral College to protect the interests of slave states. Along with the Senate, the Electoral College was critical in the endurance of slavery and its continuation by other means. Abolishing this system would mean that ballots cast by Black voters—or any voters, for that matter—would count the same.3
But there’s another way to undo the damage of the Electoral College and other structurally racist political institutions: We can implement vote reparations by double-counting ballots cast by all Black residents. The poisonous legacy of slavery applies to Black people regardless of when we or our ancestors arrived in this country. Vote reparations should also extend to Native Americans. Slavery is rightly called America’s original sin, but so too was the United States’ genocidal seizure of land from its original inhabitants. Various legal forms of disenfranchisement have applied to them. It wasn’t until 1962 that all Native Americans were allowed to vote, and even then they faced—and still face—electoral obstacles. These are not the only examples of American oppression; we should include in vote reparations others who have suffered similar disenfranchisement.4 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 My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. Manny Maung 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 My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. Manny Maung The Argument Cancel the Presidential Debates—Permanently Ed Burmila
One of the largest objections to monetary reparations is the impracticality of implementing them on a scale that would meaningfully address the injustices. Vote reparations, in contrast, would be a simple, low-cost way to begin to make amends.5
This idea isn’t entirely new. Theodore Johnson, a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, discussed a similar proposal in 2015 in The Washington Post. While his plan to make Black Americans’ votes worth five-thirds has a poetic symmetry with the three-fifths clause of the Constitution, we shouldn’t bind a remedy to the mathematics of the compromise that formalized and furthered the dehumanization of Black people. That bargain allowed the very people who stripped us of our rights to have their votes counted for more—even more than other white people—in Congress and the Electoral College. But it’s not the only way politicians have legally denied representation to Black people. This country’s history of poll taxes, literacy tests, gerrymandering, voter purges, and intimidation should all be addressed. Tying a remedy to the three-fifths compromise implies that clause was the heart of the problem. It wasn’t and isn’t. Counting Black votes twice keeps the point clear and provides redress for myriad forms of disenfranchisement deployed against Black voters.6
Vote reparations would create possibilities to build what W.E.B. Du Bois called “abolition democracy,” or the practice of achieving a racially just society. Abolition democracy invites us to engage with abolition not as a finite goal but as a radical process of challenging injustices wherever and in whatever form they might appear. Vote reparations would empower us to replace oppressive institutions with life-affirming structures of economic, social, and political equality. And if our elected representatives did not prioritize this transformational work, we could vote them out.7
Because white votes currently count more than Black ones, double-counting Black votes would restore electoral balance. Vote reparations would be a giant step toward remedying our nation’s long history of denying and devaluing Black votes. To address systemic racism, we must transform how we choose our government. Even if vote reparations aren’t instituted, Black voters will keep tirelessly dragging our states toward a more perfect union. But just imagine our country if our votes counted twice.8


thenation--2020-12-17--The Right Answer Is to Throw Money at the Problem

When austerity-minded politicians of both major parties run out of arguments for refusing to fund human needs , they inevitably default to the line , “ You can ’ t just throw money at the problem.
” They ’ re wrong .
Savvy economists have recognized for a long time that one of the best things to do during a time of crisis is to get money , lots of it , to people who are suffering .
That ’ s why the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act that was approved in March included direct payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for individuals , $ 2,400 for couples , and $ 500 per child under age 17 .
And that ’ s why 60 grassroots groups—including People ’ s Action , Public Citizen , Center for Popular Democracy Action , MoveOn , Indivisible , and the Working Families Party—last week argued , “ Congress can not continue to ignore the hunger , pain and economic uncertainty that millions of people are facing .
People need access to cash to survive the next round of job losses , to pay for rent and food , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to meet the gravity of this crisis , Congress must prioritize direct economic relief that families and workers desperately need right now.
” Looking for last-minute holiday gifts with a conscience ?
Check out The Nation Shop and help support The Nation ’ s journalism while you complete your list .
Progressives in Congress heard the call and ramped up pressure on congressional negotiators who were preparing a coronavirus relief package that did not include direct payments .
With a sense of moral and practical urgency sufficient to meet a moment when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and tens of millions are experiencing hardship and uncertainty , Senator Bernie Sanders , Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal , Representative Ro Khanna , and their allies on the left demanded that the stimulus package feature direct payments to working families .
It appears that their efforts worked .
The roughly $ 900 billion coronavirus relief deal that Congress is expected to consider before its holiday recess will include a new round of payments to cash-strapped Americans , along with enhanced unemployment benefits .
The Washington Post reported Wednesday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include hundreds of billions of dollars in aid for ailing small businesses and jobless Americans ; tens of billions of dollars in aid for other critical needs , such as vaccine distribution and schools ; and a one-time check of between $ 600 and $ 700 for millions of Americans below a certain income threshold.
” Republicans Will Take Their Assault on Democracy to Congress—and It Will Be Awful Bernie Sanders : ‘ Democracy Has Gotten a Reprieve With Biden ’ s Victory .
That ’ s All It Is.
’ Senator Ron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Has a Boss , a Don That ’ s less than what progressives have been demanding .
But it ’ s an acknowledgement of the need for direct payments—and a critical starting point for demanding more .
While much of the media is portraying this development as the product of 11th-hour discussions between Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell , Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy , the reality is that direct payments wouldn ’ t be part of the package if progressives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in particular , was unenthusiastic about proposals to steer money to working families .
The majority leader wanted a stimulus package focused on aiding business , and it looked for a time like he would get it .
The $ 748 billion proposal that a bipartisan working group released at the start of the week included no plan for sending checks to Americans .
Progressives looked at the proposal and cried foul .
Sanders was especially ardent : As a result of the pandemic , tens of millions of Americans are facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford to pay their rent and face eviction , they can ’ t afford to go to the doctor , they can ’ t afford to feed their children and they are going deeper and deeper into debt .
Congress can not go home for the Christmas holidays until we pass legislation which provides a $ 1,200 direct payment to working class adults , $ 2,400 for couples , and a $ 500 payment to their children .
This is what Democrats and Republicans did unanimously in March through the CARES Act .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
Blunt statements came from House members , such as Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar , who asked , “ Why is it that whenever it is down to last minute negotiations the people that are being compromised are the ones that are hardest hit ?
” Her answer : “ Americans need direct cash payments to be able to feed their children .
That shouldn ’ t be up for negotiation .
And I won ’ t vote for it.
” Jayapal announced , “ The Progressive Caucus is united in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include survival checks and enhanced unemployment assistance—the two most effective ways to put money directly in people ’ s pockets.
” The Seattle Democrat and leading members of the caucus backed that message up with a letter to leadership that explained : We know that direct cash payments provide real economic support for individuals and families , and they put this money right back into the economy .
Studies on the impact of the CARES Economic Impact Payments showed that within the first 10 days , households spent an average of 29 cents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majority of their spending went towards paying for basic necessities , such as food , rent , and bills .
This was especially the case for low-income individuals and households .
A relief package should include direct payments of at least $ 2,000 for all working individuals and families .
In contrast , the letter noted , the payments to businesses favored by McConnell and many moderate Democrats “ had far less of a targeted impact due to the inefficiencies of the program.
” The call for direct payments was amplified by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representative Barbara Lee ( D-Calif. ) , who tweeted , “ Stimulus checks can ’ t wait.
” Referencing McConnell ’ s scheming to protect multinational corporations from accountability for harming workers , former Progressive Caucus cochair Mark Pocan of Wisconsin declared , “ The American people don ’ t need liability shields for crooked corporations .
They need survival checks NOW.
” It ’ s clear : Congressional leaders and the groups of bipartisan negotiators crafting a deal felt the pressure and didn ’ t want a revolt against the relief package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they started to move .
But they haven ’ t moved enough .
As Khanna , the California Democrat who has been the House ’ s leading advocate for direct payments , says , “ Any deal must have a survival check and expanded UI .
But a single $ 600 check will not cover the last 8 months of rent .
We need to also keep pushing for $ 2000 monthly checks until the crisis ends.
” With Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan , Khanna has for months worked to enact the Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan the pair cosponsored to provide a $ 2,000 monthly payment to every qualifying American over the age of 16 for up to 12 months .
“ Americans need sustained cash infusions for the duration of this crisis in order to come out on the other side alive , healthy , and ready to get back to work.
” Khanna calls the progress that ’ s been made “ a step in the right direction , ” adding , “ We now have the benchmark that any future Covid deal has to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only way , he says , “ to truly support the American working class.
” In this crisis moment , direct payments make economic , social , and political sense—because there are times when the right solution to a problem is , in fact , to throw money at it .

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When austerity-minded politicians of both major parties run out of arguments for refusing to fund human needs, they inevitably default to the line, “You can’t just throw money at the problem.”
They’re wrong. Savvy economists have recognized for a long time that one of the best things to do during a time of crisis is to get money, lots of it, to people who are suffering. That’s why the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that was approved in March included direct payments to Americans of up to $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for couples, and $500 per child under age 17. And that’s why 60 grassroots groups—including People’s Action, Public Citizen, Center for Popular Democracy Action, MoveOn, Indivisible, and the Working Families Party—last week argued, “Congress cannot continue to ignore the hunger, pain and economic uncertainty that millions of people are facing. People need access to cash to survive the next round of job losses, to pay for rent and food, to keep their families alive. In order to meet the gravity of this crisis, Congress must prioritize direct economic relief that families and workers desperately need right now.” Looking for last-minute holiday gifts with a conscience? Check out The Nation Shop and help support The Nation’s journalism while you complete your list.
Progressives in Congress heard the call and ramped up pressure on congressional negotiators who were preparing a coronavirus relief package that did not include direct payments. With a sense of moral and practical urgency sufficient to meet a moment when millions of Americans are struggling to survive, and tens of millions are experiencing hardship and uncertainty, Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal, Representative Ro Khanna, and their allies on the left demanded that the stimulus package feature direct payments to working families.
It appears that their efforts worked. The roughly $900 billion coronavirus relief deal that Congress is expected to consider before its holiday recess will include a new round of payments to cash-strapped Americans, along with enhanced unemployment benefits. The Washington Post reported Wednesday afternoon, “The package emerging is expected to include hundreds of billions of dollars in aid for ailing small businesses and jobless Americans; tens of billions of dollars in aid for other critical needs, such as vaccine distribution and schools; and a one-time check of between $600 and $700 for millions of Americans below a certain income threshold.” 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 My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. Manny Maung 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 My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. My Homeland Is Being Ruled by Terror. The World Must Pay Attention. Manny Maung 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
That’s less than what progressives have been demanding. But it’s an acknowledgement of the need for direct payments—and a critical starting point for demanding more.
While much of the media is portraying this development as the product of 11th-hour discussions between Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, the reality is that direct payments wouldn’t be part of the package if progressives hadn’t played hardball.
McConnell, in particular, was unenthusiastic about proposals to steer money to working families. The majority leader wanted a stimulus package focused on aiding business, and it looked for a time like he would get it. The $748 billion proposal that a bipartisan working group released at the start of the week included no plan for sending checks to Americans.
Progressives looked at the proposal and cried foul. Sanders was especially ardent:
As a result of the pandemic, tens of millions of Americans are facing economic desperation. They can’t afford to pay their rent and face eviction, they can’t afford to go to the doctor, they can’t afford to feed their children and they are going deeper and deeper into debt. Congress cannot go home for the Christmas holidays until we pass legislation which provides a $1,200 direct payment to working class adults, $2,400 for couples, and a $500 payment to their children. This is what Democrats and Republicans did unanimously in March through the CARES Act. This is what we have to do today.
Blunt statements came from House members, such as Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar, who asked, “Why is it that whenever it is down to last minute negotiations the people that are being compromised are the ones that are hardest hit?” Her answer: “Americans need direct cash payments to be able to feed their children. That shouldn’t be up for negotiation. And I won’t vote for it.”
Jayapal announced, “The Progressive Caucus is united in our position: any COVID relief package must include survival checks and enhanced unemployment assistance—the two most effective ways to put money directly in people’s pockets.”
The Seattle Democrat and leading members of the caucus backed that message up with a letter to leadership that explained:
We know that direct cash payments provide real economic support for individuals and families, and they put this money right back into the economy. Studies on the impact of the CARES Economic Impact Payments showed that within the first 10 days, households spent an average of 29 cents from every dollar received, and that the majority of their spending went towards paying for basic necessities, such as food, rent, and bills. This was especially the case for low-income individuals and households. A relief package should include direct payments of at least $2,000 for all working individuals and families. Current Issue View our current issue
In contrast, the letter noted, the payments to businesses favored by McConnell and many moderate Democrats “had far less of a targeted impact due to the inefficiencies of the program.”
The call for direct payments was amplified by leading progressives in Congress, such as Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who tweeted, “Stimulus checks can’t wait.”
Referencing McConnell’s scheming to protect multinational corporations from accountability for harming workers, former Progressive Caucus cochair Mark Pocan of Wisconsin declared, “The American people don’t need liability shields for crooked corporations. They need survival checks NOW.”
It’s clear: Congressional leaders and the groups of bipartisan negotiators crafting a deal felt the pressure and didn’t want a revolt against the relief package that highlighted its many inadequacies. So they started to move.
But they haven’t moved enough. As Khanna, the California Democrat who has been the House’s leading advocate for direct payments, says, “Any deal must have a survival check and expanded UI. But a single $600 check will not cover the last 8 months of rent. We need to also keep pushing for $2000 monthly checks until the crisis ends.”
With Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan, Khanna has for months worked to enact the Emergency Money for the People Act, a plan the pair cosponsored to provide a $2,000 monthly payment to every qualifying American over the age of 16 for up to 12 months. “Americans need sustained cash infusions for the duration of this crisis in order to come out on the other side alive, healthy, and ready to get back to work.”
Khanna calls the progress that’s been made “a step in the right direction,” adding, “We now have the benchmark that any future Covid deal has to have direct payments.” It’s the only way, he says, “to truly support the American working class.”
In this crisis moment, direct payments make economic, social, and political sense—because there are times when the right solution to a problem is, in fact, to throw money at it.


thenation--2020-12-18--The Best Albums of 2020

The Best Albums of 2020

Listening to recordings is always a confrontation with the past—an encounter with sounds created at another time , whether that time was five minutes earlier or 50 years ago .
In 2020 , when life changed so rapidly that five minutes could feel like the passing of 50 years , music changed along with everything else .
Some of the best music released this year but recorded before the pandemic took up matters that were once urgently topical , like gentrification and the overreach of Big Tech , but now feel strangely historical .
To listen to these works is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past , and yet a worthy one .
Releases from later in the year reflect 2020 ’ s events to varying degrees , exploring the themes of isolation , mortality , and social inequity in musical terms .
Here are my choices for the 11 best albums of this very , very long year .
( The listing is alphabetical by album title , not a ranking by descending quality . )
“ Goddess of the Hunt , ” the lead track by drummer Allison Miller , sets the theme of masterly assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cross-generational jazz supergroup Artemis .
The seven instrumentals were all written or arranged by the band ’ s six members ( saxophonist Melissa Aldana , clarinetist Anat Cohen , trumpeter Ingrid Jensen , pianist and bandleader Renee Rosnes , bassist Noriko Ueda , and Miller ) , with Cécile McLorin Salvant singing on two more .
The multi-Grammy-winning composer and conductor savages the Big Data industry and tech world hubris in this alternately , sometimes simultaneously fierce and beautiful double album of large-ensemble-jazz art music .
( Read our review . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason as the world roars toward the brink , Apple rages and chants , literally banging on the walls of the house where she recorded this rhythmic , erratic , tuneful , and unpretentiously avant-garde alt masterwork .
( Read our review . )
By the standards of the Hot 100 pop that used to define Swift , her latest is practically an Appalachian field recording—spare and homey .
As always for Swift , though , it is judiciously crafted , clever , and utterly infectious .
Mostly a collaboration with songwriter Aaron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folklike pop that calls for and rewards close attention .
Carla Bley , Andy Sheppard , and Steve Swallow , Life Goes On Pianist-composer Carla Bley , now 84 , has been playing with saxophonist Andy Sheppard and bassist Steve Swallow for decades , and their chemistry binds Bley ’ s mercurial ruminations on time , age , politics , and the art of collaboration .
The album comprises three suites : “ Life Goes On , ” “ Beautiful Telephones ” ( named for a remark by Donald Trump about the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wisdom and resilient discontent conjoin to make a kind of feisty , spontaneous chamber jazz .
A one-woman-band project by the vocalist/composer/multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow , Mama , You Can Bet !
refers literally to Muldrow ’ s mother , the singer and choir director Rickie Byars .
But it speaks more broadly to the legacy of Black resistance and hope that Byars has been a part of and that Muldrow , performing as Jyoti , carries on .
You could tease out strains of Alice Coltrane ( Muldrow ’ s mentor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sun Ra , and Abbey Lincoln in this steely and complex Pan-African music , but no one alive is making anything quite like it .
( Read our review . )
Commissioned by Trinity Church Wall Street to write a Mass for chorus and chamber orchestra , Snider performed a kind of miracle and created a work that honors the format ’ s tradition while sounding vitally fresh and evokes the sacred in the service of the secular .
This gorgeous , moving piece , with a libretto combining Latin liturgy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a prayer of penance for the sins humankind has committed not to God , but to nature .
Named for the Croatian word for “ she , ” Ona is an eclectic statement from a singer-musician who deserves much more attention .
Alexa composed all but two of the tracks on this album of earthy jazz-pop , one of the exceptions being the Tears for Fears hit “ Everybody Wants to Rule the World , ” which Alexa reinvents .
With guest vocals by Becca Stevens and Claudia Acuña , among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violinist Regina Carter that earned Carter a Grammy nomination .
This 19-movement oratorio about the roots and consequences of gentrification is a devastating work of social inquiry and critique .
Performed by Hearne and Williams along with other singers , a chamber ensemble , and an R & B band , Place addresses a pandemic that preceded Covid-19 and will likely outlast it .
( Read our review . )
Recorded before the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and the national outcry they inspired , the fourth album by the hip-hop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against racial and economic injustice with unnerving prescience .
The shimmer of El-P ’ s production works oddly to amp the impact of Mike ’ s head-rattling , politically savvy lyrics .
With deftly placed guest appearances by Mavis Staples , Pharrell Williams , Greg Nice , and Josh Homme .
( Read our review . )
The debut album by Sawayama , a young Japanese British singer , is an irony-free testament to the glories of Max Martin–style commercial pop .
Nine producers are credited for the album , including Sawayama herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the primary creative force .
I can ’ t stop listening to this music , and I don ’ t think of myself as particularly nostalgic for Avril Lavigne .
Sawayama is a magnificently effective provider of aural pleasure .
Hate me , but I love it .

Listening to recordings is always a confrontation with the past—an encounter with sounds created at another time, whether that time was five minutes earlier or 50 years ago. In 2020, when life changed so rapidly that five minutes could feel like the passing of 50 years, music changed along with everything else. Some of the best music released this year but recorded before the pandemic took up matters that were once urgently topical, like gentrification and the overreach of Big Tech, but now feel strangely historical.
To listen to these works is, indeed, a confrontation with the past, and yet a worthy one. Releases from later in the year reflect 2020’s events to varying degrees, exploring the themes of isolation, mortality, and social inequity in musical terms.
Here are my choices for the 11 best albums of this very, very long year. (The listing is alphabetical by album title, not a ranking by descending quality.)
Artemis, Artemis
“Goddess of the Hunt,” the lead track by drummer Allison Miller, sets the theme of masterly assault on this debut album by the cross-cultural, cross-generational jazz supergroup Artemis. The seven instrumentals were all written or arranged by the band’s six members (saxophonist Melissa Aldana, clarinetist Anat Cohen, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, pianist and bandleader Renee Rosnes, bassist Noriko Ueda, and Miller), with Cécile McLorin Salvant singing on two more.
Maria Schneider, Data Lords
The multi-Grammy-winning composer and conductor savages the Big Data industry and tech world hubris in this alternately, sometimes simultaneously fierce and beautiful double album of large-ensemble-jazz art music. (Read our review.)
Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Angry as ever and with more good reason as the world roars toward the brink, Apple rages and chants, literally banging on the walls of the house where she recorded this rhythmic, erratic, tuneful, and unpretentiously avant-garde alt masterwork. (Read our review.)
Taylor Swift, Folklore
By the standards of the Hot 100 pop that used to define Swift, her latest is practically an Appalachian field recording—spare and homey. As always for Swift, though, it is judiciously crafted, clever, and utterly infectious. Mostly a collaboration with songwriter Aaron Dressner from the National, Folklore is folklike pop that calls for and rewards close attention.
Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, and Steve Swallow, Life Goes On
Pianist-composer Carla Bley, now 84, has been playing with saxophonist Andy Sheppard and bassist Steve Swallow for decades, and their chemistry binds Bley’s mercurial ruminations on time, age, politics, and the art of collaboration. The album comprises three suites: “Life Goes On,” “Beautiful Telephones” (named for a remark by Donald Trump about the White House), and “Copycat.” Wisdom and resilient discontent conjoin to make a kind of feisty, spontaneous chamber jazz. 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 Israel’s Repression of Palestinians Paved the Way for Its New Antidemocratic Court Israel’s Repression of Palestinians Paved the Way for Its New Antidemocratic Court Juan Cole 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 Israel’s Repression of Palestinians Paved the Way for Its New Antidemocratic Court Israel’s Repression of Palestinians Paved the Way for Its New Antidemocratic Court Juan Cole
Jyoti, Mama, You Can Bet!
A one-woman-band project by the vocalist/composer/multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, Mama, You Can Bet! refers literally to Muldrow’s mother, the singer and choir director Rickie Byars. But it speaks more broadly to the legacy of Black resistance and hope that Byars has been a part of and that Muldrow, performing as Jyoti, carries on. You could tease out strains of Alice Coltrane (Muldrow’s mentor, who gave her the Jyoti name), Sun Ra, and Abbey Lincoln in this steely and complex Pan-African music, but no one alive is making anything quite like it. (Read our review.)
Sarah Kirkland Snider, Mass for the Endangered
Commissioned by Trinity Church Wall Street to write a Mass for chorus and chamber orchestra, Snider performed a kind of miracle and created a work that honors the format’s tradition while sounding vitally fresh and evokes the sacred in the service of the secular. This gorgeous, moving piece, with a libretto combining Latin liturgy and new text by the poet Nathaniel Bellows, is a prayer of penance for the sins humankind has committed not to God, but to nature.
Thana Alexa, Ona
Named for the Croatian word for “she,” Ona is an eclectic statement from a singer-musician who deserves much more attention. Alexa composed all but two of the tracks on this album of earthy jazz-pop, one of the exceptions being the Tears for Fears hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” which Alexa reinvents. With guest vocals by Becca Stevens and Claudia Acuña, among others, and a solo by the violinist Regina Carter that earned Carter a Grammy nomination.
Ted Hearne and Saul Williams, Place
This 19-movement oratorio about the roots and consequences of gentrification is a devastating work of social inquiry and critique. Performed by Hearne and Williams along with other singers, a chamber ensemble, and an R&B band, Place addresses a pandemic that preceded Covid-19 and will likely outlast it. (Read our review.)
Run the Jewels, RTJ4
Recorded before the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and the national outcry they inspired, the fourth album by the hip-hop duo of Killer Mike and El-P rails against racial and economic injustice with unnerving prescience. The shimmer of El-P’s production works oddly to amp the impact of Mike’s head-rattling, politically savvy lyrics. With deftly placed guest appearances by Mavis Staples, Pharrell Williams, Greg Nice, and Josh Homme. (Read our review.)
Rina Sawayama, Sawayama
The debut album by Sawayama, a young Japanese British singer, is an irony-free testament to the glories of Max Martin–style commercial pop. Nine producers are credited for the album, including Sawayama herself, though Clarence Clarity seems to have been the primary creative force. I can’t stop listening to this music, and I don’t think of myself as particularly nostalgic for Avril Lavigne. Sawayama is a magnificently effective provider of aural pleasure. Hate me, but I love it.
(Disclosure: I have collaborated with Rosnes, the leader of Artemis, but had no involvement with the Artemis album.)


thenation--2020-12-18--Is a Civil War Brewing Within the GOP?

Is a Civil War Brewing Within the GOP?

The Signal : A civil war is now percolating within the Republican Party .
The Electoral College has met and confirmed Joe Biden ’ s victory , Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has finally agreed to call Biden the president-elect , Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Biden on his victory… and yet , stateside , the Trump cultists continue to scheme and foment ever-more-fantastical assaults on democracy .
On Monday , when the Electoral College met , Stephen Miller went on Fox News to say the Trump campaign would somehow submit “ an alternate slate of electors ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way up to January 20 .
In the early hours of Tuesday morning , Trump tweeted , “ This Fake Election can no longer stand.
” As if , simply by saying so , he somehow had the power to make his wish come true .
Later that day , he retweeted claims that he , Donald J. Trump , had won the election in a landslide and Biden was simply “ pretending ” to have won .
Trumpists Are Ranting About Election Fraud as Americans Die of Covid This would all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a beaten , broken man increasingly divorced from reality , if it weren ’ t for the fact that so many senior Republicans are willing to play this madman ’ s game .
That they are playing his game is , however , a seriously dangerous phenomenon .
On Wednesday , conservative House Republicans denounced what they called a “ surrender caucus ” within their party that had the temerity to accept the results of a democratic election .
Trump also angrily denounced McConnell for acknowledging Biden ’ s win , tweeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record for a sitting President ( by a lot ) .
Too soon to give up .
Republican Party must finally learn to fight .
People are angry !
” No matter that Biden ’ s more than 81 million votes was a record that roundly eclipsed Trump ’ s own performance ; in the Trumpian universe , his vote count must , by definition , be the biggest and the best ever recorded .
Trump ’ s ire isn ’ t just directed at GOP senators who have now urged him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lashing out at pretty much everyone who didn ’ t bend the law to meet his political desires .
He ’ s firing or forcing the resignation of anyone who is standing in his way—from Bill Barr on down .
Early this week , Trump retweeted a call for the imprisonment of Georgia ’ s governor and secretary of state—presumably for the high crime of not altering their state ’ s election tallies to spin a Trump win out of the straw of defeat .
Talking of Georgia , beleaguered GOP Senator Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Electoral College results when Congress meets to confirm Biden ’ s win on January 6 , one day after her runoff election in Georgia .
Not to be outdone in the crazy sweepstakes , Sidney Powell , the Trump campaign ’ s recently departed attorney , retweeted a racist diatribe against McConnell ’ s Taiwanese American wife .
It ’ s tempting to dismiss all of this as simply the Noisy , irrational coda to a brutal election season .
But it ’ s more complex than that .
Trump is desperately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell has abandoned him ; ergo , Trump must now turn his rhetorical guns against the Senate leader .
For his part , McConnell has clearly concluded that it ’ s in his political interest to cut his losses now and endure Trump ’ s rants and his supporters ’ threats for the next few weeks , in order to maintain his political power into the Biden presidency .
Given Trump ’ s despotic ambitions , and his clear intent to maintain an iron grip on the GOP and its base in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black hole so many GOP elected officials have managed to sink themselves into over the past four years , it ’ s hard to see how this confrontation doesn ’ t end up tearing the party apart .
I had hoped Trump ’ s candidacy in 2016 would perform that vital role—that it would break a rotten party wide open for all to see the vacuum at its core .
It didn ’ t happen then .
In these final weeks of 2020 and of Trump ’ s rancid regime , it seems @ @ @ @ @

The Signal: A civil war is now percolating within the Republican Party.
The Electoral College has met and confirmed Joe Biden’s victory, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has finally agreed to call Biden the president-elect, Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Biden on his victory… and yet, stateside, the Trump cultists continue to scheme and foment ever-more-fantastical assaults on democracy.
On Monday, when the Electoral College met, Stephen Miller went on Fox News to say the Trump campaign would somehow submit “an alternate slate of electors” and fight to overturn the election results all the way up to January 20.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Trump tweeted, “This Fake Election can no longer stand.” As if, simply by saying so, he somehow had the power to make his wish come true. Later that day, he retweeted claims that he, Donald J. Trump, had won the election in a landslide and Biden was simply “pretending” to have won. More Signal:Noise The Madness of Kook Donald Sasha Abramsky Trumpists Are Ranting About Election Fraud as Americans Die of Covid Sasha Abramsky
This would all be nothing more than the pathetic delusions of a beaten, broken man increasingly divorced from reality, if it weren’t for the fact that so many senior Republicans are willing to play this madman’s game. That they are playing his game is, however, a seriously dangerous phenomenon.
On Wednesday, conservative House Republicans denounced what they called a “surrender caucus”within their party that had the temerity to accept the results of a democratic election.
Trump also angrily denounced McConnell for acknowledging Biden’s win, tweeting, “Mitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot). Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!” No matter that Biden’s more than 81 million votes was a record that roundly eclipsed Trump’s own performance; in the Trumpian universe, his vote count must, by definition, be the biggest and the best ever recorded. Current Issue View our current issue
Trump’s ire isn’t just directed at GOP senators who have now urged him to accept defeat. He’s lashing out at pretty much everyone who didn’t bend the law to meet his political desires. He’s firing or forcing the resignation of anyone who is standing in his way—from Bill Barr on down. Early this week, Trump retweeted a call for the imprisonment of Georgia’s governor and secretary of state—presumably for the high crime of not altering their state’s election tallies to spin a Trump win out of the straw of defeat.
Talking of Georgia, beleaguered GOP Senator Kelly Loeffler pointedly refused to rule out challenging the Electoral College results when Congress meets to confirm Biden’s win on January 6, one day after her runoff election in Georgia.
Not to be outdone in the crazy sweepstakes, Sidney Powell, the Trump campaign’s recently departed attorney, retweeted a racist diatribe against McConnell’s Taiwanese American wife.
It’s tempting to dismiss all of this as simply the Noisy, irrational coda to a brutal election season. But it’s more complex than that. Trump is desperately fighting for his personal survival, but McConnell has abandoned him; ergo, Trump must now turn his rhetorical guns against the Senate leader. For his part, McConnell has clearly concluded that it’s in his political interest to cut his losses now and endure Trump’s rants and his supporters’ threats for the next few weeks, in order to maintain his political power into the Biden presidency.
Given Trump’s despotic ambitions, and his clear intent to maintain an iron grip on the GOP and its base in the coming years, and given the moral black hole so many GOP elected officials have managed to sink themselves into over the past four years, it’s hard to see how this confrontation doesn’t end up tearing the party apart.
I had hoped Trump’s candidacy in 2016 would perform that vital role—that it would break a rotten party wide open for all to see the vacuum at its core. It didn’t happen then. In these final weeks of 2020 and of Trump’s rancid regime, it seems to be happening now.


thenation--2020-12-18--The Military Will Test Soldiers for Drugs—but Not Covid-19

This year , US troops taking holiday leave will be greeted upon their return with mandatory health testing—for illicit drugs .
Covid-19 tests , on the other hand , must be paid for by service members out-of-pocket , despite thousands of military personnel having tested positive for the virus , according to Defense Department documents obtained by The Nation .
A memo from Army headquarters about holiday leave dated July 2020 reveals the stark difference between the military ’ s stringent drug testing policy and its pandemic guidelines .
Although it does say service members will be briefed on coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and practice social distancing , it makes no reference to Covid-19 testing .
Instead , the memo states : Within 72 hours of return from HBL [ holiday block leave ] , 100 % of IET [ Initial Early Training Units ] Soldiers in training will be administered the urinalysis test .
Results of urinalysis testing will be reported to USACIMT [ US Army Center for Initial Military Training ] POC [ point of contact ] as soon as results are received by the unit .
The report will be broken out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Guard and Army Reserves ) .
The report will also document what type substance [ sic ] the Soldier is tested positive for .
Side template will be provided at the 24 Nov 20 VTC .
Units are provided funds in ITRM for funding the 100 percent urinalysis .
Though the CDC has advised Americans to stay home for the holidays , the military is allowing holiday leave .
And while the Army says it will have some “ conditions based testing , ” testing will not be universally mandatory , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to test soldiers departing for holiday leave .
Homeland Security Thinks Everything Looks Like Terrorism A White House Adviser Was Involved in Surveillance of Protesters The documents describe force protection plans and briefings about the pandemic so that service members “ are armed with knowledge that will keep them safe , ” but Covid tests aren ’ t cheap and the cost to service members could be onerous .
This has led to personnel finding ways to circumvent their respective states ’ pandemic testing requirements , sometimes even with the help of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official .
This poses a risk to the general public as well as to service members , 2,000 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19 at a single base since March .
“ They [ military leadership ] are acutely aware of the facts of the matter and have grimly opted to accept the risk , ” a military official told The Nation .
“ However , the risk they have accepted is not only to put their trainees and soldiers at risk , but to put people all across the country where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk.
” The pandemic has hit the military as hard as anyone .
An Army briefing marked “ For Official Use Only ” and obtained by The Nation states that since March 24 there have been 2,039 total cases of Covid-19 at a single base : Fort Sill in Oklahoma .
A local outlet in Oklahoma reported that Fort Sill had already lost two people to the virus , though a base leader stressed that the number of active cases had decreased from several weeks ago .
While the military ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ when medically necessary , ” this does not include personal travel , which holiday leave is considered .
“ This means that any COVID test required for HBL [ holiday block leave ] must be paid out-of-pocket , which has led to all manner of creative and deceptive attempts to work around the policy , ” the military official said .
“ Leaders from my unit have openly advised soldiers who planned on traveling to states with travel restrictions to purchase flights to bordering states and to have family pick them up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Asked about the Army would require personnel to be tested for Covid-19 prior to traveling for holiday leave , an Army spokesperson replied via e-mail : “ Screening procedures will be conducted prior to each individual leaving to ensure they are healthy .
100 % screening and clinically indicated testing will be done at training centers when Soldiers and Cadre return from HBL.
” The spokesperson did not define what the “ screening procedures ” or “ clinically indicated testing ” meant , and said that “ commanders will be implementing conditions-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army would pay for such tests , he referred me to the military ’ s TRICARE website , which says it isn ’ t covered “ for personal travel to other states or countries.
” “ You ’ re encouraged to purchase travel insurance that meets coverage requirements , ” the website adds .

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This year, US troops taking holiday leave will be greeted upon their return with mandatory health testing—for illicit drugs. Covid-19 tests, on the other hand, must be paid for by service members out-of-pocket, despite thousands of military personnel having tested positive for the virus, according to Defense Department documents obtained by The Nation.
A memo from Army headquarters about holiday leave dated July 2020 reveals the stark difference between the military’s stringent drug testing policy and its pandemic guidelines. Although it does say service members will be briefed on coronavirus hot spots and instructed to use face masks and practice social distancing, it makes no reference to Covid-19 testing. Instead, the memo states:
Within 72 hours of return from HBL [holiday block leave], 100% of IET [Initial Early Training Units] Soldiers in training will be administered the urinalysis test. Results of urinalysis testing will be reported to USACIMT [US Army Center for Initial Military Training] POC [point of contact] as soon as results are received by the unit. The report will be broken out by component (Active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserves). The report will also document what type substance [sic] the Soldier is tested positive for. Side template will be provided at the 24 Nov 20 VTC. Units are provided funds in ITRM for funding the 100 percent urinalysis.
Though the CDC has advised Americans to stay home for the holidays, the military is allowing holiday leave. And while the Army says it will have some “conditions based testing,” testing will not be universally mandatory, and there do not appear to be any plans to test soldiers departing for holiday leave. More From Ken Klippenstein The Madcap Mysteries of Homeland Security January 26, 2021 A Police Bulletin Instructs Officers to Look for Explosives January 7, 2021 How Homeland Security Blurs Jurisdictions December 17, 2020
The documents describe force protection plans and briefings about the pandemic so that service members “are armed with knowledge that will keep them safe,” but Covid tests aren’t cheap and the cost to service members could be onerous. This has led to personnel finding ways to circumvent their respective states’ pandemic testing requirements, sometimes even with the help of leadership, according to one Defense Department official. This poses a risk to the general public as well as to service members, 2,000 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19 at a single base since March.
“They [military leadership] are acutely aware of the facts of the matter and have grimly opted to accept the risk,” a military official told The Nation. “However, the risk they have accepted is not only to put their trainees and soldiers at risk, but to put people all across the country where these trainees and soldiers are traveling to at risk.”
The pandemic has hit the military as hard as anyone. An Army briefing marked “For Official Use Only” and obtained by The Nation states that since March 24 there have been 2,039 total cases of Covid-19 at a single base: Fort Sill in Oklahoma. A local outlet in Oklahoma reported that Fort Sill had already lost two people to the virus, though a base leader stressed that the number of active cases had decreased from several weeks ago. Current Issue View our current issue
While the military’s health care system says it covers Covid-19 “when medically necessary,” this does not include personal travel, which holiday leave is considered.
“This means that any COVID test required for HBL [holiday block leave] must be paid out-of-pocket, which has led to all manner of creative and deceptive attempts to work around the policy,” the military official said. “Leaders from my unit have openly advised soldiers who planned on traveling to states with travel restrictions to purchase flights to bordering states and to have family pick them up and bring them into the restricted state.”
Asked about the Army would require personnel to be tested for Covid-19 prior to traveling for holiday leave, an Army spokesperson replied via e-mail: “Screening procedures will be conducted prior to each individual leaving to ensure they are healthy. 100% screening and clinically indicated testing will be done at training centers when Soldiers and Cadre return from HBL.”
The spokesperson did not define what the “screening procedures” or “clinically indicated testing” meant, and said that “commanders will be implementing conditions-based testing policies.” When asked if the Army would pay for such tests, he referred me to the military’s TRICARE website, which says it isn’t covered “for personal travel to other states or countries.”
“You’re encouraged to purchase travel insurance that meets coverage requirements,” the website adds.