The Topline: Democracy's Daily Digest
There's an old expression of uncertain origin that states, "May you live in interesting times." Whether it's intended as a blessing or a curse, no one could argue that we are indeed living in interesting times. But they're unsettling times too, with a global pandemic, economic despair, and domestic extremism part of the fabric of our everyday lives now. At times like these, I find it reassuring to read about how our forebears coped with their own interesting times. If you feel the same way, or you're simply an avid reader looking for fresh reading suggestions, I invite you to check out Book Corner, presented by Stand Up Republic's media manager, Mary Anna Mancuso, in today's TOPLINE. We hope you'll enjoy this new monthly feature and participate if you can. Happy reading! —Melissa Amour, Managing Editor
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'The enemy is within the House'
It's no secret that Congress has been mired in partisan bickering and resulting stasis for years. But new levels of animosity—and outright fear—have taken hold since the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Amid growing fears of physical violence and looming domestic terror threats from far-right extremists, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the extraordinary allegation yesterday that dangers lurk among House members themselves. Democrats are concerned that some Republican lawmakers, who have attempted to bring weapons onto the House floor, cannot be trusted, and they are taking measures such as purchasing bulletproof vests to protect themselves. —The Washington Post
— QAnoner gets plum committee assignment. More proof that the majority of Republicans at the national level seem to have stopped caring a whit about responsible governance came yesterday. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who literally blamed a space laser funded by Jews for the California wildfires (that’s not hyperbole; she actually did) and called school shootings false flag operations, was assigned to the House Education and Labor Committee. —The Washington Post
— Another clown. In a raw embodiment of the civil war within the Republican Party, Rep. Matt Gaetz fired off a barrage of insults against fellow Republican Rep. Liz Cheney during a rally in her home state of Wyoming yesterday. Spouting populist rhetoric, Gaetz has targeted Cheney for her vote to impeach the former president for his role in the Capitol insurrection. —Politico
— Bomber still at large. Two pipe bombs discovered near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters on Jan. 6 were planted the night before the insurrection, the FBI said today. Federal authorities also increased the reward for information about the pipe bomber and released new details and photos of a suspect. It is surmised that the bombs were planted to divert law enforcement attention from the Capitol siege. —CNN
— "Any cop or military who stands in the way is the enemy." That's just one of many violent text messages sent by a Florida sheriff's deputy who was livid with police and federal agents who stood up against the insurrectionists at the Capitol. He was arrested after authorities said he threatened to kill federal agents who were under attack by rioters. —NBC News
— "A total disregard for the U.S. Constitution." A federal judge yesterday ordered the Arkansas man photographed sitting with his foot up on Pelosi's desk during the insurrection held in jail while his case goes forward. "His entitled behavior...shows a total disregard for the law and for officials' directives," U.S. District Chief Judge Beryl Howell said. —BuzzFeed News
— They never learn. Just weeks ago, Republican leaders in Congress rebuked Donald Trump for his role in inciting the insurrection. Now, it's a love fest again. Clearly spooked by Trump's threats to start his own party, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met with the ex-president yesterday at his Mar-a-Lago estate. In a statement, McCarthy said they would work together to put the GOP back in control of the House in 2022. —Politico
MORE: Jeannie Suk Gersen: Did Trump and his supporters commit treason? —The New Yorker
Collinson: The GOP has made its choice
"The lesson of the Trump era is that where there is a choice in the GOP between its values and power, power always wins. But the party's descent into the sewer of election lies is coming with an increasing price for the rest of the nation." —Stephen Collinson on CNN
Stephen Collinson is a CNN political analyst.
MORE: Bess Levin: Republicans pledge undying loyalty to Trump three weeks after his failed coup —Vanity Fair
Pandemic: 'A race against time'
Public health officials battling the coronavirus pandemic are facing a brutal timeline—distributing tens of millions of vaccines before new, more contagious variants of COVID-19 overtake the country. "If we don't quell the pandemic, there's a higher risk that one of those mutations will be able to escape the vaccine or therapeutic antibodies, or both," says Dr. Robert Califf, a professor of medicine at Duke University. That makes it all the more important to continue practicing standard mitigation measures—mask-wearing, social distancing, avoiding large or indoor gatherings—as vaccine researchers try to stay one step ahead of the evolving virus. —NBC News
— Going it alone. Facing their own timeline, congressional Democrats are preparing to use a procedure that will allow them to pass another round of coronavirus relief legislation without Republicans, who have balked at the price tag of Biden's $1.9 trillion proposal. If lawmakers are unable to strike a bipartisan deal, Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will bring a budget resolution to the floor next week, the first step in using the budget reconciliation process to pass the bill. —CBS News
— Opening up Obamacare. President Biden signed an executive order yesterday directing the HealthCare.gov website to reopen for a "special enrollment period" between Feb. 15 and May 15. Despite the pandemic, the previous administration refused to allow new applications for coverage via HealthCare.gov, which is the main marketplace for insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act. —New York Daily News
— Transparency at last in New York. A report released yesterday by New York Attorney General Letitia James charged that the COVID-19 death count in the state’s nursing homes could be off by nearly 50%, as was long suspected. New York is one of the only states to count just those who died on facility grounds, not those who later died in the hospital. At least 12,743 long-term care residents died of the virus as of Jan. 19, far greater than the official tally of 8,505, cementing New York’s death toll as one of the highest in the nation. —Associated Press
MORE: Pandemic deepens graft and democracy breaches, Transparency says —Bloomberg
Pentagon appointments halted
The Biden Administration has halted the installation of several Trump loyalists on Defense Department boards that advise the Secretary of Defense. The decision affects, among others, former Trump campaign managers Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, who were hastily named to the Defense Business Board in December, when the Trump Administration abruptly dismissed other members from the historically nonpartisan panel. Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin is weighing his options for filling the positions. —The Washington Post
MORE: Biden signs directive to shield federal scientists from political interference —Government Executive
Landau & Eisen: A victory for global anti-corruption efforts
"[A]ll those working to combat corruption...can take heart that the United States' role in creating a more transparent and accountable world seems poised to grow in 2021 and beyond. Hopefully, these NDAA provisions, together with other initiatives like the Biden ethics plan and such legislative anti-corruption efforts as H.R. 1, will create a rebound for the United States in Transparency International's annual rankings in 2022." —Kelsey Landau & Norman Eisen in Brookings Institution
Kelsey Landau is a research analyst in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. Norman Eisen is a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.
MORE: U.S. government's corruption score gets even worse in global rating —The Fulcrum
Focus on gerrymandering
— "This is ridiculous." Before the presidential primary election in April, Evers suspended in-person voting and ordered the state legislature to convene amid concerns about the pandemic. The legislature didn't take up the issue and took Evers to court instead. The state Supreme Court struck down Evers' order, and in-person voting proceeded during the spring surge of the virus.
— Minority rule. In May, the state Supreme Court overturned Evers' stay-at-home order, arguing that he had overstepped his authority. Nearly 70% of Wisconsinites agreed with Evers that it was appropriate to close schools and businesses and restrict public gatherings to fight the spread of the virus, according to a Marquette University poll.
— No help from SCOTUS. In 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin concluded that the state's redistricting discriminated against Democrats. The appeal went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices sent the issue back to the states. "It told mapmakers you can do whatever you want," says Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "All of the guardrails are off." —NBC News
MORE: Partisan gerrymandering's first win of the year goes to N.Y. Democrats —The Fulcrum
Wertheimer: Seize the moment. Repair our democracy
"We now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to repair our system of representative government and rebuild citizen confidence. All Americans need to know that their voices are heard and their interests represented—not just the voices and interests of the wealthy and powerful." —Fred Wertheimer on NBC News
Fred Wertheimer is the founder and president of Democracy 21.
MORE: State lawmakers make both voting easements and restrictions a legislative priority —The Fulcrum
This month's read is: "The Lincoln Conspiracy" by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
This month was historic for America. After watching the domestic terror attack on the U.S. Capitol take place earlier this month, I was reminded of the story shared by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch in their latest book, "The Lincoln Conspiracy." The book walks through the election of Abraham Lincoln and the elaborate plan that was carried out to ensure Lincoln made it safely to his inauguration.
It is a fascinating read and captures a moment in time when the country was slowly being torn apart by the growing unrest between the North and South. The story follows a detective, Alan Pinkerton, as he works with fellow detectives to uncover a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln on his way to D.C. from Illinois.
Americans across the country breathed a sigh of relief on January 21, 2021, as they watched a peaceful and complete transfer of power take place when Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. "The Lincoln Conspiracy" is a page-turner and a tough book to put down until you are assured Lincoln is safely sworn into office and assumes his place as America's 16th President of the United States.
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According to many GOP senators and sycophants, since Mr. Trump is no longer in office, the impeachment process is moot. Their argument is plainly about timing, not substance. If true, then once again they have shown us the roadmap of the future.
What would prevent presidents from committing crimes in the last weeks in office, self-pardon, then let the clock run out with regard to impeachment? Nothing, especially a bunch of spineless cowards. Indeed, shoot someone on 5th Avenue and pay no price. Or try to burn our democracy to the ground, like other despots, traitors, and autocrats. Such people keep pushing the limits if not challenged, stopped, and held accountable. The infamous dictators like Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etc., were works in progress over many years of not being stopped and getting away with their actions. They did not become who they were only at the so-called "end." —Bill T., Arizona
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