Zero punitive policies to wind down old stuff

In the recent edition of Between the Lines, Michigan’s LGBTQ newspaper, I read about the HBO show We’re Here. It’s a reality show hosted by Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela Laquifa Wadley, all former contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race. In each episode these three queens go into a Southern town and help three locals prepare to be in a drag show. I watched an episode. In this one they went to Del Rio, Texas (recently in the news because of the encampment of Haitians at the border, but this was taped before then). Bruno is the mayor of Del Rio. The townsfolk knew he is gay when they elected him. His opponent tried to make a big deal of a photo of Bruno in a tutu. Didn’t work. He wanted to be a part of the drag show to demonstrate he will always be true to himself. Joey wasn’t sure of their identity. There is a scene where Joey tries to talk to parents about what they’re going through and parents keep talking about Joey as a son. Esael lives in Del Rio and frequently visits parents and sister across the border in Mexico. He isn’t out to his parents, so there is discussion about that. He wants to be their son, not their gay son, where that is the most important thing about him. His drag mama suggests Esael use Bruno as an ongoing mentor and we see their first meeting. He wants to be in the show to boost his confidence because it is they gayest thing he can do. Some of the show is about how to do drag. Much more is about how to live an authentic life. I enjoyed the show and I appreciate it is out there, though I doubt I would watch another episode. I watched it through broadcast TV. The episodes can be streamed. One thing the show did not mention is how the three locals are chosen. Does the show advertise? Do they search for people to be on the show? They don’t say. Ten days ago I wrote about listening to a Gaslit Nation bonus episode (available to subscribers) because I had asked a question. They didn’t answer in that episode, but did in the next (though I am about a week late in actually listening to it). I was probably helped in posting my question to one show’s comments rather than trying to send a message through Patreon, which hosts Gaslit Nation. Bonus episodes do not have a transcript for me to read. So I listened (all 52 minutes) while I prepared supper. That means I didn’t take notes to share all the juicy details. My question: Democrats in Congress say all the right things but act like they’ve been bought by corporations. Do we know how many or what percent have been bought? The answer from host Sarah Kendzior: We don’t know. That would be worthy research. One reason why we don’t is the gutting of the news departments of major newspapers and media outlets. But the party is definitely acting like a majority have been bought. The first evidence is their tepid response to the Mueller Report. Those who have obviously not been bought – such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – have been getting a lot more in campaign donations than those who have accepted money from Exxon. I asked a second question, but she didn’t exactly answer it, so I won’t comment on it. The first part of the episode was a discussion of bad book deals by former nasty guy cronies. The crony is encouraged to save juicy details for the book (as in not disclosing it to the public in a timely manner to matter in public opinion or legal prosecution, which is a form of a non-disclosure agreement). The crony is paid a big advance, whether or not sales will be worth it (he gets paid for keeping his mouth shut when it matters). Many Republicans and conservative organizations then buy lots of copies as a way of laundering money. Michael Harriot tweeted a thread, excerpts:

Ok, let’s not call it Critical Race Theory. We won’t even call it “Black History.” Instead, let’s accept the premise they propose. So, how does American history look if K-12 social studies & history teachers don’t teach kids about racism white supremacy. ... In 1776, America declared its Independence from Britain. Then there was a Revolutionary war. Then created a constitutional oligarchy that allowed 25% of the population to vote. But we’re going to call it a “Democracy” because words don’t mean things. We cannot discuss the legislative branch or Article I of Constitution because we would have to talk about race. We cannot discuss Article 2 because we would have to talk about the electoral college, which means we’d have to talk about race. We cannot talk about Article 4. We cannot talk about America’s Founding document because we cannot talk about race. America is not a racist country. ... In 1861, 11 states in the richest country in the world decided they would rather form their own country. No one knows why. I could say “it was about States Rights” but someone might reply: “The right to do what?” So we cannot talk about the bloodiest war in American history. ... Then came the Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King said something about little girls and little boys. Some people did not like him (I can’t say who). ... This version will also mean people will THINK they know history because they got good grades in Social Studies, but they will have no idea that they’re really ignorant to the truth. And here’s the crazy part: THIS IS ACTUALLY HOW HISTORY IS CURRENTLY TAUGHT! Social studies is the only subject in the American education system that damn near EVERYONE is taught wrong. ... If you use legislation to create a system that protects ALL white kids from simply having to LEARN the history that Black and indigenous people actually endured… Then aren’t you PROVING that CRT was correct this whole time?

Jarrett Renshaw, a White House reporter for Reuters tweeted:

A Democratic proposal to impose a methane fee on U.S. oil and gas producers is not likely to be included in the party's massive spending bill amid opposition from within their own ranks, sources tell me.

That prompted David Roberts, who writes a newsletter about clean energy and politics, to respond:

That's it -- the last remaining policy in the BBB Act that actually restrained fossil fuels. Now the bill is exactly what Manchin wanted: a bunch of subsidies for new stuff; zero punitive policies to wind down old stuff. ... Worth saying: there is NO path to the US hitting its climate targets that does not involve rapidly shutting down all coal power plants & sharply reducing methane leaks. None. This isn't a subject of reasonable debate. Manchin is rendering Biden's stated target unreachable.

Leah McElrath tweeted a couple videos from Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice, one of which included:

On Day 6 of our hunger strike, we find strength in solidarity with growing frontline power, demanding a government that works for us, not paid off politicians. We are putting our minds and bodies on the line because this is a life or death moment. #BidenChooseUs

McElrath added:

We are failing our children. We are leaving them a far worse world, not a better one. Prioritize action on global warming. Now. The idea of these babies hunger striking because my generation and the generations before me have failed you all so badly is almost too much to bear. In Matthew 27:46, Jesus is on the cross, fearful and facing death. He cries out in despair: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” That’s what these young people are asking all adults, but especially those with power like @POTUS.

Hunger Strike also tweeted with a video:

Abby, 20, confronts @Sen_JoeManchin on his fossil fuel corruption on his way out of a corporate donor luncheon on hunger strike day 7. Abby can stand up to Manchin, why can’t @POTUS? Joe Manchin is corrupt. He takes millions from the fossil fuel industry—he profits from the climate crisis. His corruption is deadly and dangerous—millions will lose their lives if the United States does not deliver on climate justice. We haven’t eaten in 7 days because @POTUS is caving to Manchin’s corruption and backtracking on his commitments to bold and transformative climate action. We will not eat until he delivers on climate justice. It’s us or Manchin, @POTUS #BidenChooseUs

Matthew Miles Goodrich tweeted a photo if a climate protest that include “Biden Lead or We Drown” and added:

Spent 11 hours in jail after protesting for the least cool thing possible - for the Democrats (who are in power) to pass their president’s agenda??

McElrath quoted a tweet from Greg Sargent of The Plum Line:

The idea that Manchin is to blame for killing the billionaires' tax is too convenient. Pelosi privately slammed the proposal hard at a meeting this week, aides tell me. And other Dems are waiting in the cloakroom to kill it w/no fingerprints.

McElrath added:

Thank you, @ThePlumLineGS. Much of what is happening to water down this legislation is political theater. Manchin and Sinema wouldn’t be getting away with this level of obstruction unless there was greater support for their actions within the caucus and leadership

In the same thread McElrath quoted the starting tweet of a thready by Dr. Thrasher, a professor at Northwestern University:

Lyndon Johnson would have dragged every one of Manchin’s & Sinema’s skeletons out of their closets, blackmailed them with them, cut off their donors, shamed them publicly & forced them to support his agenda. Bipartisan Biden is a BAD retail politician WITHIN his party!

McElrath added:

There are sticks to be used—some gathered by “opposition researchers” hired by Dem leadership to know our own lawmakers’ vulnerabilities—and an endless variety and quantity of carrots to be offered. Too many people have watched too much West Wing. I’ll just say this: I was punished more severely by national level Dem operatives for doing comms consulting for a local congressional candidate the DCCC didn’t want to win then Manchin or Sinema have been. Make that make sense.

McElrath offered another tweet:

Many of my generation who were activists have been fortunate: we lived at the right time both to witness progress and to receive some degree of resulting gratitude. Most of those on whose shoulders we stood didn’t. This is a different time. This is a time to become shoulders.