We rethink the week with Val Endress, professor of political communications, Rhode Island College; Dean Spiliotis, Civic Scholar and Presidential Scholar at Southern New Hampshire University; and Rick Newman, lobbyist and former NH state representative.
RESPECTING WOMEN — NO EXCUSES!
We discuss AOC’s brilliant explanation of why paternalism has got to stop, in our government and in the rest of the country (and world). AOC had been treated terribly by the “old-boy network,” in the form of Rep. Ted Yoho. Yoho couldn’t bring himself to have a respectful conversation with a woman on the issues. Instead he escalated to yelling at her, abusing her verbally, and muttering barnyard epithets.
On the floor of the House, AOC reminded us all that, even in 2020, women are still being excluded, looked down upon, their ideas ignored and their persons demeaned. We agreed with AOC that such behavior is simply unacceptable and that perpetrators will be held accountable.
CHOOSING MONEY OVER LIVES, EVEN IN A PANDEMIC
We admonished Trump and the Republicans for refusing to fully support the medical experts and scientists in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. They have shown too little concern for the human beings whose lives will be lost or significantly damaged because of the government’s failure to act clearly and consistently to fight the virus and protect the public.
Instead, Trump and his Republican allies have focused their concern on speeding up the reopening of the economy. They can’t tolerate the possibility that our public health policies might cause Wall Street and large corporations to lose any part of their profits. We will have to wait until November to find out if these Republican values can withstand a more humane approach from the Democrats.
WILL TRUMP’S STORM TROOPERS DESTROY DEMOCRACY?
Finally, we discuss the many ways in which the invasion of Portland by Trump’s private army could be even scarier than people thought. As if the increasing chaos these troops cause weren’t bad enough, real human beings are suffering real harm, both physical and emotional. The public’s ability to trust its government — and particularly its law enforcement personnel — is being badly eroded. The election will have this extra burden to overcome, in addition to COVID-19. Let us hope that our democracy does not slide into the pit of authoritarianism.
