Today's Liberal News

2020 Seen Through the Lens of Justin Sullivan

Justin Sullivan has been a staff photographer with Getty Images since 2003. Primarily working out of California, Sullivan covered nearly the full spectrum of U.S. news stories in 2020, from the New Hampshire primaries to the early days of the pandemic, through a summer of lockdowns, protests, social distancing, and wildfires, to the November election, and much more.

The Virus Is Showing Black People What They Knew All Along

All skinfolk ain’t kinfolk, but as Black people in America, we still feel a connection with one another. A reciprocated smile as we pass one another on the street; a spontaneous, but still synchronized, “Swag Surfin’” dip at the club; a “Cupid Shuffle” kick at the cookout. Small moments like these reinforce the bond I feel with other Black people.

Trump Plots to Overturn Election: An Attack on Democracy or a Scheme to Make Millions for Himself?

As President Trump continues to look for ways to overturn the 2020 election, he has also continued to raise massive sums of money — over half a billion dollars since mid-October, including more than $250 million since Election Day. The New York Times reports more than $60 million of what Trump raised has gone to a new political action committee that he will control after he leaves office, an unprecedented war chest for an outgoing president.

Black Critical Care Dr. Taison Bell of UVA on Fighting COVID, Racism & Securing Fair Vaccine Access

More than 40 countries have temporarily suspended some or all travel from the United Kingdom after British health officials announced a highly infectious variant of the novel coronavirus has been spreading in the country. South Africa has detected a similar variant. The new variant is believed to be 70% more contagious, but health experts say existing vaccines will still be effective against it.

The Risk of John Kerry Following His Own China Policy

Competition with China will likely be the most difficult foreign-policy issue that President-elect Joe Biden will face. What he decides to lead with and the precise mix of areas in which he engages and confronts Beijing are critically important. This is why Biden’s choice of John Kerry as a special presidential envoy on climate change might create a problem for the incoming president on China policy.

Monday Night Owls: San Antonio’s energy utility vows climate action, but is still plugged into gas

Night Owls, a themed open thread, appears at Daily Kos seven days a week

30 DAYS UNTIL JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE

Dana Drugmand at DeSmog writes—San Antonio’s City-Owned Energy Utility Is Paying a Quarter Million Dollars a Year to Gas Industry Groups:

Deep in the heart of Texas, by far the nation’s top oil producer, the city of San Antonio is starting to grapple with its reliance on fossil fuels.

Easy, thoughtful, low-cost gifts to give during a literal global pandemic

As we lean into the holiday season, we continue to face the novel coronavirus pandemic as a nation. Because the Trump administration consistently fumbled the pandemic response, not only are people staring down a potentially deadly virus, but high unemployment rates, housing and food insecurity, and isolation from friends, family, and coworkers.