Today's Liberal News
Postmaster Frazier Baker and his infant daughter were lynched in South Carolina, on Feb. 22, 1898
When we celebrate Black History Month, we should also ensure that we don’t erase its ugly underbelly. Watching the television news shows this weekend as a host of Republican white supremacy supporters and insurrectionists got interviewed, and continued to spew lies, I was thinking about this portrait.
Do you know this family? My guess would be probably you don’t—because so much of Black folks’ history gets erased.
Johnson & Johnson says it can provide 20M vaccine doses by late March
The company has applied to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization.
U.S. surpasses 500,000 Covid deaths
Joe Biden, soon after being sworn in, predicted the nation would hit half a million deaths by the end of February.
Merrick Garland Subtly Rebukes Josh Hawley After Question On Supporting Police
Joe Biden’s attorney general nominee brushed off the senator’s “defund the police” question with a reference to the Jan. 6 riot.
Democrats Are Waltzing Toward an Easily Avoidable Political Disaster With Their COVID Bill
If they don’t act, they’ll give many Americans a surprise tax bill—and every right to be furious.
Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen To Explore ‘Parallel Journeys’ On A New Podcast
Spotify’s “Renegades: Born in the USA,” which debuted Monday, features the two men discussing “their lives, music, and enduring love of America.
Becerra to highlight family’s health struggles at confirmation hearing
He will recall his mother’s life-threatening hemorrhaging during a miscarriage when he was a child during testimony Tuesday.
Democrats Face Make Or Break Moment On Minimum Wage In Next COVID-19 Bill
Other parts of their relief bill would send cash to most households and could reshape the economy for years.
Help! I Teach at a College. Do I Need to Delete My Grindr Profile?
I don’t really want to spend the next four years of my life celibate.
Recent Eruptions on Mount Etna
Mount Etna has erupted four times in the past six days, sending lava down its slopes and showering nearby villages with ash. Etna, on the Italian island of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. No significant damage or injuries have been reported during this recent outburst, and officials have said they do not think there is immediate danger of escalation, but the views have been spectacular.
What’s the Justice Department Actually For?
This time around, Judge Merrick Garland is getting his hearing.Not only is President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general receiving a Senate audience, but his confirmation seems very likely, a second difference from his 2016 nomination to the Supreme Court, which was stymied by then–Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.But there’s still an important question at stake in Garland’s nomination, and if confirmed, in his work as attorney general.
The Real Problem Facing American Cities
It’s not that people are moving out in a pandemic. It’s that nobody new is moving in.
Meghan McCain Puts Her Foot In It With Jaw-Dropping COVID-19 Vaccine Take
“The fact that I, Meghan McCain, co-host of The View, don’t know when or how I will be able to get a vaccine because the rollout for my age range and my health is so nebulous,” she griped on Monday’s show.
The Most Likely Timeline for Life to Return to Normal
Editor’s Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers. Find the collection here. The end of the coronavirus pandemic is on the horizon at last, but the timeline for actually getting there feels like it shifts daily, with updates about viral variants, vaccine logistics, and other important variables seeming to push back the finish line or scoot it forward.
My Sex Life Has Taken a Rousing Late-Night Twist
It’s a bit weird … but what if I don’t want it to stop?
China Is the Myanmar Coup’s ‘Biggest Loser’
Protesters in Yangon have in recent days gathered near the imposing red doors of the Chinese embassy in the city, denouncing China for what they say is its support of this month’s military coup in Myanmar. Conspiracy theories have swirled about the arrival of Chinese technicians to help Myanmar’s new junta build its own “firewall” to control the internet.
Supreme Court to review Trump curbs on abortion clinics, immigration
The court will take up the abortion “gag rule” and public charge policies, both of which Biden is expected to reverse.
Dear Care and Feeding: I’m an Extremely Picky Eater. How Do I Save My Kids From the Same Fate?
Parenting advice on picky eaters, naming disagreements, and kids who are just “a lot.
Biden targets smallest businesses with exclusive aid window
Only businesses with fewer than 20 employees will be able to apply for aid through the massive Paycheck Protection Program.
No Heat or Water, Overflowing Toilets, Disgusting Food: Texas Prisons Went “from Bad to Dire” in Storm
As winter storms overwhelmed Texas, many incarcerated people in the state went days without heat and water, making already grim conditions behind bars even more intolerable for thousands of people. Officials say 33 prisons across the state lost power and 20 had water shortages after the state’s electrical grid failed.
This Is What Deregulation Looks Like: Some Texans Face $10K+ in Electric Bills, Others Still in Dark
When millions of Texans lost power during extreme winter weather, some who were fortunate enough to keep the lights on now face astronomically high energy bills, with people being charged thousands of dollars for just a few days of energy use. The skyrocketing bills are a result of the state’s years-long push to deregulate its energy market, says Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program.
Fossil Fuel Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein on Deadly Deregulation & Why Texas Needs the Green New Deal
Millions of Texans are still suffering after severe winter weather devastated the state’s energy and water systems. About 8 million Texans remain under orders to boil water, and 30,000 homes still have no power. Around 70 deaths have now been linked to the winter storms, including at least 12 people who died inside their homes after losing heat.
‘Exceedingly deep convictions’: Inside Xavier Becerra’s quest for health care for immigrants
Biden’s HHS nominee would have multiple levers to help undocumented workers obtain medical coverage.
It Turns Out People Really Like Throwing Axes During a Pandemic
“Hatchet houses” survived a terrible year by providing a valuable public service.
The Argument for (and Against) Only Forgiving $10,000 of Student Debt
President Biden’s plan would actually do a lot of good—but it could do even more.
It’s Getting Harder for Hallmark to Avoid Politics
From the Capitol riot to LGBTQ representation, reality is intruding on the company’s traditional, conservative fantasy.
Americans Are in a Golden Age of Yelling at Their Local Representatives
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s never been easier to give your mayor an earful.
Tensions start to emerge in Biden’s dance with governors
Some governors are increasingly rankled by federal maneuvers like moving vaccine out of their control, creating early friction as Biden wraps up his first month.
U.S. won’t share vaccine before all Americans receive shots, officials say
Poor countries and global health advocates have been pushing wealthy nations to share some of their supply, warning that the inequitable vaccine rollout could leave them playing catch-up for years.