#Political Divisions

[indizombie]

The Uvalde massacre will not end the partisan warfare that engulfs the country, but it highlights the depth of our political divisions with a moral clarity that is too often missing from a political world that is too often portrayed as sport, complete with winners and losers of the latest news cycle. There are real people affected by public policy, legislative and legal decisions and the narratives we share to rationalize the unspeakable. When children can be mercilessly slaughtered in school and the majority's political will to take constructive action is stymied by a small group of politicians, donors and special interests, we cannot expect our democracy to survive. We cannot endure political business as usual.

Peniel Joseph, ‘What Steve Kerr and Beto O'Rourke are exposing for all the world to see’, CNN

#CNN #Peniel Joseph #United States #Uvalde massacre #Robb Elementary School shooting #partisan warfare #political divisions #moral clarity #news cycle #public policy #legislative and legal decisions #constructive action #special interests #donors #politicians #democracy #political business as usual

[xtruss]

Too Hot to Work? America's Next Big Labor Battle

— By Giulia Carbonaro | August 14, 2023

A Newsweek photo graphic showing, from left, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Newsweek; Source Photo; Brandon Bell/Getty; Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP Via Getty; Angelo Merendino/Getty Images

American workers are dying, local businesses are reporting a drop in productivity, and the country's economy is losing billions all because of one problem: the heat.

July was the hottest month on record on our planet, according to scientists. This entire summer, so far, has been marked by scorching temperatures for much of the U.S. South, with the thermometer reaching triple digits in several places in Texas between June and July.

In that same period, at least two people died in the state while working under the stifling heat enveloping Texas, a 35-year-old utility lineman, and a 66-year-old USPS carrier. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 36 work-related deaths due to environmental heat exposure in 2021, the latest data available. This was a drop from 56 deaths in 2020, and the lowest number since 2017.

"Workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk of heat stress," Kathleen Conley, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Newsweek. "Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Heat can also increase the risk of injuries in workers as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and dizziness. Burns may also occur as a result of accidental contact with hot surfaces or steam."

While there is a minimum working temperature in the U.S., there's no maximum working temperature set by law at a federal level. The CDC makes recommendations for employers to avoid heat stress in the workplace, but these are not legally binding requirements.

The Biden administration has tasked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with updating its worker safety policies in light of the extreme heat. But the federal standards could take years to develop—leaving the issue in the hands of individual states.

Things aren't moving nearly as fast as the emergency would require—and it's the politics around the way we look at work, the labor market, and the rights of workers in the U.S. that is slowing things down.

A Deep Political Divide

"There's remarkably little in terms of regulation, and of course, given our divided political views in this country—on the right, Republicans in general, are trying to resist more regulation that's premised on continuing global warming," Gregory DeFreitas, Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of Labor and Democracy at Hofstra University, New York, told Newsweek.

There's a bill, initially introduced in 2019 and now revived by Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a Democrat, that would move in the direction of setting a federal standard for temperature levels, and other heat-related requirements.

The Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act would create a universal heat standard requirement through OSHA for workers threatened by hot working conditions.

"No worker should have to endure life-threatening heat to provide for their family. This would be an important step to protect Ohio workers on the job," said Brown in a statement available on his website. "We know too many workers still work in dangerous conditions, putting their health and safety on the line every day to provide for their families. There's not much dignity in a job where you fear for your health or your life."

Newsweek has contacted Brown for comment by phone but did not receive a response.

"Given the political divisions, it's hard to say what its chances of passage are, although you'd think that another record-setting year in heat would put more pressure on taking similar action," DeFreitas said.

Members of the Hays County Emergency Service Districts and the Kyle and Buda Fire Departments rest together while combatting a wildfire during an excessive heat warning on August 08, 2023 in Hays County, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

This political division over safety regulations in the workplace, according to DeFreitas, started during Donald Trump's presidency. "The minute Trump got in office, he declared war on regulations," he said. "In 2017, he cut OSHA's job safety rules, employers were not required to make as frequent accident reports, there were to be no surprise inspections of factories and workplaces," he said.

"As a result what you have is a weakened federal agency, but that fits with the idea of deregulating businesses and giving them more freedom—the so-called voluntary self-regulation, which was common under both the Bush and the Trump administration."

He added: "That's a deep philosophical orientation of the current Republican Party, regardless of what the dangers are, whether it is climate change or anything else, they want to cut as much regulation and regulatory steps as they can." Newsweek contacted OSHA but did not receive a prompt response.

Billions Up in Smoke

As well as harming or losing people, the country is losing money to the heat.

According to a recent study by the Adrienne-Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, housed at the Atlantic Council, the U.S. is already losing approximately $100 billion on average every year from the drop in labor productivity caused by the current level of heat.

That's "approximately the annual budget for the Department of Homeland Security ($51.7 billion) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development ($44.1 billion) combined (U.S. Government Publishing Office 2019)," researchers write.

The study estimates that, if no significant effort is made to reduce emissions or adapt to extreme heat, labor productivity losses could double to nearly $200 billion by 2030 and reach $500 billion by 2050.

For labor experts, there's no doubt that the extreme heat, which is becoming more frequent due to climate change and our collective failure to bring down carbon emissions on a global level, calls for drastic changes in the way Americans work.

"It's a huge but under-appreciated issue that we're dealing with, not just with outdoor workers, but also oil and gas field workers, people working in warehouses, construction workers," Kurt Shickman, director of Extreme Heat Initiatives at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, told Newsweek. "It's a huge swath of our economy that's already increasingly affected by the heat today."

When it's really hot outside, people work more slowly and they are more prone to make mistakes and have accidents, said Shickman. "You may have situations where the weather is so dangerous that you just physically can't have people outside, so you lose work hours," he added.

"We're going to need all kinds of dramatic changes in terms of factory design, warehouse design, and workplace design," said DeFreitas. "The bill is going to be very, very high unless we do something dramatic soon."

Shickman thinks that change is going to depend on regulation. "I don't think we can count on this being self-policed by businesses. It hasn't been so far."

A State-Level Battle

In the immediate future, protecting workers from heat stress—when it's so hot that the body can't keep its ideal internal temperature and can suffer heat stroke and exhaustion—is then up to state lawmakers and the businesses themselves.

California, for example, has set a maximum temperature at which outdoor workers can safely do their job, as well as introducing other regulations aimed at protecting employees, like more frequent periods in the shade and water breaks. More action has been taken in this direction in a handful of states including Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and New York.

But while states like California have succeeded in introducing effective safety regulations, in other states similar attempts have been rebuffed by the opposition of industry groups and lobbyists.

In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott recently approved a law rescinding city and county ordinances requiring mandatory water breaks for construction workers—a move that generated much controversy and backlash from Texas Democrats. Supporters of the bill, on the other hand, said the law will help rein in local and county officials that have exceeded their authority and will give small businesses the consistency they need to invest and grow.

Heat waves cause distortion on the horizon as a pedestrian walks along South Las Vegas Blvd in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 30, 2023, as temperatures reach more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP Via Getty Images

In Nevada, lawmakers for months have put off giving final approval to heat safety regulations adopted by OSHA, as the state's Department of Business and Industry discusses the concerns of industry groups over the new policies, as reported by The Washington Post.

"With our workers outside during extreme heat, requiring basic water and rest breaks is just common sense—and it will save lives," Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, told Newsweek. "As we continue to experience record heat waves, we need to hold employers accountable and protect workers across the country."

The Cost of Change

Investing in making the workplace safer for employees might cost companies more than they're willing to spend, even as they are losing workers' productivity and hours.

"A lot of the generalized skilled work, what we would call lower skilled work, is in warehouses," Lindsey Cameron, an assistant professor of management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, told Newsweek. "Warehouses are big, massive football fields. It costs a lot of money and a lot of infrastructure to try to cool down. And sometimes it's just impossible because you have all these trucks going in and out and people going in and out."

Some businesses have already moved to protect their workers from heat, knowing that the cost of ignoring the issue could eventually be higher than trying to fix it.

A construction worker moves materials as people sit and drink water along the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on July 27, 2023, as temperatures are expected to reach record highs. Brenden Smialowski/AFP Via Getty Images

Jose Garza, the national environmental health and safety leader at California-headquartered general contractor DPR Construction, told Newsweek that the company—which has over 10,000 employees—has implemented heat safety procedures that go beyond the state-mandated regulation, including introducing cooling stations, handing out electrolyte drinks, and giving more breaks to workers.

"We see it as the cost of taking care of people and the right thing to do," he said. "You can either plan for it or react to it, because if you're not planning for it, those breaks are going to happen when the worker is no longer able to work, when they're sick, when they're well beyond the point where their bodies are unable to cool themselves down."

Garza said that employers who care about their workers should go "above and beyond" available regulation to protect them from heat.

'A Long Time' Coming

Experts agree that change won't come from the businesses—and will likely not come soon unless there's committed political action.

"It's really going to take both state and federal movement on this," DeFreitas said. "And I'm hoping that certainly in states like New York, where there does seem to be more attention to workplace safety, that they can move in the direction of the federal bill that's now stuck in progress."

"I don't think the United States has such a great backbone when it comes to climate issues," said Cameron. "We pulled out of the Paris Agreement [under former President Trump in 2017, but rejoined in 2021 under President Joe Biden]. I think there's going to be a lot more attention given to climate change, but it may take a long time to be able to see those changes."

#Newsweek #Too Hot Climate #America’s 🇺🇸 Next Big Labor Battle #Giulia Carbonaro #Scortching Heat #U.S. South #Texas #Bureau of Labor Statistics #Kathleen Conley #Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) #Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) #Political Divisions #Republicans #Gregory DeFreitas #Study of Labor and Democracy at Hofstra University | New York #Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio (D) #The Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act #Adrienne-Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center #Department of Homeland Security #Department of Housing and Urban Development #Kurt Shickman #Minnesota | Washington | Oregon | New York #Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) #Nevada #The Washington Post #Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D)

[worldwatcher3072]

Bridging the Divide:

Combating Partisan Polarization in American Politics

In the realm of American politics, a shadow looms large – a shadow cast by the growing chasm of partisan polarization. As our nation grapples with complex challenges and opportunities, the stark divide between political parties threatens to stifle progress and compromise. In this blog post, we delve into the depths of this issue and explore potential strategies to bridge the gap and combat the corrosive effects of partisan polarization.

The Roots of Partisan Polarization

Partisan polarization isn't a new phenomenon, but its intensity and impact have become increasingly evident in recent years. Rooted in a multitude of factors, including ideological differences, media echo chambers, and gerrymandered districts, this polarization has created an environment where collaboration takes a back seat to confrontation.

The Consequences of Polarization

The consequences of partisan polarization are far-reaching. Legislative gridlock, where policy-making grinds to a halt due to an inability to find common ground, has become all too familiar. Public trust in institutions erodes as citizens witness their elected officials engaged in seemingly endless ideological battles, often at the expense of meaningful governance. Moreover, polarization can hinder innovative solutions to pressing issues, leaving critical problems unresolved.

Combating Partisan Polarization: Strategies for Unity

While the challenge of partisan polarization is daunting, it is not insurmountable. Here are some strategies that could help bridge the divide and promote more constructive dialogue and cooperation:

Promote Civility and Respect: Leaders from both sides of the aisle must set an example by engaging in civil and respectful discourse. Constructive debates and disagreements can lead to better solutions, but they should be grounded in mutual respect and a commitment to finding common ground.

Encourage Cross-Party Collaboration: Establish platforms and initiatives that encourage members of different parties to work together on shared goals. Cross-party alliances can demonstrate the potential for compromise and foster a culture of cooperation.

Foster Media Literacy: Educating citizens about media literacy can help counter the echo chamber effect, where individuals are exposed only to information that reinforces their existing beliefs. Encouraging critical thinking and a diverse range of news sources can lead to a more informed and well-rounded public discourse.

Address Gerrymandering: Redistricting reform can help mitigate the impact of gerrymandered districts, which often contribute to polarization by creating safe seats for one party or the other. Independent commissions and transparent processes can lead to more competitive elections and encourage candidates to appeal to a broader spectrum of voters.

Promote Civic Engagement: Encouraging citizens to actively participate in the political process can help counter apathy and disengagement. When people are actively involved, they become more invested in finding common ground and advocating for solutions that benefit everyone.

A Shared Responsibility

The task of combating partisan polarization is not solely the responsibility of politicians or policymakers. It is a collective effort that requires the engagement of citizens, communities, and institutions across the nation. By recognizing the dangers of polarization and committing to fostering a more inclusive and collaborative political environment, we can work toward a future where the United States thrives through unity, understanding, and progress.

In conclusion, while the challenge of partisan polarization is significant, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. By embracing a spirit of cooperation, promoting civility, and fostering a culture of open dialogue, we can begin to heal the divisions that threaten our democracy. Let us remember that the strength of our nation lies not just in our differences, but in our ability to come together for the greater good.

#Partisan Polarization #Political Divisions #Bipartisanship #Civic Engagement #Cross-Party Collaboration #Legislative Gridlock #Media Literacy #Gerrymandering #Unity in Politics #Political Discourse #Civility and Respect #Redistricting Reform #Democracy #Inclusive Politics #Public Trust #Political Compromise #Media Influence #Political Reconciliation #Constructive Dialogue #Common Ground

[contemplatingoutlander]

America has legislated itself into competing red, blue versions of education

This is an excellent article in The Washington Post about how our school systems have begun to reflect the political divisions in our nation, with many red states legally banning discussions on racism, sexism, and gender issues, and many blue states legally requiring those kinds of discussions. This is a gift🎁link, so anyone can read the entire article, even if the don't subscribe to the Post. Below are some excerpts:

Three-fourths of the nation’s school-aged students are now educated under state-level measures that either require more teaching on issues like race, racism, history, sex and gender, or which sharply limit or fully forbid such lessons, according to a sweeping Post review of thousands of state laws, gubernatorial directives and state school board policies. The restrictive laws alone affect almost half of all Americans aged 5 to 19. [...] The divide is sharply partisan. The vast majority of restrictive laws and policies, close to 9o percent, were enacted in states that voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, The Post found. Meanwhile, almost 80 percent of expansive laws and policies were enacted in states that voted for Joe Biden in 2020.

The explosion of laws regulating school curriculums is unprecedented in U.S. history for its volume and scope, said Jonathan Zimmerman, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies education history and policy...states have never before stepped in so aggressively to set rules for local schools. [...] [A] nationally representative study from the Rand Corp. released this year found that 65 percent of K-12 teachers report they are limiting instruction on “political and social issues.” “What the laws show is that we have extremely significant differences over how we imagine America,” Zimmerman said. [...] In practice, these divisions mean that what a child learns about, say, the role slavery played in the nation’s founding — or the possibility of a person identifying as nonbinary — may come to depend on whether they live in a red or blue state. [...] Almost 40 percent of these laws work by granting parents greater control of the curriculum — stipulating that they must be able to review, object to or remove lesson material, as well as opt out of instruction. [...] Another almost 40 percent of the laws forbid schools from teaching a long list of often-vague concepts related to race, sex or gender.

[...] At the college level, among the measures passed in recent years is a 2021 Oklahoma law that prohibits institutions of higher education from holding “mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling,” as well as any “orientation or requirement that presents any form of race or sex stereotyping.” By contrast, a 2023 California measure says state community college faculty must employ “teaching, learning and professional practices” that reflect “anti-racist principles.”

Some experts predicted the politically divergent instruction will lead to a more divided society. “When children are being taught very different stories of what America is, that will lead to adults who have a harder time talking to each other,” said Rachel Rosenberg, a Hartwick College assistant professor of education.

#us education #political division #red states #blue states #censorship #racism #sexism #gender issues #the washington post #gift link

[awesomecooperlove]

💥💥💥

#politics #lies #mind control #destruction #division #planned wars #organised crimes #crimes against humanity #these people are evil #speaktruth #fight for justice #standup #speak up #truth #please share #wwg1wga #MAGA

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Loud cheers erupted inside a packed high school gymnasium after the Brandon School Division rejected a call to remove books dealing with sexuality and gender identity from libraries.

[...]

The school division was inundated with calls, letters and emails after a delegation at its May 8 meeting, led by former school trustee and grandmother Lorraine Hackenschmidt, called on the division to set up a committee to review the content of books available in school libraries, and remove titles deemed inappropriate, including "any books that caused our kids to question whether they are in the wrong body."

Before the vote, board chair Linda Ross said there were many "errors and untruths" in Hackenschmidt's presentation.

Ross said that by denying the possibility that people could feel like they are born in the wrong body, "you are denying the reality of others. Because it is not your experience does not mean that it is not the reality of others."

Full article

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#cdnpoli #canadian politics #canadian news #canada #canadian #brandon #manitoba #brandon school division #libraries #education #homophobia #transphobia #homophobia tw #transphobia tw #library books

[sparring-spirals]

i wanted to wait until i actually caught up and watched it to make this post because i dont know if it actually applies but. since idk When That Will Be. im putting a note here for future me to SOMEDAY. take the time to chew over the ashton shard choice juxtaposed against beau in the hag hut. sacrifices where you think its fine if you make the call (but you forget the scarifice isnt just yours, but the people who care about you). Its not a 1-1, not at all, but. I feel like theres something there and also i will Die on my Ashton And Beau Reflect Each Other Surprisingly Often hill. anyway. someday. that will happen. okay back to radio silence. i hope Bell's Hells have some fucking crunchy conversations.

#idk if i should tag this. this is for me and bc i miss writing meta but also am not getting caught up anytime soon probably :'( #ashton #beauregard #c3e77 #? #spar speaks #for me #if i remember that tag lmao #anyway hope everyone is doing well!!! ive been glancing at meta but i think i need to actually watch the scene to get a good handle on #anything bc this situation is. lmao #divisive. to say the least #but i love crunchy choices so #are we at the point in the campaign where the BH doing their polite 'take it in stride work around each other w/o communicating' conflict #resolution has finally come to its stress point. sexy. spicy. love that. #c2e93

[rahabs]

The Tudors ran so Wulf Hall could shuffle awkwardly around reiterating the same tired old Tudor stereotypes while claiming to be something new.

#It's so funny but as a historian I will genuinely defend 'The Tudors' to the death even with all its problems #Because it did was so few other Tudor shows/movies/media have ever done #And that is: it focused on things BEYOND just Henry and his wives. #Yes Henry was the focal point which makes SENSE but that's just it: #HENRY was the focal point. Most other Tudor media pieces have one of the wives (usually Catherine/Anne) as the focus and doesn't delve muc #Into the history or what was happening in England beyond the King's Great Matter. #The Tudors went ALL out. Yes they didn't get everything right but the fact that they tried and spotlighted so many other #Historical characters and events? The Pilgrimage of Grace? Actually LOOKING at the religious issues even if they weren't always accurate? #(Like with Aske for example. BUT AT LEAST THEY INCLUDED ROBERT ASKE like good lord it's like other Tudor media forgets everything else) #Focusing on Cromwell but also the Seymour brothers? The politics behind Henry? Even Brandon as annoying as his storylines could get. #Even smaller characters like Tallis and Gardiner and other Reformation and Counter-Reformation figures. #The fact that they featured the Reformation and Counter-Reformation AT ALL let alone tried to dive into the complexities of England's #religious crises. The burning of Anne Askew even? People having to navigate England's increasingly unstable religious situations? #The series hit its peak after the CoA/Anne stuff was over imho. Yes Cranmer and Norfolk annoyingly vanished despite being major figures in #the R/CR and they combined Mary and Margaret but god the Tudors did SO MUCH that NO OTHER PIECE OF TUDORS MEDIA has EVER DONE. #It looked BEYOND Henry BEYOND his wives and tried to paint a comprehensive pictur of a deeply troubling and divisive time in English histor #And it did so without demonising one side and it was just so good for so many reasons that I forgive its errors because damn did they TRY. #Tried in a way no one else ever has (no Wulf Hall did not I'm sorry) #(Wulf Hall was just the same old stereotypes rehashed and branded as something 'original' because it was from Cromwell's POV but again. #Same old stereotypes. Nothing actually original about anything else.) #The Tudors is so underrated for what it tried to do and what it achieved and I am reaching the tag limit but UGH god. Amazing. #Not even getting into how wonderful they were with Mary Tudor/Mary I herself and showing figures around her #Because that would be another tag essay considering the subject of my thesis. #Flawed but wonderful. #text #chey.txt

[generalelectionmusings]

#stop the boats #divisive #hate #politics #tory #uk #conservative party #nasty party #ukpol

[un-pearable]

Civil War (2024) is a mechanically good film but the commitment to not stoking real world political tensions in a movie about the potential consequences of those tensions leaves a gaping hole in its worldbuilding and reduces its impact to just. a series of melodramatic images of “what if the bad war happened here”. completely declawing any potential impact it could have had for the sake of not being controversial

#literally saw an interview where they were talking about the shot where the lincoln memorial was blown up s #with the host saying jokingly that the message was ‘don’t blow up the lincoln memorial’ bd the director LAUGHED #and that just summarizes the whole movie #like yeah it’s a joke but the commitment to not explaining WHY there was a secession movement and WHY everyone was divided meant it really i #is just a toothless ‘don’t make the country at war 🙂 because then all those scary war crimes we see in other countries would happen here. #wouldn’t it be scary if someone bombed the white house :0’ #text✨ #like the moment i heard that the main conceit was texas and california teamed up bc the writer/director didn’t want to make the conflict #‘too real’ i knew it would be lackluster. dude you clearly do not understand the cultural divide there. #AND THE FLAG????? BOTH THOSE STATES ARE TOO OBSESSED WITH THIER OWN FLAGS AND HOSTORY AS FORMERLY INDPENDENT REPUBLICA #THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE A SINGLE FLAG let alone one as boring as that. it shows that the dude is not from here #for this kind of political commentary you need to understand the cultural context and history to our politics not just the recent years of #ooooooo political division scary :( #:/ idk man. the character parts were good but the message is nonexistent bc they didn’t want to do the one thing political movies should do

[orbdotexe]

I feel like seeing the Young Wolf outside of their armor is very similar but opposite vibes to seeing someone you're close to who you know does retail but have never seen at work, slip into their Customer Service voice.

As far as you're concerned, they're a commanding presence. Very respectable, very powerful, but clearly a kind-at-heart person willing to help anyone in need, even if they have a colder exterior, but you've never have you seen anything past that-

-and all of the sudden that person's in casual clothes, dealing out the worst puns you have ever heard that really makes you want to throw your wrench at them so things go back to making sense about them

#the young wolf #destiny 2 #this one isn't about Ruin either. just my view of canon YW #i know i said i'd have Barside Politics out a day or two ago and im sorry but. i forgot entirely. #and my brain is everywhere BUT Fallen Division rn #so have this shitpost instead #@the person who told me to keep thinking LMAO

[springforaspell]

The movie is definitely not above criticism and there are plenty of valid reasons to be upset — and everyone is definitely entitled to their opinions and should be free to voice those opinions — but I think some of y’all need to admit that you wouldn’t have been happy with any adaptation that isn’t pulled word for word from the book or directly from your imagination.

This movie has a lot of good in it that I feel isn’t being recognized because people want to focus on the gripes. Which…fair enough. I get it. There were some changes that I wish hadn’t been made.

But I feel like the point of adaptations is really flying over some heads, and people aren’t giving the film the chance to be appreciated for what it is and what it accomplishes well.

#adaptations have to be marketable to a wider audience #not just to fans of the book #and so changes have to be made to package the story into a cohesive picture #with a reasonable run time that won’t automatically turn casual viewers away #and while rwrb would better function as a mini series #i don’t think a wider audience would have necessarily tolerated a mini series or a 3 hour long film #same with the more quote divisive unquote politics with Richards #although fuck republicans #red white and royal blue #rwrb movie #rwrb spoilers #rwrb

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Taken from 'How To Stay Sane In An Age Of Division' by Elif Shafak.

#booklr #books #bookblr #book #quotes #book quotes #quotations #quote #book quote #how to stay sane in an age of division #elif shafak #non fiction #nonfiction #essays #politics

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled yesterday that portions of Texas Senate Bill 1, adopted in September 2021, violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The court found that parts of S.B. 1 require officials to reject mail-in ballot applications and mail-in ballots based on errors or omissions that are not material in determining whether voters are qualified under Texas law to vote or cast a mail ballot.

“The District Court’s decision affirms what the Justice Department has argued for nearly two years: these provisions of Texas Senate Bill 1 unlawfully restrict the ability of eligible Texas voters to vote by mail and to have that vote counted,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to defend against unlawful efforts that undermine the right to vote and restrict participation in our democracy.”

“In requiring rejection of mail ballots and mail ballot applications from eligible voters based on minor paperwork errors or omissions, Texas Senate Bill 1 violates the Civil Rights Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This ruling sends a clear message that states may not impose unlawful and unnecessary requirements that disenfranchise eligible voters seeking to participate in our democracy. The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to protect all Americans’ right to vote and to ensure that their voices are heard.”

“The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights in our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This important ruling protects the rights of eligible Texas voters to cast a vote and have it counted consistent with federal law.”

The court issued a preliminary ruling yesterday in favor of the United States’ motion for summary judgment, which asserts that two provisions of S.B. 1 violate Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act by requiring rejection of mail ballots and mail ballot request forms because of paperwork errors that are not material to establishing a voter’s eligibility to cast a ballot. The first provision requires that early voting clerks “shall reject” mail ballot applications that do not include a Texas driver’s license or ID number that identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” The second provision provides that a mail ballot “may be accepted only if” the ID numbers on the carrier envelope or signature sheet identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.”

Section 5.07 requires that early voting clerks “shall reject” mail ballot applications that do not include a Department of Public Safety (DPS) number or the last four digits of a Social Security Number (SSN) that identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” Section 5.13 provides that a mail ballot “may be accepted only if” the DPS number or last four digits of an SSN on the carrier envelope or signature sheet identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.”

The United States presented evidence to the court that S.B. 1 has resulted in Texas election officials rejecting tens of thousands of mail ballot applications and mail ballots cast in elections since the bill was enacted in 2021. The Department asserts that these rejections violate federal law, denying Texas voters the statutory right to vote protected by Section 101.

Yesterday’s preliminary ruling from the court grants the Justice Department’s motion for summary judgment, which the Department filed in May 2023, in its entirety. The decision addresses the Justice Department’s sole pending claim in La Unión del Pueblo Entero v. Abbott, No. 5:21-cv-844 (WDTX), a case in which the United States and several private parties are challenging various aspects of S.B. 1. The court noted that the ruling will be followed in the coming weeks by a final written opinion and order. A group of private plaintiffs will be going to trial on the remaining claims in the case, which have not yet been resolved. That trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 11.

Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling [phone].

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the voting rights of all Americans is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

#us politics #news #department of justice #office of public affairs #2023 #texas #biden administration #U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas #Texas Senate Bill 1 #Civil Rights Act of 1964 #merrick garland #Kristen Clarke #Civil Rights Division #Jaime Esparza #vote by mail #mail in ballots #La Unión del Pueblo Entero v. Abbott

[awesomecooperlove]

⏱️⚖️🍿

#exposing the deep state’s puppets #dirty politics #corruption #bribes #blackmail #murders #planned wars #destruction #organised crimes #hatred #racism #division #violence #crimes against humanity #these people are evil #speaktruth #fight for justice #standup #speak up #truth #please share #wwg1wga #MAGA

[theology101]

Today’s my birthday, im working on getting a degree in politics and I have some empathy issues should I be concerned?

#ides of march #julius caesar #caesar #Legit after reading his commentaries #i would follow julius ceasar to death #He took a republic on the brink of destruction and without breaking a single rule til Rubicon beat it into an inch of its life #and then he raised it back up #idk huge respect for him #and his political agenda and policies were pretty good #like for their time #the internal divisions and shit