Mid-Morning Reads for National Cocktail Day (March 24)
Hello and happy Wednesday! We’re almost half of the way through the week, and it’s National Cocktail Day. Forbes has a list of 10 cocktails to try (but maybe not all today). If mocktails are more your thing, WCCB out of Charlotte has you covered.
Last night, Georgia’s own Flannery O’Connor (who I reference every week in my version of the Morning Reads) was the topic of an American Masters episode, which you can see in full here. Hooray for public television, am I right? Bonus: Alice Walker is in it, too!
Let’s get on to the news, shall we?
Pat Conroy
- If you are over the age of 16, you are eligible to get a COVID shot in Georgia starting Thursday, so sign up now before all the slots are gone. (Alternate link.)
- Governor Kemp signed a small tax cut into law yesterday, though it may be negated due to the fact Georgia will accept federal stimulus funds.
- Georgians will now get to vote next year on whether or not we should continue paying two insurance commissioners, even though only one is doing the job. The only correct answer is “no.” (Alternate link.)
- Here’s where the voting restriction bills stand in the state legislature as of now.
- The CDC is unable to accurately track vaccine distribution at pharmacies in Georgia due to incompatible systems.
Alice Walker
- After multiple mass shootings in the United States this week, President Biden has called for Congress to pass tighter gun laws.
- While we’ve been primed to believe shootings stopped during the pandemic, 2020 was the most violent year on record for U.S. gun deaths in several decades. (Alternate link.)
- A new report has found that Facebook waited too late to implement its campaign to tackle misinformation about the 2020 election.
- The Justice Department has filed new evidence showing coordination between the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys during the January 6th insurrection.
- Bipartisan support for the Democrats’ voting rights package in the Senate is highly unlikely.
- Health and Human Services has asked to house unaccompanied migrant minors at two military bases in Texas.
- There are two main reasons for the surge at the border, according to migrants who have recently crossed: COVID and the 2020 hurricane season.
- The huge container ship currently blocking the Suez Canal will likely cause a spike in oil prices. (Alternate link.)
- The Myanmar junta freed hundreds of anti-coup protestors in hopes of placating them. Then, they shot and killed a seven year-old.
- It looks like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fall short of the votes needed to stay in power.
- The New York Times has looked into how China illegally provides North Korea with oil. (Alternate link.)
- Two UK studies released today have found that women in their 40s and 50s are more likely to suffer longterm symptoms from COVID, particularly fatigue and brain fog. Can confirm, folks. Can confirm…
Flannery O’Connor
- A Georgia man will serve a year in jail for chopping down 100-year old oak trees in Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park for their lumber.
About Author
Holly Croft
Holly is an archivist at one of Georgia's institutions of higher learning. In a past life, she was a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill. She cares a lot about records management, open records laws, and privacy laws. Political persuasion? It's complicated. What's not complicated is that she's proudly equal parts Bulldog and Tar Heel.
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RE: Georgia’s New Tax Cuts
As a Republic of 50 states, each state is responsible for its finances. Yet, the current Federal administration feels that it now has priority over each state’s budget. This is yet another chapter in a discussion that has spanned over at least 240 years.
Please see: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/03/the-biden-administration-is-coercing-the-states-ohio-is-fighting-back/
From the American Rescue :
“(c) Requirements.—
“(1) USE OF FUNDS.—Subject to paragraph (2), and except as provided in paragraph (3), a State, territory, or Tribal government shall only use the funds provided under a payment made under this section, or transferred pursuant to section 603(c)(4), to cover costs incurred by the State, territory, or Tribal government, by December 31, 2024—
“(A) to respond to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;
“(B) to respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID–19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers of the State, territory, or Tribal government that are performing such essential work, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work;
“(C) for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such State, territory, or Tribal government due to the COVID–19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year of the State, territory, or Tribal government prior to the emergency; or
“(D) to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/text#toc-HA2014788068F45DFB8DF03D5E72AFEE7
I agree with Congress, tax cuts would benefit those who are richer the most. Rich folks/corporations got a lot of money from the first two bills.
If the states do not like it, then they can refuse the money.
Georgians will now get to vote next year on whether or not we should continue paying two secretaries of state, even though only one is doing the job. The only correct answer is “no.” (Alternate link.)
Insurance commissioners, not SOS.
Oops, that’s right. Thanks for catching the error!
Gerrymandering is a problem without an easy solution. When you create a minority district, the districts around it become whiter.