Senate Races to Watch – and Candidates to Support – in 2024

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Since shortly after the 2020 election, Democrats have held a slim majority in the Senate. This has allowed the Biden-Harris Administration to confirm 175 federal justices all over the country and pass significant legislation that would not have passed under a GOP-controlled body. Furthermore, gaining control of the Senate conferred majority leadership on New York […]

Index to the Eighth Year

| Future,Past,Present

Thank you for your interest in these blog posts! Here is a listing by topic for posts since October 2022. (Some posts appear in more than one category.) Social and Racial Justice, Diversity Resources and Some Good News For Black History Month 2023, 2/10/23 Celebrating Women’s History Month: A Reading List, 3/24/23 Science Meets Religion: […]

Biden-Harris Rail Improvements in Red States

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Thirty-two states will soon benefit from 63 rail projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in late 2021 by the Biden-Harris Administration. According to a press release by the Department of Transportation (DOT), the “Law includes the first-ever dedicated grant program to help communities eliminate points where railroad tracks intersect with roads, which have […]

Index to the Seventh Year

| Future,Past,Present

Thank you for your interest in these blog posts! Here is a listing by topic for posts since October 2021. (Some topics overlap.)   Social and Racial Justice, Diversity Honoring the Wampanoags Today and Moving Toward a More Perfect Union, November 26, 2021 Suggested Readings for Black History Month: The Self-Education of White Americans, February […]

Current Poll Numbers in Close Senate Midterm Races

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Earlier we discussed Democratic Senate candidates for some of the close contests in the 2022 midterm primaries and November election. Here we will revisit those candidates vis-à-vis current polling and fundraising. Pundits routinely predict that Democrats will lose both the House and Senate: some of us hope they are dead wrong in their predictions. If […]

Checking in on Biden’s Judicial Appointments and Confirmations

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According to Ballotpedia, “During his one term in office, President Donald Trump (R) nominated 274 individuals to federal judgeships. Trump made 245 judicial appointments. Of those appointments, 234 were Article III judges [which are confirmed by the Senate and serve for life]. Trump withdrew eight nominees and 143 received no vote from the Senate.” An […]

A Time of Contrasts, A Time for Prayer

| Future,Present

We are living in a time of enormous contrasts. On the positive side, we are finally seeing the rates of COVID-19 fall (although there are still warnings of a possible surge), along with rates of vaccination going up (although plateauing in some places). We can be grateful that our vaccines are being shared with people […]

Where the US Stands: A Sampling of Comparative Quality-of-Life Statistics

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It is advisable and instructive to periodically take stock of where we as a nation stand when it comes to quality-of-life issues. We have done this off and on over the past five years. Comparing ourselves and how we are doing to our sister nations can and should prompt us to do some self-reflection, to […]