Best Of Luck Mr. President
Best Of Luck Mr. President
Vol. 1, No. 3, January 20th, 2021
As the U.S. presidential inauguration ceremonies begin today, I’ve been more reflective than ever lately. With the stench of the conman still in the White House, I’m apprehensive of the change this next administration plans to bring about. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have a four-fold battle on their hands. They have to lead our nation through a pandemic which doesn’t seem to slow down, neutralize potential domestic terrorism, restart a sluggish economy, and attempt to reverse the damage caused by the last administration. Their work seems impossible and I do not envy them.
Joe Biden’s plan for his first 100 days has been in the works for at least two years. Today, we’ll see how effective said plan can be once implemented. Even with the slight majority in Congress by the Democrats, it will be an uphill battle to see many campaign promises come to fruition. The Biden administration plans on tackling climate change, overhaul the immigration system while giving undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, eliminating systemic racism from policies and laws, repeal the 2017 tax cuts, and push to pass the “Equality Bill”. President Biden’s day-one promises include reversals from executive orders signed by the last person in the White House. Some include rejoining the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accords, while also repealing the ban on almost all travel from Muslim-majority countries.
Similar to President Obama’s first term in office, we could potentially see a shift in Congress and blockage of these plans due to mid-term elections. With what Georgia was able to do through the work of Stacey Abrams, Nse Ufot, and countless others, the House and Senate just may remain Blue to provide Biden the necessary votes for bill passage. Whatever the future holds, I sincerely wish the President luck and will be rooting for his success through these troubled times.
Doing The Work
Teacher uses stimulus check to ensure students eat
Matthew Pierce is a teacher at Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania that decided to use his stimulus check of $1,200 to purchase UberEats gift cards for his students and their families. The global pandemic has brought economic struggles to many families across the nation, but Pierce decided to help out in his own way.
Politics
Ugandan presidential election
To no surprise to anyone, longtime leader of Uganda, Yowerri Museveni was re-elected for a sixth term. Meanwhile his political opponent, singer-turned-politician, Bobi Wine, remains under house arrest. Prior to the election results on Saturday, January 16th, there was an internet blackout imposed by the Ugandan government. Interestingly enough, social media and the web were tools for Wine’s campaign. Wine has alleged election fraud, but states evidence is pending once all paths for communication are restored.
Sports
Kyrie Irving buys a home for the family of George Floyd
According to former NBA player Stephen Jackson, Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving purchased a home for the family of George Floyd. Jackson stated on “The Rematch” podcast that Irving and other celebrities reached out to help Floyd’s family. Irving has been active with social justice efforts such as paying $1.5 million to WNBA players that opted out of the 2020 season and paying for tuition for students of Lincoln University, a historically black institution.
What I’m Listening To
These last few days I’ve been listening to DVSN, who in my humble opinion are criminally underrated as artists. The Canadian group signed to Drake’s OVO record label released a deluxe version of their 2020 album titled, A Muse In Her Feelings. The latest version is titled, Amusing Her Feelings. The double entendres in the title are a sneak peak to their lyrical content. I completed a one hour run while listening to their album and the music matched perfectly with the tempo of the run. Stand out tracks for me are “Use Somebody”, “Miss Me”, “Dangerous City”, and “...Again”.
Notables
On this day in 1870, Hiram R. Revels was the first Black man (and person of color) elected to the U.S. Senate.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.