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In a completely unsurprising move, President Donald Trump tweeted that he will not be attending President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20. “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,” he wrote this morning. 

With that statement, Trump officially cemented his status as the worst loser in history. The statement also further proves that his bizarre speech on Thursday night, in which he finally admitted defeat and called for “healing and reconciliation,” was concocted in desperation to try to avoid criminal investigations and the invocation of the 25th Amendment. Without those threats, Trump would never have admitted that he lost and would continue to wreak havoc to satisfy his own ego until the final nail goes in his coffin.

While we are not at all surprised that Trump would buck tradition — only three incumbent presidents have not attended their successor’s inauguration in the past, with the last being Pres. Andrew Johnson, in 1869, who was also impeached — we are at least somewhat relieved. Of course, it would have been vastly less destabilizing to the nation to have a “normal” president who follows the protocols of the transfer of power. But since we clearly don’t have that, there’s no sense in expecting Trump to pretend at decorum when we know what his real motives are. 

Even before the presidential election, Trump had long suggested that he may not accept its results if he loses. Once he did lose, decisively, he tried every trick in the book to overturn the election — and still failed. Then, he sent thousands of his supporters to descend upon the U.S. Capitol to terrorize the government and the citizens of Washington, D.C., with utter disregard for people’s lives or livelihoods. Expecting a violence-inciting narcissist, who tried to go against the will of his own people to overturn his own loss, to smile through prayers and poems and speeches extolling the virtues of democracy on January 20 is just a tad disingenuous. 

In fact, Trump’s refusal to attend the inauguration may well be a final form of his cowardice — he knows that his extremist supporters are planning to disrupt the event and there are likely to be more violent protests. It’s quite likely that he wants to give them the green light to do what they want to do, but remain far from the scene himself.

At this point, Trump would, at best, be pointless at the inauguration. At worst, he would be a safety hazard. And either way, we’re pretty sure neither Biden nor anyone else will miss him. Good riddance and — we say this with the knowledge that it won’t happen, but still — please go away forever.

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Did Donald Trump Finally Concede To Joe Biden?

Trump's Staff Isn't Brave For Resigning Right Now

Democrats Won. Now, They Need To Go Big.

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If there’s a single word that Democratic politicians like to repeat — again and again, whether on the campaign trail or in speeches to constituents — it’s hope. From Barack Obama to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and all the way back to JFK and FDR, Democrats like to focus on our potential to be better and the possibility of better days to come.

Right now, a lot of that hope has been dashed after a mob of domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol on Wednesday in an effort to overturn the election results at the behest of President Donald Trump, resulting in several deaths and heavy injuries. But there has been one bright spot so far this year: Democratic organizers rolled up their sleeves to work on the promise of the New South, and ushered in Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff’s wins in the runoff elections in Georgia, which means Democrats have the U.S. Senate majority, the U.S. House, and the presidency. 

This is a moment to celebrate their achievements. But it’s also a historic opportunity to make good on some of the promises they have been making during the Trump presidency, while Sen. Majority Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was obstructing every policy decision that could have bettered people’s lives. Particularly in light of yesterday’s attack on democracy, it’s high time for Democrats to act like they have nothing to lose when it comes to defending the ideals so many in this nation hold dear.

This means, for instance, being bold when it comes to the next stimulus bill. After millions lost their jobs and lives due to the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic, people desperately need aid. Both Ossoff and Warnock promised $2,000 stimulus checks during their campaigns, and it looks like, with Democrats in control of the Senate, Congress will make good on that. The measure has overwhelming public support, and politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders have led the charge on making it happen. But while it’s much better than the paltry $600 agreed on with Republicans, it’s still not nearly enough. The country needs recurring checks, more money for small businesses, guaranteed paid leave, and guaranteed healthcare. It all needs to be on the table. 

It’s time, across the board, to pursue a policy agenda that not only helps people get their lives together temporarily, but truly fixes the long-term crises our country is facing, from climate change to criminal justice to the affordability of healthcare. Democrats need to not only dream big, but act big. Part of dreaming big means killing the legislative filibuster and passing a big, bold agenda, instead of trying to make deals with Mitch McConnell. It’s also time for necessary democracy reform, like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would offer federal protection against voter suppression.

Of course, because of conservative Democrats like Joe Manchin from West Virginia, the majority will not automatically get all of the necessary legislation passed. But a lot can be passed through budget reconciliation, a process that only needs a majority vote. Through this process Democrats could enact another crucial COVID relief bill, an infrastructure bill, a bill improving the Affordable Care Act, and a lot more.

One of the most dire issues facing the country is the caregiving crisis; during the pandemic scores of people, mostly women, were forced to leave their jobs in order to care for children, older family members, and family members with COVID, thereby losing wages. President-elect Joe Biden’s sweeping $775 billion plan for caregivers proposes universal pre-K, boosting pay for care workers, and adding an estimated 3 million care jobs, framing it as an economic imperative to help the country recover. Because as it stands, the U.S. is the only rich country without paid family leave and universal child care. 

This is a proposal that already has overwhelming popular support — 88% of voters say they are for it — so now Congress needs to serve the will of the people. In this runoff, we have seen how two candidates who spoke openly about not just the principles of unity and equality, but race in America and the effects of COVID, who were full of not just promises but real talk, could win. This is a sign that Democrats can move forward on a progressive platform. And while it’s true that neither Ossoff nor Warnock say they support progressive policies like defunding the police, Medicare for All, or the Green New Deal, that might be in part because they both had to adapt their progressive messages while campaigning in Georgia.

No matter what, their elections are certainly a path forward for life-changing policies that can’t wait any longer.

“As Senators-elect Warnock and Ossoff have rightly pointed out, a Democratic Senate means that families across the nation will receive $2,000 survival checks,” Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair, said in a statement provided to Refinery29. “But it also means that Congress can finally act to pass bold climate legislation that creates jobs, saves our planet, and helps frontline communities. It means that we can pass COVID-19 relief that meets the scale of the crisis — with robust aid for the unemployed, families on the brink of eviction, healthcare for everyone in the midst of a pandemic, and aid for state and local communities. It means we can finally fix our broken immigration system, raise the minimum wage, begin to dismantle structural racism, and restore power to the hands of workers. It means we can strengthen our democracy by ending corruption and protecting access to the ballot box. It means we can finally address the real racism that exists in our institutions, and pass bold policies that help us achieve justice in policing.”

Hello! ☀️
It’s a new day!

Who’s ready to PUSH? 🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏾🙋🏼‍♂️

Ready to PUSH for retroactive COVID relief? 💸
And to PUSH for student loan cancellation?🎓
For climate justice? 🌎
Healthcare? ⛑
Voting rights? 🗳
Ending the death penalty?👩🏽‍⚖️

What policies do you most want to PUSH for? ⤵️

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 6, 2021

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How Soon Can We Get That $2,000 Stimulus Payment?

Ossoff & Warnock Win Georgia, Flip The Senate Blue

Who's Who In Joe Biden's Cabinet — So Far

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When thousands of violent extremists incited by President Donald Trump burst into the Capitol building yesterday, it instantly dominated news coverage. But few outlets discussed the fact that the MAGA insurrection affected not just the elected officials in Congress, but the almost 700,000 people who live in the District of Columbia. In a city where 93% of residents voted for President-Elect Joe Biden in the presidential election, where almost half of the population is Black, and where many people proudly fly Black Lives Matter signs from their balconies, many have been terrified and have acutely felt the occupation of white supremacist groups of their city.

This viral video filmed by journalist Veronica Westhrin perfectly captures the mood of last night. In it, two D.C. residents dubbed #guyonporch and #womanincar discuss the double standard in the treatment of Trump-supporting white extremists versus that of Black Lives Matter protestors:

So I filmed this video today. I shot it in a D.C. neighbourhood as Trump-supporters were leaving downtown after the protests and riots today. Apparently it went viral after I posted in on my Instagram @westhrin So here it is, Twitter! #guyonporch #womanincar pic.twitter.com/bmMUS48Blz

— Veronica Westhrin (@NRKveronica) January 7, 2021

When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a citywide curfew yesterday that would last from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., “non-essential” residents stayed home, many answering frantic calls, texts, and social media messages from friends and family asking if they were okay. Small businesses scrambled to shut down for the night, taking a financial toll. While people without homes were exempt from the curfew, they were more at risk from the ongoing violence and being harassed by police. Organizations like Kyanite Kitchen offered transportation, funds, and housing to anyone who needed help. 

It should not be forgotten that the brunt of the insurrection is being born by a city where residents pay taxes but do not enjoy representation from the federal government, a fact which has always been part of a larger effort to disenfranchise communities of color. This was obvious yesterday when Trump initially refused to send the D.C. National Guard to deal with the violence, and the governor of Virginia sent his own troops before D.C.’s were finally deployed. D.C. is uniquely vulnerable to extremist attacks and outside occupation — but doesn’t have the ability to protect its own citizens. 

This is part of why the movement for D.C. statehood, which has been decades in the making, is more important than ever. And it is no surprise that most Republicans oppose it: It would give electoral power to a historically Black city that is majority Democratic. Longtime non-voting House delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has fought for D.C. statehood for a long time, and in June the U.S. House passed a bill making D.C. the 51st state. With the U.S. Senate now under Democratic control, advocates are urging Congress to take up this issue again. Bowser renewed the call recently, asking Congress to put the bill on the President’s desk in his first 100 days, and to transfer power of the D.C. National Guard to the Office of the D.C. Mayor. Biden has said he supports the statehood movement.

As it stands, D.C. residents are essentially being held hostage by the federal government — all with a violent coup happening in their backyard. And the politicians, many of whom are transient and never truly establish roots in the city, are all too happy to let the city fend for itself. It’s way past time for the residents of the District to get the representation they deserve.

Below are some of the many community groups you can follow and support in D.C.: 

Justice: The Palm Collective, Concerned Citizens D.C., Freedom Fighters D.C., Frontline Women D.C., Until Freedom D.C., Good Trouble Cooperative 

Food aid: Capital Area Food Bank, World Central Kitchen, Martha’s Table, Fuel the People, Kyanite Kitchen, food for D.C. Public Schools, Thrive D.C., D.C. Central Kitchen, Bread for the City

For a list of mutual aid groups by D.C. Ward, visit this article.

To learn more about how to support the movement for D.C. statehood, visit DCVote.org.

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What It Was Like To Be In Congress During The Coup

America Is Not Better Than This. It's Who We Are

What Happens If The 25th Amendment Is Invoked?

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A large mob of extremists who support President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol today in protest of the ratification of Electoral College votes in favor of President-Elect Joe Biden. Emboldened by Trump’s apparent desire to overturn the election, the crowd turned violent, breaking the Capitol barricades, shattering windows, and taking over offices like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s. One woman, allegedly a Trump supporter, was shot and killed, allegedly by security forces, while several others have been taken to the hospital. 

The insurrection occurred as Congress was holding a joint session to count the Electoral Votes for the 2020 presidential election, but the House and Senate had to suspend the session and go on lockdown. Currently, officials say the U.S. Capitol Building is secure and the vote count is resuming. The Electoral College ballots, which the mob apparently tried to set on fire, have been rescued. 

Members of Congress such as Missouri’s Rep. Cori Bush are calling this a domestic terror attack and calling for the expulsion of Republicans who incited it through their efforts to overturn the election. 
Many members of Congress had to flee the floor, while others sheltered in place in their offices. We spoke with Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan about her experiences during today’s events, ahead.

How are you doing? Are you and your staff safe?

“Everyone is safe. We’ve been in the same location, which is in my office, all day, and we’re prepared to get back to work. I’ve been sheltering in place here.”

That is good to hear. I’m wondering if you could tell me a little bit about what your day has been like. 

“I was seeing activity outside my window at New Jersey and Independence avenues, and so I can see a little bit of what is going on. I heard that one of the office buildings was being evacuated, that had nothing to do with the storming, it had to do with an unidentified package. Then, I heard through the news, I was watching CSPAN, what’s happening outside my office. It’s just something else.”

How did you feel when you saw what was happening?

“I felt calm and focused on staying calm and understanding that we’ve seen this in Michigan with protestors in our State Capitol, protestors at town halls. So, even though there were some isolated incidents of violence, and certainly unprecedented actions of people storming the Capitol, reaching the barricades of the Capitol put up by police, I focused on listening to the directions and staying where I was. I can’t speak for the people who were on the floor of the House because that was a slightly more dangerous situation.”

What did you see and hear when it comes to the protestors? Did you witness any of the violence?

“I heard lots. I heard lots of chanting. I heard one person saying ‘open up,’ just outside the building on the sidewalk. Some of this is compounded by the pandemic, since normally people are allowed in the Capitol. Today, no one was allowed except staff and members of Congress. I heard them detonating the unidentified package — which I don’t have any more information on, unfortunately. It was certainly surreal watching on the TV what was happening outside of the floor of the House, which is that the mob stormed the Capitol and got into Statuary Hall.”

Have you talked to any of your colleagues? How are they doing?

“All colleagues who I’ve spoken to have reported and checked in as safe.”

How would you describe what happened today? 

“It is absolutely one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history. It was a violent mob of thugs who were emboldened by an outgoing president, and they stormed the Capitol. It was nothing short of an attack on our democracy and our government and all people who serve in this building and in this chamber. Frankly, I believe that this was a result of failed leadership. Lives were absolutely put in danger because of the president’s words of stoking hatred and violence. This is a wakeup call. We’ll find a way to overcome this. It’s going to be a process. People need to be brought to justice. We know that we are better than this as a nation, and I believe that we will keep moving forward.”

What do you believe should happen now, as far as charging the protestors?

“I’m not going to speculate on that now, until I hear more from Capitol Police.”

It’s about 5 p.m., one hour before the D.C. curfew goes into effect. Are you seeing people disperse now?

“I’m seeing people disperse, and I’m hoping we’ll be able to resume floor activity soon. I do believe that we need to work toward safety and see that this curfew that the Mayor of the District of Columbia put into place is implemented very strictly.”

Since you’ve seen this quite a lot in Michigan, what do you believe we as a country need to do to deal with the rise in domestic terrorism?

“I don’t believe that this is something to take lightly and I think everyone needs to join together in disavowing the people and the events that took place today. This is so wholly unacceptable and troubling, and concerning and threatening to our government, to law and order. We need a functional government, and this should be taken seriously, this should not be the status quo. And frankly, I believe that we need to reclaim the humanity and our country and our systems of government, and work to make things better for people. Yesterday was again the largest number of deaths from COVID-19, we are in the middle of a pandemic that is ravaging our society and our social functions, and I think that’s contributing to the lack of stability right now.” 

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Ivanka Trump Called Capitol Attackers "Patriots"

Here's Where The Proud Boys Are In Today's Riot

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Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock has won his runoff election in Georgia, defeating Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, and is headed to the U.S. Senate. The results of the second runoff race — Jon Ossoff vs. Sen. David Perdue — are likely to be called early today, and Ossoff is in the lead.

In his victory speech, Warnock honored his mother’s journey from the Jim Crow South. “The other day, because this is America, the 82-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest son to be a United States Senator,” Warnock said about his mother, Verlene, who raised 12 children while living in public housing.

Warnock’s win brings Democrats closer to controlling the U.S. Senate. If Warnock and Ossoff both win, which seems incredibly likely, it could mean the U.S. Senate will effectively be majority Democratic thanks to Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote. This could affect a great deal of legislation, including policy related to the Affordable Care Act; reproductive rights; and President-Elect Joe Biden’s proposed $775 billion plan for caregivers, which would introduce universal pre-K, boost pay for care workers, and expand jobs in the field. It could also affect further COVID relief bills, and help workers get crucial aid that’s been lacking under the Republican-controlled Senate.

Warnock is the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta; Martin Luther King Jr.’s former congregation. Born and raised in Georgia, he would become the state’s first Black Senator and during his campaign, he talked candidly about race and racism, addressing the ways in which COVID-19 has affected the Black community. During the race, more than 100 religious leaders condemned Loeffler’s criticism of Warnock’s sermons as “radically liberal,” calling it an attack on the Black religious community in Georgia.

The race was predictably tight; with many glued to The New York Times’ “Needle” and Steve Kornacki’s analysis on MSNBC all night. Warnock won by a slim margin. It has been ugly at times, with both Loeffler and Perdue calling their opponents “radicals” and “socialists” to scare their supporters, and backing the doomed Republican effort to challenge Joe Biden’s win in Congress. The presidential race played a significant background role during the runoffs, with Trump trying to sow disinformation about both races: In his latest attempt to subvert the results, Trump reportedly called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger demanding that he “find” the 11,780 votes needed for him to defeat Biden. Democrats, meanwhile, accused the GOP candidates of profiting off the pandemic and helping Trump undermine democracy.

The work of organizations such as Black Voters Matter and its co-founders LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright have made a huge difference in this race; Black Voters Matter and others turned out a crucial, enthusiastic number of Black voters, who account for 33% of the state’s electorate. The group focused on more than asking for people’s vote, handing out groceries to families around the state and offering free COVID testing during its voter-outreach efforts. Countless other organizations large and small focused on getting out the vote to crucial demographics such as Black women, young people, and immigrant populations.

“So I come before you tonight as a man who knows that the improbable journey that led me to this place, in this historic moment in America, could only happen here,” Warnock said. “We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight, we proved that with hope, hard work, and the people by our side, anything is possible.”

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We’re grateful to be starting the new year with a tentative sense of hope. The worst days of the pandemic are (hopefully) behind us. Two vaccines have secured emergency use authorizations. A new administration will soon be setting up shop in the White House. There’s a lot to look forward to.

If we’ve learned anything from 2020, though, it’s that there’s so much work to be done on the vast systemic problems in our country. While the New Year is a time for self-care, reflection, and recharging, it’s also time to think about how we can continue contributing to the greater good. If 2020 was a year of chaos, 2021 can become a year to rebuild. 

The question on our minds as we stand on the threshold of 2021, then, is this: What next? Many of us were caught unaware by the events of the last year. But now we have a better sense of what’s broken and needs fixing. We’ve got a head start. What should we do with it?

We know you have limited time, resources, and emotional energy. So here’s a shortlist of key 2021 dates, along with some simple ideas for how to continue to educate yourself, support the causes you care about, and stay activated — for this year and beyond. 

January 5, 2021
Georgia’s runoff election for the U.S. Senate

Joe Biden’s presidential win was a big deal, but the push isn’t over. On Jan. 5, Georgia’s runoff elections for two empty Senate seats in the state take place. If Dems Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock win those seats, the party split in the Senate will be 50-50 — which means it will be much easier to pass progressive legislation. In other words, a Democratic win in this election will be key to Joe Biden having a successful presidency. Thousands of activists, and even celebrities like Kerry Washington and Demi Lovato, have been busy getting out the vote for these elections, which saw record early voting numbers. 

Take action: The election is tomorrow, but it’s not too late to still make a difference. If you live in Georgia or have friends there, make sure they have voted or plan to vote tomorrow. Join the final  push by phone banking and donating through Jon Ossoff’s campaign, Raphael Warnock’s campaign, GAsenate.com, and organizations like Fair Fight and Black Voters Matter.

January 20, 2021
Joe Biden is inaugurated

Joe Biden’s Presidential Inauguration will look unlike any other, thanks to both the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that President Trump is not expected to attend. But count on it to be historic despite its unconventional format. You can pull up a virtual seat through one of the major TV stations, as well as Facebook Live, Twitter, or YouTube. 

Take action: Celebrate the swearing-in of the 46th president (and the exit of President Donald Trump)! Now is also the time to learn more about Biden’s cabinet and what it means for America, including historic nominations such as Rep. Deb Haaland for interior secretary, as well as his all-women communications team.

As Breonna Taylor’s mother wrote in an open letter to Biden: “We need your actions to show that you are different than those who pay lip-service to our losses while doing nothing to show that our loved ones’ lives mattered.” The people who Biden surrounds himself with are the ones who’ll have the greatest influence over his policies, which is why it’s essential to be familiar with his team.

March 8, 2021
Likely trial date for police officers who killed George Floyd 

The four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd are set for a March 2021 trial date. (A hearing to delay the trial, however, is currently scheduled for Jan. 11, so stay tuned.) Derek Chauvin, who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for roughly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, killing him, has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao are facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. 

“Since George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, more people are socially aware of the effects of police brutality and capitalism on our society, which has made people challenge a lot of beliefs they previously held,” Glenn Foster, Lead Organizer of The Freedom Neighborhood, an abolitionist collective in Washington, D.C., told Refinery29. “It’s going to cause disruption, but the positive benefit of the disruption is the exposure to systems that truly don’t benefit the people, one of those being our police.” 

Take action: While the protests of 2020 may be over, the fight for justice and Black lives continues. You can find many ways to support Black Lives Matter and learn about racial injustice here.

April 3, 2021
One-year anniversary of the CDC’s face mask guidelines

On this day in 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidelines around face coverings. Until April 3, the recommendation was that only healthcare workers and sick people needed to wear a mask — truly bizarre to think about now, but it underscores how little we knew about the virus. Then the CDC updated its recs to strongly suggest that everyone wear cloth face coverings, though the agency continued to tell the general public not to wear medical-grade face masks; there weren’t even enough for healthcare workers. 

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been granted emergency use authorization by the FDA. Vaccinations have already begun with high-risk healthcare workers going first, and by the second quarter of 2021, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, estimates that the U.S. could see the “overwhelming majority of the population vaccinated.” Even so, for now, vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike are still being told to wear face masks. 

Take action: To commemorate this day, consider refreshing your supply of cloth face masks, which you should be doing every six to 12 months, or whenever you can see light through the cloth when you hold them up to a lamp or the sun, says Natasha Bhuyan, MD, a regional director and provider with One Medical. Ideally, you’d have several masks you could rotate through to help them last longer. Here’s how you can make your own, and some top-rated options to buy.

August 12 to 22, 2021
Copenhagen 2021 celebrates WorldPride & the EuroGames

For the first time ever, WorldPride (a licensed title given by InterPride to a local Pride event that aims to promote LGBTQ+ issues on a global level) and EuroGames (a LGBTQ+ multi-sport event) are being celebrated together in a 10-day experience called Copenhagen 2021. For now, the planned programming includes two Pride Parades, concerts, parties, human rights events, sporting competitions, and more. There will also be a summit centered on LGBTQ+ immigrants, asylum-seekers and refugees and a Sports Leader Conference, which will aim to open up conversations about LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, focusing on trans and non-binary athletes, reports GayTimes.

The organizers have created contingency plans in the event that COVID-19 is still widespread enough in the summer of 2021 to make this programming unsafe, and will refund ticket and registration fees in the event of a total cancellation.

Take action: You may not be able to travel to Copenhagen for the celebration. If you’re based in the U.S., you can participate in a local Pride event during Pride Month in June. But you can also take this opportunity to learn more about how to support LGBTQ+ equality. Actions as simple as putting your pronouns next to your Zoom username can make a huge difference. So can speaking up against bills that threaten LGBTQ+ rights, such as transphobic sports bans. “Calling your elected official is also really powerful,” Keygan Miller, a senior advocacy associate for The Trevor Project, previously told Refinery29. “They do pay attention to what their constituents say.” Here’s how to find and reach out to your local elected official.

November 1 to 12, 2021 
The UN’s Climate Change Conference

2021 will be a decisive year for combating climate change. After Trump’s disastrous record — he has withdrawn from the Paris Climate agreement, consistently scaled back environmental protections, and denied that climate change even exists — we’ll be closely watching Joe Biden’s administration to see if he fulfills his promises on climate change. 

With his cabinet picks, Biden has been sending signals that climate change is priority for him. Biden’s climate change plan, which has essentially embraced the framework of the Green New Deal, aims to end carbon emissions from power plants by 2035 with a broad investment in jobs and infrastructure. This includes $2 trillion for clean energy projects, as well as a promise to direct 40% of its climate spending to marginalized communities. 

Take action: Ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, consider leveling up your dedication to the fight against climate change. If you already live a low-carbon lifestyle, may you could join a local campaign to learn to organize and mobilize, or pledge to be more vocal in your own social circle to help educate your connections about the realities of the climate crisis. Scope out specific strategies for getting involved here. 

November 2, 2021
Mayoral elections in many large cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and NYC 

Mayoral terms are four years long, and this year, mayors in some major cities are up for reelection — including Atlanta’s Keisha Lance Bottoms — while others, like New York City’s Bill de Blasio, are unable to run for a third term due to term limits. These elections feel especially pressing this year, after the pandemic, racial justice issues, and climate change have brought to the forefront the need for new leadership in many cities, including New York City, where numerous candidates from various political affiliations and walks of life have already announced their campaigns. 

Roughly 80% of Americans live in urban areas, so mayors play a key role in our everyday lives. “Mayors are key decision-makers on issues like affordable housing, police accountability and public safety, public transit, small business opportunities, and more — your mayor can make your city an amazing place to live and work in, or a place you can barely afford to stay,” Amanda Litman, the co-founder and executive director of Run for Something, told Refinery29.

Take action: First things first: Make sure you’re registered to vote. Next, consider volunteering on a mayoral campaign: You can usually sign up to phone bank, text bank, canvas, or volunteer some other way by filling out a form on your favorite mayoral candidate’s website. You don’t need any special experience: Just bring yourself, an open mind, and your enthusiasm. Getting involved feels good.

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Georgia is the “center of the political universe right now,” Way to Win president and cofounder Tory Gavito tells us in a conversation about the state’s political past, present, and future. Two pivotal runoff elections — probably the most highly publicized and well-funded runoffs in modern history — will be held next week on January 5, with Democrats Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff facing off against Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, respectively. The reason there is so much attention on them is because these elections will decide the balance of the U.S. Senate — and greatly influence the future of the country. If both Warnock and Ossoff win, Democrats would have an even split with Republicans in the Senate; since Vice President Kamala Harris would be the deciding vote in any Senate tie-breakers, this would effectively give Democrats a majority, making it easier for President Joe Biden to push through his agenda without obstruction. 

The fact that this long-standing red state has become such a battleground surprised many people, but blue energy has been percolating through Georgia long before these runoffs, and even before the 2020 election. Democrats had a couple of almost-wins thwarted: In 2017, Democrats pinned their hopes on Ossoff to win a House seat in a suburban district of Atlanta, in a much-hyped House election that ended up being the most expensive in history, but he lost the runoff to Karen Handel. Then, in 2018, Stacey Abrams came close to becoming governor, and many say she would have won if now-Gov. Brian Kemp — who, conveniently, was also overseeing the state’s elections at the time — hadn’t purged hundreds of thousands of voters from the rolls right before the election. These close races led up to 2020, when, for the first time since 1992, Georgia swung blue in the presidential election. Even after President Donald Trump demanded both hand and machine recounts, Georgia’s record 4.9 million votes helped Biden secure the presidency. Turnout has already been promisingly high in the runoffs as well: So far, over 2.1 million people have voted through early voting, which started on December 14 and will continue until December 31. And some 168,293 Georgians cast votes on December 14, the first day of in-person early voting, more than on the first day of early voting in the presidential election.

The early-voting numbers are extremely encouraging, although it’s too early to tell exactly what they’ll mean for Democrats without knowing what turnout on January 5 will look like. But while there is a great deal of grassroots energy for Democrats, particularly among communities of color and immigrants, they are up against a formidable voting bloc: 70% of white Georgians voted to elect Trump. And, there have already been accounts of voter disenfranchisement targeting people of color, namely: counties with high Black and Latinx populations are closing polling sites, Georgia voting rights groups are suing several counties for preventing early voting, and voters are being purged from the rolls.

Additionally — and in keeping with Trump’s ongoing, baseless claims of voter fraud, state officials and voting rights experts say that Republicans are likely to challenge the results of the runoffs, especially given that the margins are expected to be razor-thin. Republicans, including the campaigns of Perdue and Loeffler, have already filed three separate lawsuits looking to restrict absentee voting ahead of the election, targeting drop boxes and seeking to strengthen signature requirements.

Despite the Republicans’ spreading of disinformation, there are many strengths on the Democrats’ side, such as Georgia’s rapidly evolving demographics; a large uptick in recent years in Black, Latinx, and Asian-American voter registration; a huge growth in young and new voters; and hundreds of grassroots organizations — like Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight — that have been on the ground for years, laying the groundwork for what Gavito calls a “New South.” 

“I think it’s going to be a tight race, but there are dynamics on our side,” Gavito said. “We just won. Also, the right is in disarray. There’s a pretty public war internally in the GOP. You’ve got Republican leaders saying that the vote is rigged and telling Republicans not to vote, which I’m sure is blowing Karl Rove’s mind. I think it’s important to note that Georgia being so important is not a fluke, this is going to be a trend that lasts for future cycles too. In 2022 we’re going to have a governor’s race and Brian Kemp is not worthy of that governor’s mansion. In 2024 we’re going to have another presidential cycle and Georgia will be a priority state. Georgia’s the future.”

Ahead, we spoke with several organizers who told us what lessons they’ve learned from these unusually closely watched runoff races — and how they’re preparing for a more progressive future for Georgia.

LaTosha Brown

Co-founder, Black Voters Matter Fund

Brown is a veteran political organizer who heads the Black Voters Matter Fund, which focuses on building Black political power. The group has been working on voter registration, education, and mobilization in 50 counties, canvassing and also holding caravan and outdoor drive-in events in rural Black communities in Georgia. Brown says her message is rooted in “love and power.” Rather than scaring people into voting, she stresses the importance of meeting people where they are: In a pandemic, it’s not just about their vote — it’s about understanding and helping what people are going through economically and in terms of their health.

“Right now, as we speak, I’m in Valdosta, Georgia, on the Black Voters Matter bus. We have been going around the state distributing groceries to thousands of families. We’re giving away toys, we’ve got ‘Soul Santa,’ we’ve got music. Part of what we’re doing is recognizing that the holiday season can be a difficult time, so we’re providing some relief to people and letting them know that we care about them more than their vote, we care about them as people and we know it’s an economically tough time for people. We’re providing people with groceries, a lot of collard greens and other vegetables grown by Black farmers in the area. At the same time, we’re partnering with brands like Ben & Jerry’s to give out free ice cream along with voter information, and partnering with celebrities — I just did an Instagram live with Kerry Washington, and I took over Demi Lovato’s Instagram account.”

Esther Lim

Organizing and civic engagement director, Asian-Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta

Around 30,000 new Asian-American voters in Georgia voted in the presidential election for the first time, representing a big jump in the vote. Lim hopes to build on that in the runoff elections, and long-term. Her organization is nonpartisan, and mainly works to provide accurate voting information to non-English speaking households. She cites the lack of access to non-English language information as a massive barrier to voters.

“A lot of what we do is trying to make sure that voter information is accessible to immigrant communities. Language justice is such a huge thing, and a lot of the electoral information is only available in English. We’ve been fighting to change that, but it’s an uphill battle. We do everything in like eight different languages. We have strong relationships with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asian newspapers in the area, and we’ve been pushing out a lot of ads and information through those networks. We’ve also been using ethnically specific social platforms, so for Vietnamese people that would be Facebook, for a lot of the South Asian people we work with that’s WhatsApp, for Chinese folks it’s going to be WeChat, for Korea it’s KakaoTalk. We fight to provide interpreters for people, but have been accused of being partisan for doing so. Voting in this state isn’t especially accessible even if you speak English, so in another language it’s almost impossible without assistance. We also offer mutual aid in the form of grocery kits, and we hand out a bajillion bottles of hand sanitizer with all of the voting information on them — super-useful.”

Nse Ufot

CEO of New Georgia Project, founded by Stacey Abrams

During the presidential election, Ufot’s organization not only registered 400,000 voters, but actually got most of them to the polls. She recently told NPR that she has been working for years on the infrastructure to create “super-voters,” people who participate in every election in which they’re eligible.

“The idea is that our democracy, our elections, our democratic infrastructure, our elections infrastructure, how policy gets made, and the politics of a region, it’s not a static condition. It’s very dynamic. More and more people are moving to Georgia every day, more and more people are turning 18 every day, becoming U.S. citizens every day. And how do people learn about their power? In our estimation that starts with registering people to vote and doing some deep, innovative voter education. We talk to voters, for example, about the fact that the closer an elected official is to you the more influence you’re able to have, we talk about things like what school boards do.”

Tania Unzueta Carrasco

Political director, Mijente

A growing population in the state, Latinx voters are 5% of Georgia’s electorate, with 62% of them voting for Biden versus 37% for Trump. Many of them are in Gwinnett and Cobb counties, which both went blue in 2016, and remained blue in the 2020 presidential election. One of Unzueta’s goals is to expand on this electorate by reaching people in Spanish, which over half of the voters Mijente has spoken to say they prefer, through ads and Spanish-speaking media like newspapers and radio stations. Like with Lim’s work, there is a language justice issue at stake: Only one out of 159 counties in the state is required to provide voting information in Spanish, per the Voting Rights Act.

“Our goal is to knock on the door of every Latino voter throughout the state, and then layer that with text messages, phone calls, and advertising. We have a fully bilingual canvass; we know a lot of voters are getting reached out to and we want to make sure it’s in their language, whether it’s Spanish or English. We’re micro-targeting, meaning we’re trying to figure out what messages work better with certain segments of the community, whether it’s young people, women, folks of Puerto Rican or Mexican descent. Usually, numbers for Latinos in runoffs are really low. Runoffs often aren’t seen as that relevant to people, people aren’t as aware of them and there are fewer resources put into runoffs in general and even less into reaching voters who don’t usually vote in runoffs. That’s part of what’s different in this election — there’s just a lot of investment from different communities to move voters. I think the fact that Biden won Georgia means there’s a lot of energy and possibility.”

Yterenickia “YT” Bell

Get Out the Vote Director, Care In Action

Care In Action is focusing on mobilizing domestic workers, many of them women of color, reaching out to 1.4 million women in Georgia to make sure they have accurate information on where, when, and how to vote in the runoffs. The organization has about 250 canvassers on the ground who have knocked on over 270,000 doors for these races.

“That Georgia turned blue — that was done by organizers you don’t always see in the mainstream news, it’s untold stories. We know that domestic workers are a political force. They represent an important part of the Democratic base, mainly women of color and immigrants. We’re engaging people on all levels to make sure we’re just as victorious as we were in the general, because we want to build political power in the long run.”

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As the transition to the Joe Biden administration continues (less than one month till inauguration!), so does the selection of Biden’s cabinet and cabinet-level officials, those key people who will help the 46th president shape and carry out his policies. Biden has already nominated the bulk of top positions so far, with notable exceptions such as Attorney General and Secretary of Labor still waiting to be picked. 

A clear pattern has emerged in Biden’s decision-making process: He selects career officials and recognized experts whom he already trusts, including many former Obama-administration officials, without too many marquee names on the lineup. One possible reason his choices are so judicious is because he realizes that no matter how experienced and non-scandalous they are, each candidate is still facing a polarized Senate-confirmation process, particularly if Republicans retain control of the chamber. (In the words of an anonymous operative speaking to New York magazine, many Republicans are “vindictive assholes” who are “out for blood” when it comes to Biden’s picks.) 

Despite the overall “safety” of the choices, Biden’s team will hit some historic milestones: Janet Yellen as the first woman Treasury Secretary, Gen. Lloyd Austin III as the first Black Defense Secretary, Pete Buttigieg as the first openly LGBTQ+ permanent Cabinet member, Deb Haaland as the first Native American Cabinet member, and Alejandro Mayorkas as the first Latinx Homeland Security Secretary. 

Ahead, read more about who Biden has picked so far.

Cabinet Positions:

Antony Blinken: Secretary of State

Blinken is a career State Department official and diplomat who served as deputy secretary of state under President Barack Obama. He has promised to lead the U.S. in rebuilding its relationships with allies around the world after several years of Trump’s isolationist policies. Inheriting a depleted State Department — many senior officials have left or retired due to Trump’s hostility toward diplomacy — he is also expected to help rebuild its top ranks. 

Janet Yellen: Secretary of the Treasury

Former chair of the Federal Reserve and top White House economist during the Clinton administration, Yellen will play a major role in leading the country out of the economic crisis. She has been praised by progressives and centrists alike. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, thought to be one of Biden’s top contenders for the position, called her an “outstanding choice” who has “stood up to Wall Street banks.”

Gen. Lloyd Austin III: Secretary of Defense

Austin, a four-star retired Army general, is a longtime Pentagon figure who is known for leading the U.S. military effort in Iraq. Biden has praised Austin’s experience in drawing down 150,000 troops from Iraq. However, some members of Congress, strongly believing in civilian control of the military, have concerns about him because as someone who only recently retired from active-duty service, he needs a waiver to serve.

To Be Announced: Attorney General

Major contenders include Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, who is a longtime friend of Biden’s; federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, whose nomination by Obama to the Supreme Court was thwarted by Mitch McConnell; and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — a slightly more controversial pick — has also been discussed as an option, although he has denied that he’s interested.

Deb Haaland: Secretary of the Interior

The nomination of the New Mexico congresswoman is hugely significant since Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American Cabinet member, would oversee 500 million acres of public land as well as the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Haaland is also a vocal supporter of the Green New Deal and her nomination has been praised by progressives. “Rep. Deb Haaland’s appointment as Secretary of the Interior is a historic moment for every Native American and the Green New Deal movement,” Sunrise Movement Executive Director and co-founder Varshini Prakash said in a statement. “We know that in order to stop climate change, we must return leadership to the native tribes who cared for this land for centuries.”

Tom Vilsack: Secretary of Agriculture

The former Iowa governor was Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture for eight years, so this is quite an unsurprising, traditional pick. 

To Be Announced: Secretary of Commerce

To Be Announced: Secretary of Labor

Xavier Becerra: Secretary of Health and Human Services

Becerra, the Attorney General of California and a former congressman, would face a big task if confirmed: tackling the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken a disproportionate toll on people of color. As AG, Becerra has filed over a dozen lawsuits on healthcare access, including one in which California led 20 states and D.C. in an effort to protect the Affordable Care Act from being dismantled by Republicans. 

Marcia Fudge: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

The Ohio congresswoman, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, initially campaigned to be Biden’s Agriculture Secretary, so this pick disappointed some of her allies, while some wonder if she’s the right fit for the HUD job, calling her selection “tokenism.” However, as a veteran lawmaker and civil rights advocate poised to reverse some of HUD’s discriminatory policies under Trump, she has indicated that she is ready for the challenge.

Pete Buttigieg: Secretary of Transportation

The South Bend, IN, mayor has long been talked about as a contender for some type of position in the Biden administration, but his transportation resume as a small-city mayor is rather thin. Additionally, his dicey history with the Black community in South Bend is of concern to many, and his centrism makes him far from a favorite pick for progressives — although he’s better than Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was also thought to be in the running. Still, Biden has praised him, saying he will lead with “focus, decency, and a bold vision,” and supporters have cited his ambitious $1 trillion infrastructure plan as a former presidential candidate that focused on expanding broadband internet access through payment to state and local governments, plus the infrastructure projects he worked on as mayor, including revitalizing (read: gentrifying) South Bend’s downtown.

Jennifer Granholm: Secretary of Energy

The former Michigan governor is a longtime alternative-energy proponent who helped Michigan through the 2008 recession by working with the Obama administration on the auto-industry bailout.

Miguel Cardona: Secretary of Education

Unlike Betsy DeVos, Cardona has over two decades of experience as a public-school educator. Also unlike Betsy DeVos, Cardona — Connecticut’s first Latinx commissioner of education — was brought up in public housing. Both of these facts are extremely encouraging, as he will be tasked with narrowing the achievement gap between affluent and poorer students that has gotten worse during the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s not lost on me, the significance of being the grandson of a tobacco farmer who came here for a better life, who despite having a second-grade education was able to raise his family and create that upward mobility cycle,” Cardona told The Connecticut Mirror in 2019.

Denis McDonough: Secretary of Veterans Affairs

McDonough served as deputy national security adviser and then chief of staff under Obama, so he has plenty of experience working closely with Biden. The pick has been criticized because the job has traditionally gone to a veteran, but Biden has emphasized McDonough’s experience with helping military families.

Alejandro Mayorkas: Secretary of Homeland Security

Mayorkas, who arrived in the U.S. as a refugee from Cuba with his parents and sister, would be the first immigrant to hold the position if confirmed. Obama’s former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, he faces an uphill battle in unraveling the Trump administration’s harshest immigration policies, such as separating families.

Key Cabinet-Level Positions:

Katherine Tai: U.S. Trade Representative

Tai, a chief trade lawyer in the U.S. House, has extensive experience working with China and will play a key role in figuring out which of Trump’s tariffs to extend and rebuilding key trade relationships. If confirmed, she will be the first woman of color in the position. 

Avril Haines: Director of National Intelligence

Haines, who would be the first woman in this job, is the former deputy director of the CIA under Obama.

To Be Announced: Director of the CIA

Michael Regan: Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Regan has a long environmental resume, having worked in the EPA in both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. He now leads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. If confirmed, he would be the first Black man to lead the EPA.

To Be Announced: Administrator of the Small Business Administration

Neera Tanden: Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Neera Tanden has a very long resume in Democratic politics: She is the president and CEO of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, she is a former Hillary Clinton adviser, and she was an adviser to the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration. But she is also a divisive figure, already getting fierce pushback from Republicans and leftists alike. While she will be the first woman of color and the first South Asian American in this position, she has a history of behavior that progressives find troubling, like shutting down the publication ThinkProgress after its workers formed a union. “Everything toxic about the corporate Democratic party is embodied in Neera Tanden,” tweeted Brianna Joy Gray, the former press secretary for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield: UN Ambassador

Thomas-Greenfield has over 35 years of experience in the Foreign Service, and has worked as the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. “Diplomacy is back,” she has said about the post-Trump transition.

Cecilia Rouse: Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers

Rouse, the dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, has focused her work on the struggles of long-term unemployed people, which is key to the current moment. She would be the first woman of color in this position.

John Kerry: Special Presidential Envoy for Climate

Kerry, the former secretary of state, will take on this new cabinet-level position. He was a chief negotiator on the Paris Climate Agreement under Obama, and brings a wealth of experience working internationally on climate change.

Gina McCarthy: White House Climate Coordinator

McCarthy is the former administrator of the EPA under Obama, and is known for creating regulations to curb greenhouse gas emissions, which is key to Biden’s climate change policy.

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Former California Rep. Katie Hill filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against her ex-husband, the owners of The Daily Mail, and the conservative blog RedState for leaking nude photos of her, which the suit claims constitutes “non-consensual porn.” It also argues that the First Amendment does not give news outlets the right to “sexually degrade and expose public officials.”

In fall 2019, hundreds of Hill’s intimate photos and private text messages were leaked and quickly spread across the internet, which Hill claims is the result of her abusive ex’s revenge for trying to leave him. The scandal caused Hill to resign from her seat in Congress, making a powerful speech that decried the “misogynistic culture that gleefully consumed my naked pictures, capitalized on my sexuality, and enabled my abusive ex to continue that abuse.” As a result of the photos, Congress had also launched an ethics probe into a relationship Hill had with one of her staffers, something that she has since apologized for. 

Hill has recounted fearing for her life during her relationship with her ex, saying he threatened her with a gun and choked her until she was unconscious. In August 2020, she released She Will Rise, an autobiography and activist primer in which she describes her experiences with his abuse and her struggles with self-harm and depression after the resignation. Hill told Refinery29 at the time that she still has nightmares after her years of trauma. “It’s something that takes continual work and I think anyone who’s been through trauma, whatever kind it might be, knows that all too well,” Hill said.

Hill was granted a temporary restraining order against her ex two weeks ago, after which, she said in the lawsuit, some of the defendants seeked to “humiliate her further, harder, louder and more viciously; even publishing new naked images they know were taken and disseminated without Hill’s consent.” Three days after the restraining order was approved, The Daily Mail published another nude photo of Hill.

In the 41-page lawsuit, Hill cites her ex-husband Kenny Heslep, Salem Media Group Inc., Mail Media Group Inc., and RedState deputy managing editor Jennifer Van Laar, among others. 

The judge who granted the restraining order is scheduled to rule on December 30 whether it should include an injunction against him providing “confidential information” about Hill to the press and public.

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After the obscene four years this country has endured thanks to the Trump administration and its Republican supporters, should anyone really be forced to practice decorum when talking about those, well, fuckers? 

Apparently so, because Jen O’Malley Dillon, President-Elect Joe Biden’s campaign manager and incoming White House deputy chief of staff, is getting some major backlash after using the word “fuckers” to refer to Republicans. In a recent interview with Glamour, while O’Malley Dillon was making a case for trying to work with Republicans as they attempt to hijack national politics, she used the word “fuckers” to refer to Republicans, and that’s all that seemed to register with anyone.

“The president-elect was able to connect with people over this sense of unity,” O’Malley Dillon said. “In the primary, people would mock him, like, ‘You think you can work with Republicans?’ I’m not saying they’re not a bunch of fuckers. Mitch McConnell is terrible. But this sense that you couldn’t wish for that, you couldn’t wish for this bipartisan ideal? He rejected that. From start to finish, he set out with this idea that unity was possible, that together we are stronger, that we, as a country, need healing, and our politics needs that too.”

Some close Biden advisors were reportedly frustrated over her choice of words, according to Axios, and some big donors apparently want O’Malley Dillon to apologize, to Biden — and perhaps also to congressional Republicans. “For those of us who, from Day One, bought into Biden’s calls for civility and a return to normalcy, this isn’t just beyond the pale — it’s plain stupid,” said one Biden donor.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and other Republicans took advantage of the moment to score cheap political points. “Biden talks about unity and healing, but you want to know what they really think?” Rubio tweeted. “Read how the person he wants as the next WH deputy chief of staff called Republicans in Congress a bunch of f***ers.” Public figures including MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace swiftly pointed out his hypocrisy.

If you read the entire Glamour article, which we doubt many of O’Malley Dillon’s detractors have, you’ll understand the context of her message: It’s about her wish to get things done with colleagues whom she may not respect or agree with, for the sake of fixing the brokenness of this country, particularly the tragic economic aftermath of COVID. “I think, more than not, people want to see impact,” she told Glamour. “They want to see us moving in a path forward. They want to do their work, get paid a fair share, have time for themselves and their family, and see each other as neighbors. And this overhang of this negative, polarized electorate that politics has created is the thing that I think we can break down.” 

Frankly —  given many Republicans’ lockstep following of Trump’s dangerous nationalist agenda, refusal to even see vast swaths of the American electorate as people, and the fact that many of them still refuse to acknowledge that Biden won the election, or refused to acknowledge it until recently — it’s perfectly reasonable for people to disagree with the spirit of her message.

What’s not reasonable is tone-policing O’Malley Dillon, or asking her to apologize to anyone. The first woman to manage a successful Democratic presidential campaign, all while taking care of three children and learning that her father was diagnosed with cancer, she owes exactly zero people an apology, and many of her supporters rightly pointed out that if she were a man, her choice of language would likely not have been on anyone’s radar. Those Democrats who say that her words will somehow get in the way of the “unity” and “healing” they’re after have apparently never met a Republican. Republicans will choose whether or not to work with Democrats at exactly the times when it is convenient for them, regardless of f-words in interviews. They will continue to do what’s in their own self-interest (and also curse liberally while at it), like protect companies who put their employees at risk for COVID, campaign for Senate on keeping racist baseball team names, and stand behind Trump as he sputters out of control after Biden’s win.

Unfortunately, many who criticized O’Malley Dillon’s words also seemed to miss the nuanced point she seemed to be making that while “unity” and “healing” are wonderful things, the reality is that some people in Congress — particularly if Mitch McConnell stays in power — are just not going to go for that. Unity and healing might involve playing some hardball. So, hearing O’Malley Dillon refuse to pretend that all Republicans are worthy of respect after what they’ve put us through feels liberating. Her point, whether you agree or not, seems to be that you don’t have to respect or like your colleagues to negotiate for things that American people need — and that point is not made often enough. The fact that she called them fuckers? She might have been a tad too kind.

As someone who talks like a truck driver, I think swearing– while not ideal–is about 1,000 notches below undermining democracy, embracing white supremacists, and withholding COVID relief. I am team @jomalleydillon 100%. She is on the side of angels and gets sh*t done.

— ilyseh (@ilyseh) December 16, 2020

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While there’s still a lot we don’t know about the coronavirus, we’ve learned a few key facts since it hit the U.S. about eight months ago. Chief among them is that, according to the CDC and most medical experts, masks are extremely effective in protecting against the disease when worn correctly. They create a physical barrier to virus-carrying respiratory droplets, so when you are in close proximity to someone else, your mask protects them and their mask protects you. This is particularly important because asymptomatic spread of coronavirus is disturbingly common, and experts say masking is crucial when social distancing is impossible. 

Most Americans seem to have gotten the message. Pew Research reported in August that 85% of those surveyed wore masks in stores and other businesses, up from 65% in June. A National Geographic poll from October found that 92% of Americans surveyed always or sometimes wore a mask when leaving the house. With coronavirus cases on the rise practically everywhere in the U.S., and the Thanksgiving holiday posing potential outbreak risks, experts are practically begging us to take precautions, which include forgoing large celebrations, social distancing when possible, and, yes, wearing a mask.

Still, there are holdouts, particularly among supporters of President Donald Trump, who is not one for wearing masks, despite having had COVID-19 himself. Anti-mask groups can be found in abundance on Facebook, where their many r members are very vocal about their beliefs and refusal to wear a mask — including to us. 

“I only wear a mask at work and the stores I know will enforce the mandate,” April Hendriksen, 21, who lives in the Salt Lake City area and works as a janitor at the Salt Lake City Airport, told Refinery29. “Even then, I keep it off my nose. Mathematically, there’s no reason to wear a mask. Additionally, this has been proven to not work at all. We’ve all been wearing masks for almost a year now, and the virus still spreads.”

Even when we pointed out to Hendriksen and others that experts say universal mask-wearing could save thousands of lives, that the coronavirus is about 10 times deadlier than the flu, they were not persuaded.

Instead, anti-maskers often mentioned the need for herd immunity, something that Trump has talked about many times, once calling it “herd mentality.” But herd immunity can only be achieved with vaccines or with over 70% of the population becoming infected and then recovering, according to the Mayo Clinic. Meanwhile, the road to herd immunity means the kind of high infection rate that could lead to an even more catastrophic amount of deaths, long-term complications, and a tremendous burden on an already overwhelmed healthcare system. And yet that’s not enough to convince diehard anti-maskers.

“If there’s absolutely no way to get out of wearing a mask, I’ll put one on,” Heather, a 41-year-old from Houma, LA, who works for a delivery service called Waitr and has five kids ages three to 15, told Refinery29. “But I will pull it off once I enter the facility. I’ve done it to just be able to walk in. This is a free country and I’m exercising my rights to choose not to mask or make my family mask up. If people feel the need to mask up, by all means do so. If I could fight the school system on it, I would. That’s the only time my kids will wear one.”

Heather added that she also doesn’t wear a mask when she makes deliveries for work, and that, although the company requires it, no one has ever said anything. While she’s never been in a confrontation about it, some people have given her “dirty looks.” 

Ramona Russum, 51, a gallery attendant at the Dallas Museum of Art who lives in Irving, TX, thinks similarly. “I don’t wear a mask because I feel that it needs to be a choice, not mandated,” Russum told Refinery29. “[And] that I know what is best for my health and not the government; that God has given me a brain to know how to take care of myself. I wear one at work and my whole body feels horrible for six hours. It affects my job performance and I feel that I could do a better job without a mask. I don’t think the government should be in control of our lives and health.” She said wearing her mask has given her panic attacks and affected her mental health, and that lockdowns and social distancing have had the same effect.

It’s important to note that there is nothing illegal or unconstitutional about state or federal mask mandates, and 38 states — including Utah, Louisiana, and Texas — now require masks in public. Even many Republican governors have gotten on board with their effectiveness. “Masks do not negatively affect our economy, and wearing them is the easiest way to slow the spread of the virus,” Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said in a recent address. “We cannot afford to debate this issue any longer. Individual freedom is certainly important, and it is our rule of law that protects that freedom.” Besides, mask mandates are not permanent measures designed to get people to love wearing masks. Rather, they are a temporary measure to protect yourself and others. Still, some people still see the piece of cloth as government overreach. 

“I am not okay with the government forcing me to wear a mask,” Patrick Hayes, 41, a plumber in Grand Junction, CO, told Refinery29. “If the government wanted to force everyone to carry a handgun to make society safer, you know, protect your neighbor… I would fight against it. It’s not your responsibility to protect me and I don’t think you should be forced to do it.”

Hayes does, though, number among the many people who at least seem to agree that masking up could help protect vulnerable populations who are statistically at much higher risk of death or serious illness from COVID-19. “I am happy to wear a mask for anyone who asks,” Hayes said. “I’ve worn a mask when I have a customer who is elderly or infirm and they ask me to. I love my customers and I would stand on my head in their living room if they asked me to.”

And while she is not personally concerned about getting COVID, Heather said, “If you’re vulnerable and want to mask up fine. I have family members who are elderly and have health problems and I recommend them masking up.” Hendriksen said she thinks we would be safer if we “shifted all of our protection efforts from the demographics in our society that are statistically safe, to protect the demographics at risk.”

None of the people who spoke with us seem too concerned about contracting the virus themselves, either. But when they spoke about their fearlessness in the face of COVID, they didn’t sound pragmatic so much as fatalistic. 

“I’m not worried about things I can’t do anything about,” Russum said. “I can’t control the flu or getting hit by a bus, either. Should I never get in a car again because I might get into a car accident?”

“I think if you’re bound to get COVID, you will regardless if you wear a mask or not,” Heather said. “I know people who have recovered from COVID and, sadly, some who didn’t. Does that change my mind on masking up? Absolutely not.”

“If the virus cannot be eliminated, won’t everyone catch it sooner or later?” said Hayes. 

Hendriksen said both her parents are infected with COVID, but that they are “fine” and “it’s not much worse for them compared to the usual flu they both get at this time of year.” She said she continues going about her life and socializing with friends. “There’s hardly a reason to be afraid,” she said. “The only reason I worry about becoming infected is that it would put me out of work for two weeks due to the social stigma around the virus.”

Social stigma or not, more than 250,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S., with deaths spiking during the month of November, reaching over 1,000 on some days. Then too, the number of U.S. cases has surpassed 12 million, with approximately 1 million new cases each week this month. Many parts of the country have run out of ICU beds and even morgue space. That sounds like plenty of reason to be afraid — if not for yourself, then for everyone else around you.

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