Southern Progressives

Moving to the left one post at a time

National News

December 18, 2023

Reporters at ProPublica have uncovered yet more news about the right-wing network of wealthy donors who have supported Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. According to Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, Alex Mierjeski, and Brett Murphy, in January 2000, on a plane flight home from a conservative conference, Thomas complained to Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) about his salary. He warned that if lawmakers didn’t give Supreme Court justices a pay raise, “one or more justices will leave soon.”

open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/december-18-2023?r=2cuzj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

These kids have missed nearly four years of school. Their main obstacle? Paperwork

Thousands of kids went missing from schools during the pandemic. For some who have tried to return, school paperwork has proved a daunting obstacle.

projects.apnews.com/features/2023/pandemic-missing-students-school-enrollment/index.html

Senate border security talks grind on as Trump invokes Nazi-era 'blood' rhetoric against immigrants

Time slipping, White House and Senate negotiators are struggling to reach a U.S. border security deal that would unlock President Joe Biden’s request for billions of dollars worth in military aid for Ukraine and national security.

apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

State News:

Thousands of Tennesseans seeking food aid stuck in months-long backlogs this holiday season – Tennessee Lookout

Applicants for SNAP benefits have lost access to food assistance as the Tennessee Department of Human Services changes computer systems.

tennesseelookout.com/2023/12/19/19637

Few cases of alleged voter fraud are prosecuted in Tennessee – Tennessee Lookout

Tennessee court data show fewer than 100 prosecutions statewide for voter fraud in the past five years, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.  

tennesseelookout.com/2023/12/19/prosecution-of-alleged-voter-fraud-cases-in-tennessee-rare

Local News:

The McMinn County Library Board appointed Mrs. Rebeckah Coleman to be the next director of the E.G. Fisher Public Library during its meeting on December 12. Mrs. Coleman currently serves as the Circulation Librarian and Bookmobile Coordinator at the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library. She has been a member of the Cleveland Library team since 1998. Mrs. Coleman and her family live in Calhoun. She will begin her new position on January 15, 2024, succeeding the interim director, Mrs. Beth Jackson. McMinn County Library Board Chair, Dr. Tyler Forrest, shared, "Rebeckah is an excellent choice to be the next director of the E.G. Fisher Public Library. She brings to the position extensive knowledge of library operations, a strong background in serving library patrons, and lots of new ideas. The Library Board is excited about working with her and is most appreciative of the good work that our interim director, Mrs. Beth Jackson, has done during her tenure leading the Library."

Habitat for Humanity of McMinn County’s Christmas Vendor Appreciation Day will be December 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Athens Regional Conference Center.

The Arts:

Seniors:

​We’ve said before here that everyone has a job. All the people you meet are doing their job. Like the Zen master who was once asked why evil people exist in the world and answered “To thicken the plot,” we have to understand that even the annoying people, even the liars, the racists, the criminals, the selfish, the whatever—they are here for a reason. At the very least, they challenge us, remind us who we need to be, what we need to do.

We all play a part. Let’s just make sure that we (the only thing we really control), play a good part.

Coalition Calendar: Dec.

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Bill Freeman is Southern Progressive Newsletter

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