Southern Progressives

Moving to the left one post at a time

Bill Freeman
January 21, 2025

National News:

Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who violently attacked police

President Donald Trump has pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S.

apnews.com/article/capitol-jan-6-pardons-trump-justice-department-8ce8b2a8f8cb602d5eaf85ac7b969606?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

Biden in Final Hours Pardons Cheney, Fauci and Milley to Thwart Reprisals

Acting on the day he leaves office, President Biden used his executive clemency power to protect people targeted by his incoming successor, Donald J. Trump, who has vowed “retribution.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/biden-pardons-fauci-milley-cheney-jan-6.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qk4.-Y_h.hD9rNvRWZ1JM&smid=url-share

Fox News Prepares to Cover a Government Filled With Fox News Alumni

President-elect Donald J. Trump has leaned heavily on familiar faces from the cable network as he fills out his second-term cast.

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/business/media/trump-fox-news-cabinet.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qk4.5O8G.evLIZJ4b-eWT&smid=url-share

State News:

TennCare’s maternal death rates are 3x those of private insurance • Tennessee Lookout

Newly released Tennessee data shows the risks of dying from pregnancy are exponentially higher for those on TennCare.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/01/21/tenncares-maternal-death-rates-are-3x-those-of-private-insurance

Report: Tennessee, Southeast lag nation in energy efficiency ahead of growing energy demand • Tennessee Lookout

Utility companies in the Southeast lag behind the national energy efficiency average, and Tennessee’s low energy savings are partially to blame.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/01/21/report-tennessee-southeast-lag-nation-in-energy-efficiency-ahead-of-growing-energy-demand

Local News & Arts:

Table Read: The Mousetrap — Athens Area Council for the Arts

Join us for a table read of The Mousetrap led by Rick Parker. Brimming with intrigue, sophisticated humor and surprising twists, “The Mousetrap” is an Agatha Christie iconic murder mystery. McMinn County East Tennessee Foothills Smokey Mountains Arts council Athens Arts Center Athens TN Tennessee S

www.athensartscouncil.org/upcomingevents/table-read-jan-26-2025

Indivisible:

/Should you form a group? There are local volunteer-run Indivisible groups of all shapes and sizes in every state. Some are more active than others; some are more focused on local, state, or federal issues than others; some might be the right vibe you’re looking for or not. You can sign up here to be connected to a local active group in your area.

If there isn’t currently an active group near you, congratulations -- you’re about to become a new Indivisible group leader. To do that, you need two things:

A handful of people who live geographically nearby (e.g., in the same town). Some of the best Indivisible groups started tiny and became powerhouses.
A shared commitment from those people to devote at least a few hours a month to organizing against MAGA’s anti-democratic extremism.