#Dale Maharidge, "How America Chose Homelessness," The Nation, 1.25 - 2.1, 2021. - "The United States is facing an unprecedented homelessness crisis, that is as predictable as it was avoidable. In a white paper titled 'The Covid-19 Eviction Crisis,' the consortium estimated that 'in the absence of robust and swift intervention, an estimated 30-40 million people in America could be at risk of eviction in the next several months.' Even if the moratoriums are extended again (and then again), tenants will at some point have to pay their landlords all of the accrued back rent." "Already, nearly 12 million households owe an average of $5,850 in overdue rent and utilities, according to Moody's Analytics." "In New York City, renters represent 67percent of households, while in neighboring Newark, the number jumps to nearly 78 percent."
Attorney Gary Blasi, cofounder of the Eviction Defense Center, says: "On the track we are on now, it will be the biggest mass displacement of people in one area of the United States in history. According to an August report by a team of housing experts, nearly half of all renter households in the United States, 'were already cost-burdened,' which means paying more that 30 percent of monthly income on rent. "At the start of the pandemic, 10.9 million households -- one quarter of all renters -- spent more than 50 percent of their income in rent." "About half of the 47.5 million rental units in the United States are properties owned by mon-and-pop operations, many at risk of foreclosure if they don't pay their mortgages and taxes."
#Katha Pollitt, "The Weight of Women," The Nation, 1.25 - 2.1, 2021. -"According to a report by The Century Foundation and The Center for American Progress, 'even a 5 percent decline' in mothers' economic participation 'would undo the past 25 years of progress.' " "On the downside, four times as many people who have lost their jobs are women."
In a forthcoming paper in 'Gender & Society,' five sociologists review the literature based on gender differences in reducing working hours. "One finding was that by early June 2020, 64% of college-educated mothers had reduced their working hours, compared to 36% of college-educated fathers, and 52% of college-educated women without young children. In early April, 1 in 3 mothers reported that they were the main caregivers, compared to 1 in 10 working fathers." "Another report was that 77% of employed mothers report being mainly responsible for housework, 61% responsible for childcare, and 78% taking the lead on helping with their children's remote learning."
#Lawrence Wright, "The Plague Years," The New Yorker, June 4 & 11, 2021. - Johnny Latouf runs the Skylark Lounge in Austin, Texas. He told Lawrence Wright: "When the musicians get laid off and the bands disperse and go their separate ways, then you've actually broken up 'their' businesses." He added that: "COVID killed off more than people with preexisting conditions. Lots of businesses have preexisting conditions."
Wright believes that the other quality in doing well in the pandemic crisis is "strong, compassionate, decisive leaders who speak candidly with their customers." He contrasts Denmark and the United States on the basis of which nation has become more unified since the contagion emerged: thus, 72% in Denmark believe that their nation has become more unified, versus 18% in the U.S.
"Trump with his words and his example became not a leader but a saboteur. Her subverted his health agencies by installing political operatives who meddled with the science and suppressed the truth."
#David Klion, "Ex-Friends," The Nation, 1.25 - 2.1, 2021. - "For [Anne] Applebaum, the question is how her peers -- all of whom at the turn of the century, supported the pro-European, pro-rule-of-law, pro-market consensus that dominated not only center-right, but also the center-left politics after the fall of communism -- have come to avow reactionary conspiracy theories, anti-Semitism, and to show a slavish loyalty to demagogues like Donald Trump and Viktor Orban." "Even to the extent that she [Applebaum] is right about minimal material needs being met, it's frankly astonishing that she doesn't understand how ordinary people -- as opposed to her well-connected friends --could be experiencing a crisis of meaning and dignity in a political order that expects them to be satisfied with cheap consumer goods and privatized essential services."
"If she [Applebaum] rejects the argument that globalization and inequality led to the far-right's revival, she doesn't even glancingly acknowledge the argument that the post-9/11 wars and crackdowns on civil liberties might also have played a role."
ADDENDUMS:
*A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 40% said they will definitely get inoculated when they can, and 23% said they probably will. Just one quarter of Republicans said they definitely will.
*Dr. Anthony Fauci is looking for a vaccination rate of 70 to 85%. Polls of prospective vaccination takers indicate it may be difficult to reach Fauci's desired vaccination rate range.
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