What should Joe Biden do about Georgia’s Senators?
If I had a big soapbox, here’s what I would use it for… I would encourage Joe Biden to say this right now:
“Americans need to divide and conquer Covid-19, not each other. I also want to take politics out of the courts and big money out of politics. All three of these goals need support from the Senate, and that’s why I’m now going to stump in Georgia, because these are national issues, and I’m going to campaign as hard as I did during my OWN campaign. Losing the Georgia Senate races will hurt the nation, and my job is to lead the nation! ALL of the nation.”
So do you have a big soapbox? Or know someone with one who might agree with that paragraph?
Yeah, it’s risky, but winning would be a gigantic success and losing wouldn’t make things any worse than they already are (and were when President Obama was blocked by the Senate). If Biden is too busy with the transition he can at least send Kamala Harris and friends to Georgia. As in NOW.
Can’t tell how Joe Biden thinks about these things, but here are my current favorites among possible solution approaches:
(1) Divide Covid-19 into economic and medical problems. The way companies normally handle economic risks is with insurance, but it’s too late for insurance against Covid-19, so the government has to step up as the insurer of last resort — but we (as in America) can still use the insurance companies to process the claims for economic damages from Covid-19. They are experts in evaluating and paying claims, and the government can “buy” the policy with borrowed money. Right now the government is just borrowing lots of money and spraying it out of fire hoses, but the insurance companies can make sure the money pays for real damages. The government should shop for the best post-facto insurance policies now, with the insurance companies competing for the terms of the insurance policies that will encourage smaller claims while keeping most people employed until the MEDICAL CRISIS of Covid-19 is solved. The government should be focusing on the medical side now. The premiums for the insurance policies have to be paid from future tax revenues, but the first priority NOW is on stopping the deaths.
(2) To depoliticize the Supreme Court, I suggest nonpartisan Justices be made “more powerful” than partisan ones. Not a lot more powerful, but I think it would suffice if a nonpartisan Justice could compel the recusal of two partisan Justices. Then presidents would be strongly motivated to nominate NONPARTISAN Justices (who are confirmed by majorities of the Senators from BOTH parties). Joe Biden can promise to do everything he can to find and nominate nonpartisan Justices. Maybe that will even put the fear of Gawd into the Senate? (But I doubt it.)
(3) Getting the money out of politics is the toughest nut, even though it’s the place where ALL of the non-wealthy voters are most in agreement. I think a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United is the best hope, and if Joe Biden could lead the nation to adopt such an amendment it would be a truly great accomplishment.
