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Prophet Curses Families Of Pastors Who Voted For Biden “Down To The Third & Fourth Generation” How To Host A Safe Outdoor Thanksgiving HIV Diagnoses Have Reached Their Lowest Levels In 20 Year...Not Because of COVID Bianca Del Rio Serves Scrooge Realness in “Drive ‘N Drag Saves Christmas” Selena Gomez Will Play Pioneering Lesbian Mountain Climber In Upcoming Movie The World’s Most Gay Friendly Travel Destinations You Need To Visit Wow, 28% of LGBTQ Voters Really Cast Their Ballots for Donald Trump Apple Finally Debuts Transgender Pride Flag Emoji America Divided Biden Adds Transgender Veteran To Presidential Transition Team At Department Of Defense
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Prophet Curses Families Of Pastors Who Voted For Biden “Down To The Third & Fourth Generation” By Debbie Wilson
Christian “prophet” Mark Taylor is angry that Donald Trump lost the presidential election. Very angry. So he did what the prophets from the Old Testament would have done. He cursed children.
will fall upon you, I believe, and your family and your children’s children down the third and fourth generation.” Taylor, a frequent proponent of “Let me tell you something,” Taylor warned on his YouTube QAnon conspiracy theories, also repeated his assertion that channel. “Every Christian, critics of the Republican presievery pastor out there that voted for Joe Biden last night, dent are you have brought a curse upon possessed by demons and “aren’t human” any longer. yourself and your family, your children, and your children’s It’s not the only conspiracy children down to the third and theory the good prophet has fourth generation, and you tried to sell his followers. need to repent.” Before he was blaming demonic possession, the said “You cannot call yourself a opposition to Trump’s Christian and call yourself a [Democrat] and vote for Biden,” presidency was caused by Satanic soundwaves broadcast he continued. “You are implementing the dark agenda. by the Illuminati. Satan’s agenda. The kingdom “The enemy has literally sent of darkness. You are not out a frequency,” Taylor said, supporting the kingdom of “and it agitated and took God.” control, basically, of those who have their DNA that was turned “And if you cannot see that, if over to the enemy. That’s you do not repent, judgment what’s happening. The
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Illuminati, the Freemasons, all these people, their main goal is to change the DNA of man, and they’re doing it through these frequencies, through the bombardment.” Taylor added that “the mainstream news media and rock and roll music” are putting out these same frequencies. “This is why when you watch the news media, you get agitated. It creates fear, it creates panic,” Taylor said. He went on to inform listeners that the media is broadcasting its audio at 440 Hz, claiming it has been found to “damage your body organs, which is why everyone is getting sick” adding it “also changes your DNA, which is the goal of the Freemasons, the Illuminati. They want you (as) part of that Illuminati bloodline.”
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masks, and limiting the number of people.” There are other tactics you can take, How To Host A Safe too, to make Outdoor Thanksgiving open-air By Drew Johnson festivities safer. But remember, masking Thanksgiving is usually a time up and social distancing we cozy up around the dinner generally remain your best table and share food and defenses. stories with those we love. But Here’s how experts say to given the pandemic, experts are recommending a change in approach an outdoor Thanksgiving celebration. holiday plans this year. MATCH YOUR GUEST The Centers for Disease COUNT WITH THE SIZE OF Control and Prevention considers hosting people for a YOUR YARD. small outdoor dinner as The more people, the more risk moderately risky, as compared you invite to the party. But just to low-risk activities like a how small should you keep the virtual Thanksgiving or a dinner guest list? The answer may with only people who live in depend on the size of your your household. And with rising yard. coronavirus rates, Philadelphia “Make sure the different Health Commissioner Thomas households can be kept six feet Farley advises families forego apart,” says Bilal. holiday gatherings altogether. Map out table and chair But if you do plan to do placements in advance, something anyway, how should including a spacious area for you think about the risk? the serving table. “This is a personal decision, SET GROUND RULES and there are risk-versusBEFORE THANKSGIVING. benefit calculations that people Want to avoid Uncle Joe going have to make,” says Usama in for that awkward welcome Bilal, epidemiologist and hug? Set some rules upfront to assistant professor at Drexel help minimize risky moments. University. “I would strongly advise against any sort of Beyond greeting etiquette, indoor gathering, but I wouldn’t address mask usage, and also necessarily advise against an the level of precaution that’s outdoor one as long as you feasible for everyone in the take the usual precautions — weeks leading up. Is maintaining distance, wearing self-quarantining an option? Can you limit unnecessary
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contact with strangers for 14 days? Does this make socially distanced socializing off-limits? What about grocery store trips? Let this be an open dialogue that weighs everyone’s comfort levels surrounding risk. And include concrete rules on what to do if someone wakes up Thanksgiving morning feeling sick. “Everyone should feel comfortable cancelling right now,” says Aimee Palumbo, epidemiologist and assistant professor at Temple University. If you prefer to stay home all together, be honest with your family and let them know early on. Your explanation doesn’t need to be lengthy. A simple “I really wish I could be there but don’t feel comfortable joining this year” is enough and will help prevent opening up the topic for debate. PLAN MEALTIME FOR THE LUNCH HOUR. It’s not uncommon for late November temperatures to drop into the 40s. Fire up the grill (grilled turkey anyone?), and make the best of it by gathering during the warmest part of the day. Everyone should come prepared to hang outside, which may mean bringing a few extra layers and a blanket. If you choose to create a warmer space with heaters and a tent, make sure that at least two tent sides remain open. “You don’t want to recreate an indoor space outdoors,” says Palumbo.E
PROVIDE EXTRA SERVING UTENSILS. BUT NO NEED TO USE DISPOSABLE DISHWARE. Assign each household their own set of serving utensils. “Act like if you go to a restaurant — you don’t want to share the salt shaker or anything from table to table,” says Bilal. While surface transmission is low, if someone coughs into their hand, and then mindlessly touches a shared object, germs could spread between households. “The more we minimize risk, the better,” says Bilal. But that doesn’t mean you need to use plastic spoons and forks. As long as all dishes are washed beforehand, you’re safe to skip the disposables and the excess trash they create. MASK UP UNLESS EATING, AND STAY OUTSIDE UNLESS USING THE BATHROOM. Your best defense when venturing inside to the bathroom is wearing a mask and thoroughly washing your hands. But experts advise keeping your mask on outdoors, too, except when eating or drinking. “When you take it on and off, be mindful of touching it. Ideally you need to wash your hands before and after,” says Bilal. LET OUT-OF-TOWN FAMILY MEMBERS SKIP THE TRAVEL THIS YEAR.
Any kind of travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19, according to the CDC. Inviting family members from out of town requires weighing the risk versus benefit for everyone involved. “The moment you go into an airport, you’re seeing other people,” says Bilal. “Driving is safer, but the important thing to look at is where everyone is coming from.” Experts encourage keeping celebrations local, particularly if case numbers are spiking in areas where out-of-towners live, or if high-risk guests are attending. To gather everyone together, host a Houseparty or other virtual meetup during the celebration. BE EXTRA MINDFUL WHEN INVITING OLDER RELATIVES. The risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, which makes decisions surrounding older relatives challenging.
“Spending time with family is often so important for the grandparents,” says Palumbo. “People need to decide what they’re comfortable with, but be mindful of what rates in the community look like, and be even more careful about isolating beforehand.” Have honest conversations up front, so everyone understands each other’s risk factors and comfort level. And you may want to consider playing it extra safe. Would the family be OK with shortening the hangout and sending everyone home with to-go meals so that masks don’t need to be removed? MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE ALCOHOL. It may be family tradition to share a few bottles of wine around the table. But the CDC advises against that this year, declaring alcohol a high-risk activity because of how it clouds our judgment. www.cityxtramagazine.com 09
“People become very huggy when they’re drunk,” says Bilal. “If you’re going to have alcohol, it’s very important to talk about these behaviors in advance so that everyone has it in their mind to try to avoid them. When you’re in the moment, after drinking a beer, you want to have a plan.” BE PREPARED TO CANCEL. Bad weather? A local spike in COVID-19 cases? In either scenario, experts advise postponing. Although there isn’t one magic number, 5% is the general benchmark for positive community test rates that epidemiologists consider concerning. “There will be more Thanksgivings,” says Bilal. “These are some of the most important people in your life, and you don’t want this holiday to be the one you remember of someone ending up in the hospital for weeks.” DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN JUST BECAUSE IT’S FAMILY. Anytime you leave the house, there’s a level of risk involved right now. It’s also impossible to know exactly what everyone is doing 24/7. And that means you need to be extra cautious with anyone who’s living outside of your household. “This virus knows no trust. Trust doesn’t really protect you,” says Bilal. “You need to be as careful with your family as you would with anyone else.” 10 www.cityxtramagazine.com
HIV Diagnoses Have Reached Their Lowest Levels In 20 Years… And Not Because Of COVID By David Vandygriff
New HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men living in the U.K. have dropped to their lowest levels since 1998, according to a new report to Public Health England (PHE). Researchers say the drop in new cases isn’t connected to a reduction in sex during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Rather, HIV diagnoses have been decreasing in the U.K. for a while thanks to increased condom use, HIV testing, and the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication with can greatly reduce one’s chances of contracting HIV, as well as antiretroviral therapy, medications which make people living with HIV virtually incapable of transmitting the virus. PHE’s new report shows there have been 540 new infections
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among gay and bi men so far in 2020, much lower than in 2000 when there were 1,500 new cases among gay and bi men, according to The Gay UK. The report says that the high point for newly diagnosed HIV infections among gay and bi men was in 2011 with about 2,700 new infections reported. Comparatively, in 2000, there were only 1,500 newly diagnosed cases among gay and bi men, and in 2019, there were only 1,700 new cases. The U.K. has set a goal of ending HIV transmission by 2030 and has made strides to try and meet an ambitious 9090-90 goal set by the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The UNAIDS goal challenges
countries to make it so that 90 percent of all people living with HIV in their borders know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed with HIV receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy have viral suppression by becoming undetectable. HIV rates among gay and bi men in the U.S. have also decreased from 2014 to 2018 by seven percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the numbers of new diagnoses have remained stable for Black, Latino, and Asian men, they’ve decreased for white, Native American, Pacific Islanders and other multi-racial men.
Bianca Del Rio Serves Scrooge Realness in “Drive ‘N Drag Saves Christmas” By David Vandygriff
Bah humbug, henny! Live drag shows have been on pause this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that changed this past summer when Voss Events created the new live experience Drive ’N Drag, starring some of the most popular queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The live tour was a resounding success—so much so that there was a version featuring queens from Canada’s Drag Race, and a Drive ‘N Drag: Halloween special. Today, the Drag Race girls are back with a new holi-slay spectacular, Drive ‘N Drag Saves Christmas, where the dolls deck the halls as Christmas characters. Drag Race’s most hateful hag, Bianca Del Rio, will step into the shoes of Scrooge, while Aquaria stars as a child on Christmas morning, Asia O’Hara as a toy-making elf, Kameron Michaels as Mrs. Claus, Naomi Smalls as Rudolph the Reindeer, Plastique as a Christmas Angel, and Violet Chachki as The Grinch. (Talk about typecasting…) “Of course they offered this crotchety old queen the role of 14 www.cityxtramagazine.com
Scrooge,” Bianca tells cityXtra Magazine. “We have the same knock knees, crooked cankles, and what other queen can wear a nightcap better than me? Plus, everyone knows I love nothing more than counting my coins.”
shows, Drive ’N Drag Saves Christmas will feature gourmet food trucks offering tasty treats and exclusive merch for sale from your favorite queens. See below for the Drive ‘N Drag Saves Christmas schedule, The elf-filled extravaganza will and head over to Voss Events’ website to purchase tickets. hit the road in Florida and Texas throughout the month of December 1-2: Westfield December, making stops in Broward in Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, Houston, Austin, and San December 4-5: Westfield Antonio, with their sleigh ride Brandon in Tampa Bay finishing in Dallas the weekend before Christmas. If you’re December 8-9: NRG Stadium stuck in the North Pole and in Houston can’t make it to any of the live shows, don’t worry. It will also December 11-13: H-E-B be available digitally on Center at Cedar Park in Austin December 20. December 15-16: Ingram Park “We’re excited to spread cheers and queers throughout Mall in San Antonio Florida and Texas this season,” December 18-20: Irving Mall in says show producer Brandon Dallas Voss. “Our wildly popular drive-in productions haven proven the drag show must go on even through a pandemic! Drive ‘N Drag Saves Christmas has been adapted to be even more interactive than previous productions, lighting up parking lots with a new kind of Christmas magic.” Like previous Drive ’N Drag
Selena Gomez Will Play Pioneering Lesbian Mountain Climber In Upcoming Movie By Judas Freeman
Actor and singer Selena Gomez will portray a trailblazing lesbian mountaineer in an upcoming movie based on the woman’s soon-to-be-published memoir, In the Shadow of the Mountain. Peruvian mountaineer Silvia Vásquez Lavado is the only out woman to climb the Seven Summits – the highest moun-
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tains on each continent. The 46-year-old lives in San Francisco now. Gomez, who has refused to label her sexuality, will also produce the movie. Straight and cisgender actors portraying LGBTQ people has become a pop culture flashpoint in recent months.
While out actor Wentworth Miller recently announced that he will not be taking any more “straight” roles, straight actor Viggo Mortensen is being forced to defend his decision to play a gay man in his directorial debut, Falling.
abundant alcohol, dancing, and attractive men. Go to a gay bar like Evita The World’s Most Gay Friendly Travel early in the evening to find Destinations You Need To Visit out what’s By Michael Brayson happening, Are you ready to get away from then see where the night takes the hustle and bustle of day-to- you. Sleep it off the next day on day life? There’s nothing quite one of Tel Aviv’s gay-friendly like exploring a brand-new city, beaches. and luckily there are countless Paris gay-friendly travel destinations that we bet you haven’t visited If you are looking for a sophisticated, romantic and yet. gay-friendly destination, Paris From the sun-drenched is it. You can make the most of beaches of Tel Aviv to the the city’s famous sights, sophisticated gay nightlife in designer shops, exquisite food Melbourne to the romance of and people-watching along the Paris, there’s enough here to boulevards, then explore the plan your next six trips. No streets of Paris’ LGBT matter what type of holiday community, Marais. you’re planning, you can be Here you’ll find a vast variety of sure to receive a warm gay bars, each with their own welcome in any of these style, unique appeal and happy destinations. hour. Starting your evening It’s just a shame we can only here is a great way to get to visit one at a time! know locals and find out what Tel Aviv is going on around town. Have casual cocktails at one of the As well as world-famous hip late-night bars, or go to nightlife, Tel Aviv also offers Queen for a bit of an old-school white sand beaches, dance party. picture-perfect markets, and delicious eats. There are plenty Melbourne of reasons why it is a must-go Melbourne has been named destination for gays – top the world’s most livable city for among them is how friendly seven years running for good and open the gay community reason, so it’s only logical that there is. it’s a gay-friendly travel Gay nightlife is particularly fun destination too. It’s hip and cosmopolitan, but relaxed with as it revolves around weekly it. parties; these parties are big, wild and memorable. Expect Spend the days exploring – have a coffee at one of the 18 www.cityxtramagazine.com numerous trendy coffee shops,
or visit the queer bookstore in Fitzroy. The gay scene is cool and understated – more about creative cocktails than glitter dance parties, although there are regular underground parties if you do want to go dancing. Lisbon Lisbon is often recommended as one of the most amazingly gay-friendly cities for LGBT travelers. People are so open that you feel completely free to be yourself. Spend your days walking through the beautiful old city and people-watching in the bustling plazas. The nightlife in Barrio Alto is sure to show you a good time once the sun goes down and there are numerous gay bars, clubs, and even a sauna. Beach lovers will enjoy the gay beach area at Beach 19, part of the Costa da Caparica – a long stretch of beach 15 minutes outside of Lisbon. Vienna You might think of imperial majesty when you think of Vienna, but it’s also one of the most gay-friendly travel destinations in Europe, with a long LGBT history. The city has even been home to a gay Emperor, and today has a thriving gay scene. There are hidden (and not-sohidden) gems everywhere in Vienna: from pop-up markets and galleries, to gay dance parties, bookshops, and swimming pools. Naschmarkt is the nearest thing Vienna has to a gay quarter, although you’ll find yourself welcomed everywhere.
Austin You might not think of gay-friendly when you think of Texas, but Austin is a liberal oasis with an active, visible and diverse gay scene. The locals often say that there’s no ‘gay neighborhood’ because the whole city is gay-friendly. It’s a wonderful place to explore, dance to live music and meet a cowboy or two. Close to downtown, East Austin is number one gaybourhood with hip restaurants and bars, while historic Clarksville is perfect for getting lost in the charming streets. You’ll find good food and live music in the vibrant South Congress district and everything you need for a great gay night out in Austin Downtown, which is home to 4th Street Gay District.
Glockenbachviertel area, and there’s something for everyone: cocktails, all-night events, kinky underground parties. There’s even Gay Oktoberfest – don’t tell us that doesn’t tempt you!
London Samuel Johnson famously said ‘When a man is tired of Munich London, he is tired of life’; well Every gay who goes to we know we’ll never get tired of Germany goes to Berlin, so London, so that bodes well for why not buck the trend by life! London is a multi-cultural visiting beautiful historic and lively metropolis where Munich, a city whose history everyone is welcome, and includes some of the oldest gay anything goes. It also has bars in the world. We all know Europe’s largest gay that Germany is one of the community – no wonder it’s most gay-friendly travel such a gay-friendly travel destinations in the world and destination, we fit right in! Munch has huge amounts to offer the gay traveler in term of You could go on a great night fine art, fine beer and fine men out almost anywhere in London but if you want to check out the in lederhosen! gay scene then head to Soho Spend your days exploring near the West End for Munich’s architecture or numerous gay bars, shops, lounging in the parks; spend restaurants, and clubs. Try to your evenings doing… come during Pride for an LGBT whatever you want. Munich has celebration you’ll never forget. one of the biggest LGBT Fort Lauderdale scenes in Germany, centered around the hip Fort Lauderdale’s tropical
weather and open-minded residents mean it has been a popular gay destination since the 1970s. There is a jam-packed calendar of LGBT events from film festivals to Pride to a bear beach weekend, and even when there isn’t an official event, there are over 100 gay-owned resorts, bars, clubs and restaurants to enjoy. Head to Sebastian Beach to relax on the white sands and mix with other gay travelers and locals. Here’s where you can get an idea of what’s going on that evening or just tan in preparation for a good night out! Stay in Wilton Manors, which is more than just a gay neighborhood – it’s almost a gay town, where you will see rainbow flags outside almost every home and business. It doesn’t get any more gay-friendly than that!
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Wow, 28% of LGBTQ Voters Really Cast Their Ballots for Donald Trump By Becky Davis
Honey. Sweetie, put down the vodka soda. We need to talk… about who you voted for in the presidential election. The New York Times has published preliminary estimates from exit polls conducted by Edison Research for the National Election Pool after the 2020 general election this Tuesday, November 3. In total, 15,590 American voters were interviewed, either by phone or in person outside their polling place. One of the questions asked in the poll was, “Are you gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender?”, to which 7% of the total survey pool said yes. While Democratic nominee Joe
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Biden was the favorite among 61% of the voters who identified as LGBTQ, President Donald Trump received an estimated 28% of queer vote. We would looove to know who those LGBTQ Trump voters are. (Maybe they counted Eric Trump in the poll?) The Trump administration has proven time and time again that it does not value LGBTQ Americans. Hell, the President rarely acknowledges our existence. As cityXtra Magazine previously reported, during his first two years in office, Trump neglected to acknowledge
LGBTQ Pride Month on social media. He did issue a Pride Month proclamation in 2019, although given his administration’s history of anti-LGBTQ policymaking, the nod came off as opportunistic. Meanwhile, Biden has already pledged to advance the LGBTQ Equality Act, reverse Trump’s trans military ban, and protect LGBTQ asylumseekers. This past June, the Biden campaign also launched an initiative aimed at LGBTQ voters and timed to LGBTQ Pride Month.
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Apple Finally Debuts Transgender Pride Flag Emoji By Pamela Bennett
Get ready to fire off some trans-inclusive text messages, because the transgender Pride flag emoji has arrived.
Apple has released its iOS 14.2 update for the iPhone and iPad. The update includes new wallpapers, HomePod features, bug fixes, and more than 100 new emojis. Among those new emojis are a trans Pride flag, a symbol representing the intersex community, and a gender-fluid bride and groom. As cityXtra Magazine reported in January, more than 100 new emojis were approved for Emoji v13.0 by Unicode Consortium, the tech group that sets the
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industry standard for emoji options across different platforms and devices. Among those additions was a trans Pride flag emoji, meant to resemble trans activist Monica Helms’ iconic design with five stripes: two blue, two pink, and one white. A rainbow LGBTQ Pride flag was added back in 2016. In addition to the trans Pride flag, the new batch of emojis also includes a rollerskate, a boomerang, a dodo, and a tea kettle—which we will probably be using a lot, TBH.
“We separate people into different ’kinds’ of people, but the kind thing to do is to see everyone as our kin,” Paul Hunt, the designer behind Unicode’s first gender-inclusive emoji, told Mashable. “I hope the work I’m doing… is helping us to be able to see that we’re all more similar than we are different.” If you’re an iPhone user, the update should be available for you now. Happy texting!
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America Divided By Elizabeth Hamilton
The dust is still settling on the US election, and “election day” may well become an “election week”. Joe Biden has said he is confident he will “emerge victorious” after all votes are counted. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s campaign team has demanded a recount in Wisconsin and launched lawsuits in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. Yet amid all the to and fro, some things are already clear and some encouraging conclusions can be drawn. First, on the volume of mail-in ballots and counting delays. Such ballots increased dramatically due to the pandemic and no one should be surprised by that. Democratic voters were also more inclined to vote by mail, while Republicans preferred to vote in person on the day. In addition, some states, such as Pennsylvania, have little experience with mail-in voting on this scale — another factor slowing the count. In Pennsylvania, which may end up determining the presidential result, that scenar24 www.cityxtramagazine.com
io manifested itself as Democrats returned about three times as many absentee ballots as Republicans. Predictably, these ballots skew heavily Democratic. They are also counted after the in-person vote, which takes time. That is why Mr. Trump’s initial lead on election day has been narrowed by the flood of mailed -in votes. What does this all mean? On the current trajectory, Mr. Biden will reach the needed 270 electoral votes and become president-elect. Though unexpected, the Senate is likely to remain under Republican control. Even more surprising, Republicans have picked up seats in the House of Representatives, which will embolden their minority. Partisans on both sides of the aisle may be dissatisfied with this outcome, but Americans have reason to celebrate. They are tired of the endless drama, chaos and disturbing behavior of Mr. Trump’s presidency. So they voted to change the executive leadership. However, rejecting Mr. Trump does not mean they endorsed the
Democratic agenda. On the contrary, to check its far -left wing, a substantial number of Biden voters also supported Republican candidates down-ballot as a way to provide political balance and protect the nation from the excesses of a one-party Democratic government. Off the table now are packing the Supreme Court with additional justices; statehood for Washington DC; defunding the police; fracking bans; a “Green New Deal”; and punitive business tax increases. The Senate filibuster, one of Congress’s few mechanisms that compels bipartisan co-operation, will remain intact. This divided government represents a repudiation of both Mr. Trump and the Democratic party’s left wing. Neither party has a clear policy mandate. Congressional Republicans would be wise to find common ground with Mr. Biden, assuming he becomes president, and seek incremental changes that benefit the American people.
Issues such as the pandemic response, transportation infrastructure, rural broadband and rebuilding relationships with US allies are plausible areas to find common ground. If all goes well, there may even be opportunities to clean up the rough edges of Obamacare and the Republican party’s tax reform. Just imagine that: Democrats and Republicans acknowledging and remedying the shortcomings of their marquee legislative achievements. No doubt there will be partisan fights and gridlock that impede progress in some, or many, areas of public policy. But better that than grand reforms passed on a partisan basis that are not durable or sustainable, and become grist for endless vitriolic debate. Mr. Biden may not have a policy mandate, but he clearly has a governing one: to steady the ship of state after the trauma of Mr. Trump’s rule. Republicans would be wise to a co-operate in this endeavor.
Biden Adds Transgender Veteran To Presidential Transition Team At Department Of Defense By David Williamson
The Biden transition team has named several LGBTQ people to oversee and review various public agencies – and transgender veteran Shawn Skelly has been tapped as part of the group that will evaluate the Department of Defense. President Donald Trump banned transgender people from serving in the military. Joe Biden has pledged to immediately undo the ban.
member targeted by the religious right, has been chosen to be part of the team reviewing the Department of Justice. A release from the campaign specifically notes, “The Department of Justice team will also review the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the Commission Skelly, a former special assistant to the Undersecretary on Civil Rights, the National Council on Disability, the of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, was United States Access Board, AbilityOne, the State Justice director of the Office of the Institute, and the Legal Executive Secretariat at the Services Corporation.” Department of Transportation under the Obama “Our nation is grappling with a administration. She was the pandemic, an economic crisis, first trans veteran to get a urgent calls for racial justice, presidential appointment. and the existential threat of climate change,” Ted Kaufman, Dave Noble, an out former co-chair of the transition team, Obama appointee to NASA, said. “We must be prepared for has also been tapped to join a seamless transfer of the transition team. He will be part of the group evaluating the knowledge to the incoming agency’s state after four years administration to protect our interests at home and abroad.” of Trump rule. “The agency review process Lesbian Chai Feldblum, the will help lay the foundation for former Equal Employment meeting these challenges on Opportunity Commission Day 1. The work of the agency 26 www.cityxtramagazine.com
review teams is critical for protecting national security, addressing the ongoing public health crisis, and demonstrating that America remains the beacon of democracy for the world.” Trump’s administration has so far refused to work with the transition team to ensure a smooth transition of power.