LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
EXHAUSTED,
The biggest story last week and this week are the same. Black people in America are exhausted. (I actually have more colorful language to explain it. But my mother might read this.) We are beyond tired of being killed and dehumanized and then being responsible for coming up with the right words and approach for explaining why it is wrong and helping people find the path to the same decency they inherently expect for themselves. We are exhausted from living through and bearing the scars of generations that have endured the deleterious effects of having brown skin in America.
MASK SHAMING,
Despite the advice from Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci to wear masks in public places and maintain social distancing, it is becoming apparent that following or not following these cautionary practices is becoming a red and blue political issue. President Trump and Vice President Pence, despite both being exposed to COVID-19, refuse to wear masks in public. Many of their supporters are following suit as an act of loyalty. Mask shaming in some instances feels like bullying. Common sense should prevail. If we want to reopen America, we should behave like adults, not petulant children.
HURRICANE SEASON,
Wow, June 1 is here already, and along with that comes the start of hurricane season for us Floridians. Although we’ve already had two named tropical storms off the coast in May, let’s hope this year all the storms steer into the Atlantic and not over the Gulf. We have had more than our share of emergency preparedness to respond to already this year. First it was a shortage on paper goods and cleaning supplies — that are still in high demand. Next it will be batteries, water and non-perishable foods. Enough!
BUDGET WOES,
With June upon us, the start of Florida’s 2020-2021 fiscal year is just a month away, but the state doesn’t have a budget in place. As its last act before adjourning on March 19, the Legislature passed a $93.2 billion spending plan. They recognized that, with the effects of the pandemic just hitting, they would need to revisit, yet have made no move to do so. Nor has Gov. Ron DeSantis begun considering what the Legislature has produced. The economic impacts of COVID-19 will be devastating, with Moody’s estimating a revenue shortfall between $8 billion and $10 billion. Time to deal with it.
SCARBOROUGH TWEETS,
A Florida widower pleaded with President Trump to remove tweets suggesting that MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough murdered the man’s wife. Lori Klausutis died in 2001 from a heart condition. She was an aide in then-Congressman Scarborough’s Florida office. Scarborough was in Washington at the time of her death. Despite facts that discredit Trump’s scurrilous accusations, Republican political leaders including the governor and two senators remain mum. Will they remain silent in the wake of a Floridian being forced to relive the tragedy of his wife’s death? In this case, silence speaks volumes.
ECONOMIC PARALLEL,
As Hertz, JCPenney, Neiman Marcus, and Tuesday Morning head into bankruptcy, ostensibly as a result of COVID-19, an interesting parallel emerges between biology and economics. COVID-19 has laid a swath of devastation as it focused its deadliest effects primarily on individuals who carried a weakened immune system, were older or were seriously ill. While individuals who were strong or young could still contract it, they were in the minority. The same holds true for businesses. While auto rental has suffered, Avis and Enterprise survive. While retail has suffered, Amazon is exploding. These retailers had been on life support for years. COVID-19 was simply the final straw.
UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF,
New unemployment claims in Florida went down, but they are merely joining the record numbers of the last two months. The broken unemployment system continues to hamper the flow of relief to those who need it. Even as the theme parks make plans for re-opening into a new future, we are far from turning the corner to a livable normal. Our people will need tangible and realistic help for months and maybe years to come. The sooner our leaders accept this, the sooner we can develop the coherent and sustainable long-term plan we need.
GAY RIGHTS RULINGS,
In October, oral Supreme Court arguments were heard in the Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda; Bostock v. Clayton County; and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC cases. The high court will determine whether it is legal to fire workers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, with the decision announced in June. Although gay pride parades & festivals were canceled in June, this decision has the ability to fire up LGBT people beyond belief. Whether positive or negative, LGBT people will be taking it to the streets!