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— Publisher’s Note —
Good morning! When I worked in the corporate world, one of the things I did was teach systems thinking.
A lot of people will tell you they are “systems thinkers” – but what they really are is process thinkers. In other words, they can design and implement processes and procedures.
Systems thinking, on the other hand, involves seeing things as systems with flows and feedback loops, and understanding how an action here can have an effect over there through such loops. Because it’s a system, the effects are often delayed. Think of adjusting the temperature of your shower; the temperature change isn’t immediate.
We are already seeing how the pandemic is causing systems to become less resilient and begin failing. Systems thinking connects the symptoms in one situation as causes in another situation. For example, workers in a factory have to quarantine. This stops production, which affects another factory that relies on the first for parts. This leads to layoffs in that community, which leads to stores closing, and so on.
Two things to tie this together: Today on the site we have a commentary from Jason Bailey of KCEP, talking about how the federal government is the only entity capable of dealing with the economic depression (collapse?) we are facing. Only the feds can inject enough money into the economic system to mitigate the negative feedback loops all around us. Go read the commentary.
The other thing is our The State of Kentucky show on Friday. One of our guests is the founder and CEO of a high-tech manufacturing company. He has front-line, real-life examples of how COVID-19 is affecting his business in ways that you might not have thought about. The links to the show are below, so you can watch it live on Friday, or watch it “tape delayed” later on our site.
We have to get people to see that if we don’t pull together and beat this thing, the damage across all our systems and all our lives are going to be really, really bad. Let’s hope people get the picture and join together. Otherwise, systems are going to do what systems do: feed back and cause new and unexpected outcomes.
#WearYourMask #TeamKentucky
Bruce Maples, publisher
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As cases set a new record by far, Beshear says ‘It’s time to stop the silliness and the games’ and ‘come together or fall apart’ – 7/14 update
After reporting by far the most coronavirus cases found in Kentucky on one day, Gov. Andy Beshear said “It tells you this virus isn’t playing, and neither are we.”
Beshear reported 576 cases, almost as many as the 625 that the state reported on May 5, when it included 309 cases from a prison, which were found over several days of testing.
“If 400 made you gulp, 576 ought to create a knot in your stomach, because what we face is very, very real,” Beshear said. “What we do now is gonna determine whether we can push that back down, or whether we suffer more cases and more deaths.” (Forward Kentucky)
87 protesters arrested during demonstration at AG Daniel Cameron’s east Louisville home
Protesters with the social justice organization Until Freedom gathered for a sit-in on the front lawn of the St. Matthews area home owned by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Tuesday around 4:30 p.m. The group said the demonstration was not a protest or rally, but a call to action seeking justice in the shooting death of Taylor at the hands of LMPD officers. Some of the protesters came to Louisville from as far away as New York and Atlanta.
Those arrested were charged with “intimidating a participant in a legal process,” which is a Class D felony, and carries a potential sentence of up to 5 years in prison. (WDRB)
Repub leges go without masks; Dems call them out
A day after one of their peers announced he had tested positive for COVID-19, Republican legislators were still not wearing masks in the Annex. Democratic legislative leadership issued a statement calling on them to wear masks and not put the health of their staff at risk. (Forward Kentucky)
GOP lawmakers seek investigation into Jefferson Davis statue removal for possible collusion
Republican state lawmakers voted Tuesday to ask the attorney general to investigate the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue from the Capitol Rotunda over allegations of collusion in the bidding process.
The six GOP lawmakers who voted to refer the contract for investigation insisted they weren’t questioning the decision to remove the statue itself. Instead, they said they had grave concerns that Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration had rewarded a political donor with a $225,000 no-bid contract to remove the statue.
But the only lawmaker to vote against the plan, Democratic state Rep. Charles Booker of Louisville, dismissed the decision as “B.S.,” saying the statue of the Confederate president needed to be removed as quickly as possible. “I don’t understand and I don’t appreciate the fact that this is being diminished and turned into a political game,” he said. (Courier-Journal)
Beshear says Scott judge who ruled against his COVID-19 order should be disqualified
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked Scott Circuit Judge Brian Privett on Monday to disqualify himself from hearing a case involving Beshear’s COVID-19 executive orders and have a special judge appointed.
In a 73-page motion, Beshear said Privett and the other judge in the circuit’s division, Jeremy Mattox, “have engaged in conduct that calls their partiality into question.” Beshear said Privett’s social media posts and political activities “show that he has a personal friendship and professional relationship” with state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, who was awarded a decision by the judge in a recent lawsuit against Beshear. (Herald-Leader)
A tribute to Brandi Harless
Primary voters in Paducah denied their young, unabashedly progressive mayor a crack at a second four-year term. But two veteran civil rights leaders say Brandi Harless will be missed as a champion of equality in westernmost Kentucky’s largest city. (Forward Kentucky)
This Friday’s show
Join us Friday for interviews with Stephen Spoonamore, Maxwell Mitchell, and Jason Downey as they share stories of their experiences on the front lines of two crises: the pandemic and the protests for racial justice.
Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
— News —
Beshear suffers setbacks in Court of Appeals; masks not part of ruling – A state appeals judge on Monday dismissed efforts by Gov. Andy Beshear to overturn two lower court rulings concerning COVID-19 emergency orders. (read)
Beshear sees ‘good compliance’ with mask order despite media reports, offers poll showing most Kentucky voters agree with it – 7/13 update – Majority of Kentuckians approve of the mask order, across all political parties, and compliance is up. The court challenges continue, however. (read)
“They endorsed WHO?!?” – A look at endorsements and why they happen the way they do – Every election cycle, there are endorsements. And every election cycle, there are surprises and complaints about those endorsements. Here’s a look at what takes place behind the scenes. (read)
Trump, the politics of fear, and racism: How our brains can be manipulated to tribalism – An attribute of our current president is his eagerness and ability to use fear for intimidation of those who disagree with him, and subordination and shepherding of those who support him. (read)
🔥 Four first hand reports from the real world, Covid-19 edition. ‘Things are beginning to crack.’ – Two months ago the writer wrote a post that was somewhat hopeful. This update is not hopeful – things are cracking, and will get worse. (read)
— Commentary —
[new] Kentucky’s senators must agree to adequate federal aid for the state to survive recession – The first CARES Act was only part of the bridge we need for our economy, and for the 50% of Kentuckians who have lost some or all of their employment. Will the U.S. Senate build the rest of the bridge? (read)
KY Dems, you need to fix this ethics loophole – How would you feel if you were a candidate in a competitive Democratic primary, and you learned that the chair of your local party was working for one of your opponents? And being PAID to do so? (read)
🔥 Republicans propose eliminating speed limits, seat belts – Citing “government overreach” and calling the laws “arbitrary and overbroad,” Republican leaders in Kentucky today proposed eliminating laws setting speed limits and requiring seat belts. (Read to the end.) (read)
— Media —
🔥 [photo gallery] “Heads Up, Phones Out!” – a rally for citizen journalists – We stand with citizen journalists! Here is a photo gallery from a rally supporting the live streamers who have been covering the protests in Louisville. (view)
[podcast] Shameka Parrish-Wright & Ted Shouse on Injustice Square Park and judicial reforms – Also – Robert and Jazmin discuss the Vision Russell project, and how it could be connected to the Breonna Taylor killing. (listen)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
(🔥 indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- Republicans propose eliminating speed limits, seat belts (640 shares)
- Millions of Americans are about to find out just how badly they’ve been screwed by Trump and the GOP (266 shares)
- Bipartisan legislation being drafted to restrict no-knock warrants (240 shares)
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