Five Things to Know Today
— Publisher’s Note —
Good morning! For a small media outlet, we put out a LOT of content. Sometimes, when I do the Weekly Wrap (the newsletter with all the content we’ve published for the week), I’m just sort of amazed at what seven days of work looks like.
Why am I bringing this up? Believe it or not, it’s not for bragging rights. Instead, it is for a very different reason: I worry that some of this good content just gets lost, and doesn’t get the attention (and readership) it deserves.
Examples:
- The poll showing Americans of both parties support progressive policies, much more than you might think
- Marshall Ward’s piece on QAnon, a conspiracy-theory group that you need to be aware of
- Berry Craig’s piece on democratic socialism, and why it’s not what some people think
- The story showing that Democrats are the party of good fiscal management, not the Republicans
I know, I know – the news is a firehose these days, and sometimes you just want to turn it off. But in the midst of that firehose, there are important stories, many of which either go against the click-bait narrative of some corporate news, or add depth and background to the events of the day.
So, I hope you will scan the list of stories at the bottom of the Forward Five, or subscribe to the Weekly Wrap and scan that each weekend. You may find something important or engaging that you missed.
And thanks, as always, for being a loyal reader of our work. That’s why we do it – to get consumed and shared, to keep people informed objectively, to push policies that actually work, and to grow the progressive voice across the state. We’ll keep trying to do those things, and you keep reading, watching, and listening.
Bruce Maples, publisher
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Today’s Five Things to Know
Weekend COVID updates
8/28 update – Positivity rate stays below 5%, while case numbers remain on a slow uptick
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Friday that Kentucky has 792 new coronavirus cases, continuing this week’s slow uptick in daily case numbers, but a lower positive test rate of 4.5 percent. (Forward Kentucky)
8/29 update — 825 new cases, positivity rate still below 5%; warnings about Derby Week
The spread of the coronavirus continued to accelerate slowly in Kentucky Saturday, with 825 new cases, the fourth largest daily number of the pandemic, and creating its third highest seven-day total. (Forward Kentucky)
8/30 update — Largest one-week case total; Stack urges safe behavior next weekend
The state reported 462 new cases of infection by the novel coronavirus Sunday, making its Monday-to-Sunday weekly total the largest ever: 4,503. The previous high was 4,333, two weeks ago. (Forward Kentucky)
Stage is set for KY Supreme Court to decide whether Beshear’s COVID-19 orders will stand
The COVID-19 pandemic “presents the gravest threat to public health in over a century,” and Gov. Andy Beshear also says state law gives him the tools to exercise his executive authority to protest the public and slow the spread of the virus. But Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron says the Democratic governor “simply does not have the authority to act as a one-man legislature, even during a pandemic.”
The seven justices of the state Supreme Court now have before them 302 pages of documents arguing whether Beshear’s emergency orders are constitutional during a pandemic that as of Friday has led to the deaths of 918 Kentuckians. They will hear oral arguments in the case on September 17. (Herald-Leader)
Charles Booker at new March on Washington: There’s ‘no root of racism we cannot pull up’
State Representative and former U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker spoke Friday at the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks Commitment March” on Washington, held on the same day as the famous March on Washington led by Rev. Martin Luther King. Here’s what Booker said. (Courier-Journal)
SOS Adams testifies before Congress
Secretary of State Adams testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security, offering an assessment of what has made Kentucky a national leader this year in election administration. Here are his remarks. (Forward Kentucky)
Sen. Paul complains about ‘angry mob’ encounter after RNC
Sen. Rand Paul, who was surrounded by screaming protesters when he and his wife left President Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention speech at the White House, claimed without evidence on Friday that he had been “attacked by an angry mob” of the type that would be unleashed in Joe Biden’s America.
A video of the encounter with the protesters, who were yelling for Paul to say Breonna Taylor’s name, shows no attack on Paul, only a police officer who was jostled while carrying a bicycle and then stumbled into the Kentucky senator’s shoulder. (Richmond Register)
Upcoming Events
We post campaign and organization events if they are sent to us in time. Send your announcements to Press@ForwardKY.com.
McGrath & Rex Chapman in Paducah, Henderson today
Senate candidate Amy McGrath will be joined by former basketball star and recovery advocate Rex Chapman at campaign stops in Paducah (1:30 Central) and Henderson (5:00 Central) today, August 31. More info at Forward Kentucky.
Recent Content on Forward Kentucky
[new] indicates item not in a Forward Five before
[new] Here’s what Republicans and communists have in common. – If we can turn back Trumpism in this election, perhaps we can begin the discussion about what sort of nation we really want to be. And that discussion should include democratic socialism. (Commentary)
[new] Once again, Dems will have to fix the federal budget – For decades, Republicans have bragged that they are the party of “fiscal responsibility.” Anyone with the ability to understand basic math, and read charts, knows that is not true. (Commentary, Policy)
[new] Some post-TNC humor for your weekend – From the good folks at DemList, here is a collection of humorous commentary following the conclusion of the Trump National Convention, w/ a prelude about Steve Bannon. Enjoy! (Humor)
[new] McGrath responds to The Cynic’s speech at the RNC – Amy McGrath has conceded that Mitch McConnell is at least consistent. She called his video speech at the Trump National Convention “the same old tired stuff he’s been saying for 36 years.” (Commentary)
[new] Maddow corrects litany of falsehoods in Trump’s marathon RNC speech – After Donald Trump’s exceptionally lengthy acceptance speech to conclude the RNC, Rachel Maddow runs through a list of some of the falsehoods and inaccuracies the speech contained. (News)
[new] Can we flip these seats? – TSOK for 8/28 – On this week’s The State of Kentucky – Josh Hicks and Hank Lindermann, who are taking on incumbent Repubs for Congress. We’ll discuss why they are running, how their campaigns are going, and what their strategy is for winning. (Video, Podcast)
[new] COVID and sports, voting in 2020, Cameron v. McGrath, BreonnaCon, and Yvette DeLaGuardia – This week on My Old Kentucky Podcast, attorney Yvette DeLaGuardia joins Jazmin as Robert is away on paternity leave! They spoke about appellate courts, jury trials in pandemic times, and police brutality. PLUS, all the topics in the headline! (Podcast)
The Republican descent into a Trump cult of personality – ‘No other president has tried to create a cult of personality that would elevate him above the Constitution and the normal political discourse that has characterized our nation throughout its history.” (Commentary)
Poll: Americans strongly support election reforms and bold solutions to create economic security – A poll surveying voters in ten diverse states shows that voters support policies to ensure accessible elections and a desire for more state investment to ensure people are economically secure. Also, be sure to read the detailed numbers – they show that Americans of both parties are far more progressive than most people think. (News)
The state AFL-CIO has the hounds tracking ‘Missing in Action’ Mitch – Mitch McConnell’s bloodhounds are back, but this time they’re going after him in a brand-new Kentucky State AFL-CIO video called “Missing In Action.” (News)
While the US is reeling from COVID-19, the Trump administration is trying to take away health care – Guess what? While you’re worried about staying healthy, the Trump administration is trying to take away your health coverage. Read more about the two prongs of this attack. (News Analysis)
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