Whether we’re moving forward as a nation, or tumbling backward into the abyss (or a flower bed) is an opinion. And either way, it seems that most Americans, according to recent polls, have the strong opinion that are country is headed in the wrong direction. But why?

Is the biggest reason money issues because rampant inflation is the most obvious problem and is making everyday life painful for so many of us? Or is it deeper— our rights are being taken away in broad swaths by the Supreme Court? Are there any signs of hope that our country is moving forward and in a positive direction?

Here are a few readings to help us evaluate what’s really going on and where we’re headed.

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— First up for this evening is an article published in the Financial Times, the day after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade after 49 years. It discusses whether taking away a women’s right to choose is a regressive decision as many believe, or is perhaps a tribute to God’s will, as some in the anti-choice movement believe.

Patty Fitzsimmons, 71, said she was among those who marched in support of Roe in the 1970s, and was aghast at the need to do it again. “I am very concerned that our country has gone to a really negative, ugly place,” she said. “So I’m here to say, I’m not part of the ugly.”

https://www.ft.com/content/2e4f49d7-ebd6-42c0-b207-cb39953dada7

— This piece from Axios, published yesterday, lists President Biden’s accomplishments in the last 19 or so months, lest they are obscured by deadly weather events, inflation and mass shootings. I include this not to necessarily tout President Biden, but to highlight what many consider this administration’s positive and important achievements before they are swept away in the latest news cycle.

President Biden has slowly but substantially re-engineered significant parts of the American economy — achievements obscured by COVID, inflation and broad disenchantment. 

Why it matters: Love it or hate it, piece by piece, Biden has pumped billions into infrastructure projects, helped revive the domestic semiconductor industry, and accelerated U.S. viral research and vaccine production capabilities. He might be on the cusp of the biggest domestic clean-energy plan in U.S. history. 

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/31/biden-economic-covid-vaccine-success-story?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_source=twitter

— And finally for today’s readings is an article written for the upcoming August 8, 2022 issue of The New Yorker and published online today by Bill McKibben, author of the Substack newsletter, The Crucial Years. It discusses the newly agreed to climate bill, interestingly called “The Inflation Reduction Act”, as recently approved by Senator Joe Manchin (but Senator Kristin Sinema’s necessary vote is still unknown). You might recall that I dissed Senator Manchin and the bill’s negotiation process in my last post. As of this writing, I hopefully stand corrected.

Taken as a whole, the bill is a triumph. It would be the most ambitious climate package ever passed in the U.S., and would allow the country to resume a credible role as an environmental leader.

Yet it reflects not just the growing strength of the climate movement but also the lingering power of the fossil-fuel industry, containing provisions such as one stating that, for the next decade, no offshore wind lease can be sold unless an offshore oil and gas lease of a certain size has been sold during the previous year.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/08/congress-looks-set-to-finally-pass-historic-climate-legislation

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these articles: Is our country moving forward, albeit in incredibly small increments, or are we regressing by leaps and bounds? A bit of both? Let’s start a discussion in the comment section below.

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And…

I ask you to join me on our journey to understand the “why” behind the facts, so together we can help find solutions to our most pressing economic, racial and environmental issues and push to right the wrongs of our system. Each of us can thrive in this country, if we don’t allow ourselves to be beaten down by the very system we’re trying to make good in. One of the best ways to do this is to become an active member of your community and a participating citizen in our larger community.

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