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You can support The Bulwark by subscribing to Bulwark+ or just by sharing this newsletter with someone you think would value it. TIM MILLER: Mike Pence Needs To Finish The Job And Testify Before The 1/6 Committee
Come join us for TNB! You’re invited to see tonight’s show, live! You won’t be able to see the live chat section on Zoom like our Bulwark+ members are, but tonight’s discussion is important, and we hope you’ll join us. If you like it, we hope you’ll consider joining. Steve Bannon’s show may have a low budget Wayne’s World quality, but he is working to get Trumpists in control of state election infrastructure — so that the system that barely held together in 2020 will come undone in 2024. Jennifer Senior joins Charlie Sykes on today’s podcast. On this week’s episode, Sonny is joined by Jason Baker of Callosum Studios, the house that helped design the sure-to-be-iconic mask from the upcoming horror film The Black Phone. Bulwark+ members can listen to an ad-free version of these podcasts on the player of their choice. Learn more at Bulwark+ Podcast FAQ.THEODORE R. JOHNSON: The Real Story of the Politics of Juneteenth.Donald Trump buried that five-word campaign promise in his 2020 “Platinum Plan,” a two-page laundry list of economic and social enticements to win over black voters in his bid for a second term. Trump lost, so we will never know if he would’ve honored this commitment, which was made just six weeks before the election. But we do know that he made no attempt to create the holiday during his four years as president. And, despite his administration putting out historical statements commemorating Juneteenth every year of his presidency, Trump admitted that he had only learned of the holiday’s meaning after being informed about it by a black Secret Service agent just a few weeks before it appeared in his reelection materials. Should Trump decide to run again in 2024, this campaign promise will no longer be on the table—President Joe Biden signed legislation last year establishing Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday, after the measure received the Senate’s unanimous consent and passed the House on a 415-14 vote. But the politics of how Juneteenth became a holiday is a lesson in the unserious ways we grapple with race in America. The unflattering fact is that Juneteenth is federally observed today primarily because there was no political penalty to be paid by congressional members who voted in its favor and insufficient political incentive for those who would block it to follow through. As a result, the bill’s passage is a less inspiring occurrence of bipartisan consensus on a race-centric issue than it might otherwise have been. STEPHEN PETER ROSEN: How to Counter Russia’s Artillery Advantage in Ukraine.
DANIEL MCGRAW: Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Fantasy Ignores the Laws of Science—And Politics.When Elon Musk first described his supersonic “Hyperloop” vacuum-tube transport system in 2013, he proposed a Los Angeles-to-San Francisco line that would replace a busy air route. The quasi-train, speeding almost friction-free through a vacuum tube underground, would hit speeds of 750 miles per hour, and transport 7.4 million people per year in each direction. Each “pod” (i.e. train car) would hold a minimum of 28 passengers and three cars, and trains would depart every two minutes. It was, if nothing else, audacious, and it seemed like Musk meant to do it, or at least to try. His 58-page outline of the project laid out big plans and perfect comfort for passengers on the 350-mile subway ride. “The interior of the capsule is specifically designed with passenger safety and comfort in mind,” Musk wrote. “The seats conform well to the body to maintain comfort during the high speed accelerations experienced during travel. Beautiful landscape will be displayed in the cabin and each passenger will have access their own personal entertainment system.” 🚨OVERTIME 🚨Overtime has today off. That’s it for me. Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message. —30— Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article. You’re on the free list for Overtime. For the full Bulwark+ experience, become a paying subscriber: Follow The Bulwark on: Update your Bulwark email preferences on your personal My Account page. |