Althouse: "So often, it’s in the wake of the darkest moments that America’s forged some of the most remarkable areas of progress."

July 31, 2020

"So often, it’s in the wake of the darkest moments that America’s forged some of the most remarkable areas of progress."

"I believe we’re in the brink of one of those opportunities. If we can overcome this crisis, and I believe we can if we start doing the right things, we’ll be in an incredibly strong position to make progress."

Said Joe Biden, in "Joe Biden Speaks with the American Federation of Teachers Online Event Transcript July 30."

60 comments:

DEEBEE said...: Should be uplifting and analgesic for you grossed out and in pain soul.; 7/31/20, 4:56 AM
mccullough said...: “In the wake”

How I loathe that tiresome phrase.

But I do appreciate the bold color difference between Trump and Biden on schools reopening.; 7/31/20, 5:04 AM
rehajm said...: Progress can only emerge if lefties get out of the way.; 7/31/20, 5:09 AM
Lucid said...: In other words, never waste a crisis.

This is what you say when you believe democracy is a failure.; 7/31/20, 5:11 AM
wendybar said...: Progress?? Burning down cities is being praised by his side....that is NOT the right thing. Vote wiser.; 7/31/20, 5:12 AM
David Duffy said...: Vapid; 7/31/20, 5:19 AM
Michael P said...: How aspirational. Perhaps one day we can look back and say that this election was when the oceans stopped rising and when politicians stopped mincing, mixing, and mangling their metaphors.; 7/31/20, 5:28 AM
Howard said...: Never waste a crisis created by your opponents.; 7/31/20, 5:33 AM
gilbar said...: If we can overcome this crisis, and I believe we can if we start doing the right things, we’ll be in an incredibly strong position to make progress."

So True!
The First right thing we need to do, is get back to work and school
Next, we need to reelect President Trump
Finally; we need to retake the House and get rid of the filibuster* in the Senate

get rid of the filibuster* won't it be FUN? to listen to EVERY democrat that has come out Against the filibuster, switch to "We HAVE TO maintain the traditions of the Senate"?; 7/31/20, 5:57 AM
RMc said...: I wish people would stop looking at this horrific pandemic and thinking, "My time to shine...!".; 7/31/20, 6:02 AM
Rob said...: I believe I actually prefer when he’s addled and incoherent. When he has his wits about him, he starts groveling and spending money we don’t have.; 7/31/20, 6:13 AM
Kevin said...: we’ll be in an incredibly strong position to make progress.

Translation: We’ll have more flexibility to take this to the suburbs after the election.; 7/31/20, 6:19 AM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: Yeah, we can break the power of the teachers’ unions and close 1/3 of the education-free scams known as universities. As someone in Insty comments said yesterday, this is a freaking MIRACLE. We could never have dreamed of an opportunity this good and it’s been dropped in our laps.

Probably not what Biden meant, though.; 7/31/20, 6:33 AM
tim maguire said...: "I believe we’re in the brink of one of those opportunities."

Me too. I just have a different idea of what the opportunity is.; 7/31/20, 6:51 AM
Ralph L said...: The trashed downtowns aren't going to recover for decades, if ever. Let's ruin the suburbs, too.; 7/31/20, 6:57 AM
Lincolntf said...: While Bill was engaging in pedophilia on Epstein's island, was Joe in charge?; 7/31/20, 7:03 AM
Birches said...: I also see the silver lining in these times. I'm going to homeschool my kids, which I never would have considered before. A lot of us are. This is a good thing.; 7/31/20, 7:23 AM
Todd said...: If we can overcome this crisis, and I believe we can if we start doing the right things, we’ll be in an incredibly strong position to make progress.

Why is it that to the left/democrats, to "make progress" ALWAYS means taking control of my life and activities away from me and giving that control to them? Always, every single time.; 7/31/20, 7:27 AM
Phil 314 said...: Can you be “in the brink”?; 7/31/20, 7:29 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Biden is delusional here. Trump has trashed the country, even worse than Bush Jr. It will take years to recover.; 7/31/20, 7:30 AM
Patrick Henry was right! said...: When is he going to share his plan with us?
What does he suggest we do differently?
Why is he hiding all this life saving information?; 7/31/20, 7:38 AM
stevew said...: On this I think Biden is correct. The "right things" is electing him POTUS and switching control of the Senate to the Democrats, while retaining Democrat control of the House. Should these things come to pass the crisis will be declared over. No more masks (no goggles), lockdowns lifted, travel resumes, business back in business, no social distancing, kids from pre-K to college will be back in the classroom. Fauci will no longer be heard from.; 7/31/20, 7:55 AM
SeanF said...: gilbar: get rid of the filibuster* won't it be FUN? to listen to EVERY democrat that has come out Against the filibuster, switch to "We HAVE TO maintain the traditions of the Senate"?

I've got no beef with the filibuster itself, but I do think they should get rid of the "virtual" filibuster. If you wanna filibuster, actually get up there and talk.; 7/31/20, 8:08 AM
Jake said...: “If” ?; 7/31/20, 8:09 AM
MikeR said...: It literally makes no difference what Joe Biden says.; 7/31/20, 8:11 AM
hombre said...: Oh. I was hoping that Joe was there offering, if elected, to finance backbone transplants from grocery clerks to teachers.; 7/31/20, 8:16 AM
Static Ping said...: It would be more inspiring if Biden knew what decade he was in. I put it at even money he thinks he is running against either Richard Nixon or Warren Harding.; 7/31/20, 8:20 AM
Michael K said...: One good thing. The reaction of union teachers to the pandemic may finally end public education.

The AFT may be the best thing ever to happen to home schooling.

Yet there are three reasons to be optimistic about the future of education. First, many parents will be more prepared to home-school their kids than they were in the spring. They or their hired teachers will do a better job of educating children, in many cases, than the public schools.

Second, once the pandemic ends, many parents, perhaps millions, will have a new appreciation of how mediocre a job the public schools were doing. They will continue home-schooling, switch to a private school, or push hard to end restrictions on the growth of charter schools. Third, as schools sit empty and homebound teachers draw their regular salaries for less effective work, there will be more opposition to more funding for public schools, which, in turn, will make local school boards amenable to lower-cost options such as charter schools. . . .; 7/31/20, 8:29 AM
Mary Beth said...: "In" the brink?; 7/31/20, 8:30 AM
chuck said...: Homeschooling for the win!; 7/31/20, 8:38 AM
Equipment Maintenance said...: BCARM said: "Biden is delusional here. Trump has trashed the country, even worse than Bush Jr. It will take years to recover."

If, from your perspective, you really believe that, that makes me almost giddy with joy.; 7/31/20, 8:40 AM
stlcdr said...: What is the crisis? Rather, what Biden thinks is a crisis may not be the crisis people are experiencing.; 7/31/20, 8:41 AM
Francisco D said...: Howard said...
Never waste a crisis created by your opponents.

The crisis was created by your partners, The ChiComs.

Even Beijing Boy ARM knows. That is why his posts are so insanely off base.

Smell the flop sweat.; 7/31/20, 8:54 AM
AlbertAnonymous said...: Sadly, this gobbledygook was probably a prepared statement that he read off of a promoter. It’s meaningless garbage even if he says it as written. But my guess is he be bled even that. “In the brink”?

And what exactly is “an incredibly strong position to make progress”? Wouldn’t that simply be facing forward? What’s stronger? Facing forward with an angry look?; 7/31/20, 8:58 AM
Ken B said...: So he's saying America faked — forged — its progress?

That would be the lede if Trump spun out these vacuities.; 7/31/20, 9:03 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: EXCELSIOR!; 7/31/20, 9:12 AM
TrespassersW said...: Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Biden is delusional here.

You should have stopped right after "delusional."

Trump has trashed the country, even worse than Bush Jr. It will take years to recover.

Trump didn't trash the downtowns of Democrat-controlled cities. Trump didn't instigate the batshit-crazy antics of the MSM. Trump didn't weaponize the bureaucracy against American citizens. Trump didn't turn the FBI and DOJ into the Federal Department Of Protect The Rich And Powerful.

The illiberal left owns all of that.; 7/31/20, 9:22 AM
madAsHell said...: Hold on!! There was no video?? They're trying to promote Joe with a transcript? Women won't read the transcript.

......or did I miss something here?

They really need to change the background for the video. He's starting to look like a re-make of "The Boy in the Bubble".

Biden's campaign is starting to look like the Democratic Iowa Primary result.; 7/31/20, 9:23 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: "But I do appreciate the bold color difference between Trump and Biden on schools reopening."

And if anything wins Trump the election, it will be this. Democrats bringing the pain to the suburbs. Two months before the election. I'm guessing they're going to radically reverse this narrative in the next few weeks. The teachers are going to have to suck it up for the good of the Party.; 7/31/20, 9:32 AM
Anonymous said...: So we have a situation where between the virus and Teacher union obstinance, we are destroying the educational future of a bunch of Kids.

Add in the lack of interest by the educational establishment in teaching the three R's. Instead they want to teach LBGTAXYZ, Trans, systemic racism, Anti-whiteness, 1619, and marxism.

the kids are screwed.; 7/31/20, 9:33 AM
Gk1 said...: Is this from the online session where he had 227 people watching? Crimeny, I have friends with more podcast subscribers. Did he mention "Crimate Clisis" again? If it's a transcript they can revise and fix his increased slurring.

Look, democrats have ruined our education enough by marching in lockstep with whatever the teachers union wants. I would prefer a honest broker like Trump sitting opposite of the unionized public employees while we navigate this issue, not some union lackey like Biden.; 7/31/20, 9:45 AM
wendybar said...: Get rid of the teachers unions. The time is now. Change is good, remember??; 7/31/20, 9:50 AM
Gk1 said...: "I'm guessing they're going to radically reverse this narrative in the next few weeks. The teachers are going to have to suck it up for the good of the Party."

Cracker Emcee, from your lips to God's ears! My teacher spouse is now being told that she has to report to an empty classroom to give the day's lesson online because parents feel teachers are loafing it. The school district had been feeling the heat for the last 2 weeks after announcing things would still be online for the fall (which starts in another week or so) and are now conceding there is nothing keeping teachers from reporting to an empty school since there is little risk of being infected by kids (my eye roll key on my computer just snapped); 7/31/20, 9:50 AM
wendybar said...: gilbar said:
get rid of the filibuster* won't it be FUN? to listen to EVERY democrat that has come out Against the filibuster, switch to "We HAVE TO maintain the traditions of the Senate"?

7/31/20, 5:57 AM

What changed??

"Let’s turn to Barack Obama of 2005, who explained that while the American people expected rigorous debate in Congress,

What they don’t expect is for one party — be it Republican or Democrat — to change the rules in the middle of the game so that they can make all the decisions while the other party is told to sit down and keep quiet. The American people want less partisanship in this town, but everyone in this chamber knows that if the majority chooses to end the filibuster — if they choose to change the rules and put an end to democratic debate — then the fighting and the bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse."; 7/31/20, 9:52 AM
Doug said...: You mean, "make progress in raising the standard of living for (lowercase b)lack voters who we have kept as our pets these last 60 years" , and which we haven't bothered to address in 16 years of the Clinton and Obama administrations?; 7/31/20, 9:57 AM
rcocean said...: Looks like "Moderate Joe" is all on-board with America being full of systemic Racism:

Right now it’s across the board, there’s systemic racism in every single aspect of our society. Here’s an example. I’m going to launch what I call a small business opportunity initiative, fancy wonky thing to say, but it expands the program that President Obama and I put in place to boost investment into small businesses of color and to help, which are the foundations of the community.

This Townhall, is just like the other talk he gave. Pre-planned questions from handpicked "average people" with scripted Biden responses full of talking points. Basically, Biden is going to give everyone a raise, spend trillions on everything, open the borders, give everyone heath-care, fight racism, and destroy the gas/oil/coal industries. Of course no word about people losing jobs or who's paying the taxes for all this. Nothing about all the native born Americans who will suffer from more globalization, low tariffs, outsourcing and cheap immigrant labor. Nothing about all those gas/oil/coal workers. they will be "Retrained". For what?; 7/31/20, 9:59 AM
Mr. Forward said...: In the wake of the darkest moments it’s time to get out of the basement.; 7/31/20, 10:03 AM
PM said...: "I believe we’re in the brink of one of those opportunities. If we can overcome this crisis, and I believe we can if we start doing the right things, we’ll be in an incredibly strong position to make progress. So, my teachers, my educators, get your asses back to classes. Or you'll be ON the brink of a busted union."; 7/31/20, 10:44 AM
Temujin said...: Joe Biden getting his marching orders from the American Federation of Teachers who were not there to hear anything he had to say other than: Yes- we'll get you more money. No- there will never be school choice, charter schools, or funds for religious based schools in my administration. And we'll further impose restrictions on home schooling so that they have to keep paying for their local public schools even if they aren't using them.; 7/31/20, 11:21 AM
Yancey Ward said...: Here is the video when Biden "arrives".; 7/31/20, 12:23 PM
Jim at said...: I always find it funny that someone's who's been in Washington DC since 1973 is claiming now he'll do something about America.; 7/31/20, 1:04 PM
n.n said...: Progress is [unqualified] monotonic change, that has been appropriated and imputed with a positive, magical sense. #PrinciplesMatter; 7/31/20, 1:06 PM
Joe Smith said...: How incredibly generic and uninspiring. "My fellow Americans, I say to you, etc., etc., etc." Boilerplate nonsense.; 7/31/20, 1:21 PM
bagoh20 said...: It does make sense. First you destroy as much as possible, then you are setup perfectly for progress. Hell, you got nowhere else to go. So I understand his strategy. I just find it immoral and stupid. You know damned well that Biden and lots of other Democrats are hoping for maximum destruction before the election for just that reason. They imagine that even Biden couldn't make that worse. I think they are wrong.; 7/31/20, 2:58 PM
Joanne Jacobs said...: Los Angeles Unified teachers worked half time in spring and want to continue that in the fall. They say they can't work their normal hours, unless the district pays for child care for their school-age children.

I foresee a huge anti-teacher backlash. https://bit.ly/30ZE91m; 7/31/20, 4:43 PM
Banjo said...: Does anyone really think Joe Biden had these thoughts or, if he had them, he was able to put them on paper? If either is true, is it possible he believes what he says? I know, questions that answer themselves.; 7/31/20, 5:02 PM
Interested Bystander said...: The old bastard may be right when it comes to educating school kids. People are going to break away from the public schools in droves.; 7/31/20, 6:20 PM
Birkel said...: Is this the teachers who wanted to be paid but don't want to teach?; 7/31/20, 6:33 PM
Rt41Rebel said...: I'm trying to figure out the strategy of Biden running as "the most progressive" POTUS candidate in history. Biden was nominated because he was the most moderate Dem. If that's what the party really wanted, they should have just voted for Sanders, at least he's coherent enough to debate.; 7/31/20, 8:32 PM
DeepRunner said...: Sleepy, Creepy, Sloppy Joe makes a speech to a teachers union. Meh. They must have thought Glassy Joe was a kindergartner waiting for his throw-rug for nap time.; 8/1/20, 4:15 AM