My last note from the book How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt is, “Democracy is a shared enterprise.” Haven’t we learned that over the last four years (and some of us would say over the last twelve)? We can’t just vote and then tune out, of course. Most of us were unable to tune out during the last four years with Trump continually sucking up media attention, news banners, notes filling our email boxes, social media posts and endless worrisome conversations with friends and family. It is nice to have a break, but even now that brief peace seems to be slipping away. And all of this brings me to this week’s summary of what happened and a bit of what is ahead.

“Democracy is a shared enterprise” is not just for national politics it is for local city politics too. If we don’t watch and participate, the hope of affordable housing at the BART station projects will slip away. Look at this coming week’s Measure O Bond Oversight Committee Special meeting at 6 pm on Wednesday: -more-

Now that the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress, citizens have high expectations that Dems must do what is necessary to solve the many crises we have been left with, after too many years of Republican control. To avoid the mistake from Obama's presidency, the FILIBUSTER MUST BE ENDED.

If the 60% supermajority filibuster remains, trump's Republicans will assure gridlock. Democrats must not make the mistake of playing defense - worrying about what happens if Republicans regain the Senate in 2022 without the filibuster in place. Now they have a majority; NOW is the time to play offense.

Majority rule is 50% plus one. 60% is flat-out undemocratic. Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 22, that a supermajority is poison. Rather than encourage cooperation, the filibuster "substitutes the pleasure, caprice or artifices of a minority for the regular deliberations and decisions of a respectable majority."

Contact your Senators and especially, Senator Joe Manchin, NOW! -more-

What an incredible brave man. Having narrowly escaped death by a deadly Russian poison, Aleksei Navalny decided to return to Moscow with full knowledge that he would be immediately detained by Kremlin police, face physical abuse or possible death.

Navalny must have been acutely aware that there was little chance of overthrowing the “president for life” Putin militarily. He must have realized that despotic regimes can only be demolished using the moral force of truth.

All positive changes in the world are made by uncommon men of enormous courage like Nelson Mandela who humbled South Africa’s apartheid or Gandhi and brave Sikhs slaughtered by British General Dyer who forced “the sun to set” on the former British empire. Soviet human rights stalwarts Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Andrei Sakharov and Natan Sharansky accelerated the demise of the former Soviet Union. Their efforts were reinforced by Lech Walesa of Poland and Vaclav Havel of Czechoslovakia. -more-

The Biden era begins with Democrats narrowly in control of Congress. Some actions can be taken without Republican support. Nonetheless, big change requires the votes of at least a few Republicans. How likely is this?

To answer this question, it's necessary to dissect the current political environment. In the 2020 presidential-election exit polls: 37 percent of respondents identified as Democrats, 36 percent identified as Republicans, and 26 percent as Independents. (94 percent of Democrats voted for Biden and 94 percent of Republicans voted for Trump; 54 percent of Independents voted for Biden.)

In the presidential election, Trump had the support of 94 percent of Republicans. Of the 158 million voters, 57 million were Republicans voting for Trump -- 34 percent of all voters. -more-

In the past decade and especially in the time of COVID-19 and having had Trump as a recent President--one who continues to influence and ruin the U.S., times have changed, and society has changed. There are a lot more pitfalls built into society, and many of them can cause death. There is not nearly as much forgiveness in the American environment, of behaviors of which people can't make sense. This is despite the surge in racism, in violence, and in other lawlessness in the name of reactionary conservatism, behaviors that people seem to get away with even though being mentally ill and acting inexplicably gets you in trouble. -more-

Change is really happening in Washington! "Sleepy Joe" Biden has been displaying an alert and affirmative presence that has elevated him to the status of Dream President. Under Der Trump, the phrase "Executive Action" came to mean "regressive, mean-spirited, poverty-promoting, and planet-polluting." Under Biden's pen, the EA-signing ceremonies have become liberating, inspiring, and cause for celebration.

On his first day, Biden hit the ground running (his injured, booted foot apparently healed) and he's been gaining ground with every hour and Oval Office press-op. If he hasn't already set a record for the greatest number of campaign promises kept, he soon will.

In addition to decreeing major reversals of the previous Misadministration's despicable rulings on the environment, public health, and military sales to dictators, Biden is also taking the lead in one of the Democrat's most ambitious—and most needed—challenges: reforming the US Electoral System.

In a sane world, this initiative would unit both parties—including not just those American's who cheer the policies of Obama, FDR, and MLK but all those alienated Trumpublicans who continue to believe the canard that the last US election was rigged. -more-

Worth Noting:

The count of noticed City meetings is 13 and community meetings is 2.

The most consequential meeting of the coming week is the special Council Agenda and Rules Committee meeting at 3 pm on Monday where the discussion, recommendations and action will revolve around the proposal from Councilmember Droste with Co-Sponsors Robinson and Kesarwani to reduce and reorganize the number of commissions. The 14 page proposal can be accessed using the meeting link posted below with the meeting announcement.

Officer elections for all the commissions are held in February (or first meeting thereafter)

The agenda highlights and links for the February 9 Regular City Council meeting follow the weekly calendar. -more-