I was sitting on my porch, in what has traditionally been a working-class suburb of Detroit. I was handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, some of whom were dressed as the Grim Reaper. I couldn’t help thinking how appropriate. How predictive of what could happen to many of their parents when the sun went down on Halloween, then dawned the next morning on the real horrors that Republicans have just inflicted on the American population. We’ve been waiting for that population to wake up and smell the fascism for forty years at least. But as of this week, the stink is unmistakable, and the wake-up call is grim indeed. As of this week, two simultaneous catastrophes — both man made and totally unnecessary — descend upon us, and the destruction being wrought by Republicans can no longer be shrugged off, even by Republicans. As of this week — barring some deal that is not now in sight — SNAP payments will be suspended, dooming many millions of people to serious ...
Life and Politics in the Age of Covid