Good morning. It’s Friday, July 31, 2020, the day of the week when I reprise instructive or inspirational quotations. Today’s comes from — who else? — John Lewis, the man beaten mercilessly when he was 21, who at 23 moved a nation’s consciousness from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and who was still trying to impart moral wisdom to us at age 80, knowing that his time on Earth was coming to an end.
“I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation,” John Lewis proclaimed at the famous 1963 march in Washington. “Get in, and stay in, the streets of every city, every village and hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes, until the revolution of 1776 is complete.”
I’ll have a more recent sentiment expressed by the civil rights icon in a moment. First, I’ll like to point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer an array original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors this morning, including the following:
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Politics, Not Science, Keeping Schools Closed. Yinon Weiss lays out data from other countries showing minuscule risks for children and teachers.
Antitrust Hearing: Congress Sees Hit Men in All Directions. Robert H. Bork Jr. was unimpressed by a House subcommittee’s questioning of Big Tech execs on Wednesday.
Was Rice Out of the Russiagate Loop? Her Testimony Doesn’t Add Up. In RealClearInvestigations, Eric Felton reports that Susan Rice may have misled Congress when she testified that the FBI never informed her about its probe of possible Trump-Russia ties.
How Presidents Have Handled Civil Unrest. In RealClearHistory, Francis Sempa examines past uses of executive power amid social upheaval.
In N.C., Cunningham’s Tax Past Includes $39K Home Credit. Susan Crabtree revisits the Senate candidate’s tax-policy votes and the benefit he received on his historic-home renovation.
Loan Forgiveness for Small Businesses Is a No-Brainer. Congress can rev the economy by erasing debts incurred under the Paycheck Protection Program, Brendan Flanagan writes.
Needless Spending Undermines GOP Bailout Proposal. In RealClearMarkets, Andrew Wilford argues that the HEALS Act continues a pattern of profligate allocations to agricultural production.
Emergency Health Care Safety Net Is in Danger. In RealClearPolicy, Don Powell warns that the COVID crisis had laid bare longstanding funding issues that are growing worse.
Why Elon Musk’s EV Credits Need to Go. In RealClearEnergy, Andrew F. Quinlan assails the policy that lines the pockets of mega-billionaires with taxpayer money.
First Amendment Rights of Amish at Issue in Battle Over Wind Project. Also in RCE, Robert Bryce spotlights the group’s dispute with Big Green.
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In his last days, John Lewis laughingly recalled for his biographer his lifelong love of the poem “Invictus.” He did so while facing cancer with uncommon courage and grace. And to the very end, he was delivering sermons that simultaneously called his fellow human beings to both action and unity.
“We must never ever give up, or give in, or throw in the towel,” he said in one of his last interviews. He continued:
We must continue to press on! And be prepared to do what we can to help educate people, to motivate people, to inspire people to stay engaged, to stay involved and to not lose their sense of hope. We must continue to say, “We’re one people. We’re one family. We all live in the same house. Not just an American house but the world house.” As Dr. King said over and over again, “We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters. If not, we will perish as fools.”
Here’s hoping we don’t perish at all — and that’s your quote of the week.
Carl M. Cannon
Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics
@CarlCannon (Twitter)
