12/19/21

JRB,

            Things weren’t too bad at the PO yesterday. I was there for 30 mins & heard some disgruntled customers complaining that there weren’t enough workers manning the counter, but they were masked & several feet from me so I left unscathed. At least I hope so.

            Might we have entered a new economic phase rooted in a labor shortage? We need folks to do low wage jobs, such as elder & child care, work often done by undocumented immigrants, who are fewer in # since border control has increased. Because the economic system is out of balance, many jobs are more demanding, so fewer people are willing to do them. Might we be going through a fundamental shift, which is being obscured by CV? I’d love to know if any of your economic advisors have shared a similar analysis & if so, whether they have suggestions for what we might do.

            I was disappointed to learn that JM3 has declared himself a “no” on BBB. Perhaps it’s time to break up that giant package into something he’s more comfortable with.

            I hope you find some time to acknowledge the passing of bell hooks. She was an American treasure who influenced many. According to her friend, Barbara Ransby, she was a “brazen truth teller willing to be vulnerable.” bell preached a doctrine of radical love noting, “the moment we begin to love, we begin to move against domination.” Her friend, Imara Jones, interpreted bell’s message to mean, “in conflict we lean into our humanity as a way to break our own chains, as well as those which imprison oppressors.” She managed to live the profoundly Christian idea that “we can see the stranger as ourselves.”

            When you sign the Defense Authorization Bill, please read the Myanmar Amendment that asks you to develop a strategy to restore democratic processes to Burma & thank AMM for putting it in there.

            As we enter the darkest week in the Northern Hemisphere, let’s continue to look for the Light in others & pray for those who suffer.

            BYBS,