Out d’Coup | Clown Coup; Biden, You Kidding Me; Climate Crisis; Fight for the Future; BLM Push Back; Charlie Brown Xmas; PA Dem Senate Wins; PA Org Profiles; COVID; Space News; Free Will Releases

Trump continues to wage a battle to overturn the election. Republican leaders from Michigan’s two legislative chambers are scheduled to meet with Trump today to strategize about how to overturn the election. Guiliani started melting during an off the rails press conference.  Trump has lost 32 out of 33 lawsuits so far. But that’s not stopping him. Lindsay Graham potentially commits felony election crime by attempting to lean on Georgia’s Secretary of State to throw out all the mail ballots from counties with a high rate of signature mismatch. 

Erin Brockovich, the environmental activist who most Americans came to know through the Julia Roberts film based on her life, wrote a piece in the Guardian asking the question on most progressives minds: “Joe Biden: Are You Kidding Me?” Brockovich focused on Biden’s decision to choose Michael McCabe to head the EPA. McCabe is a former communications consultant for the chemical giant DuPont. 

It wasn’t just the EPA, though. Biden’s pick to head the Office of Public Engagement, Louisiana congressman Cedric Richmond, also raised red flags for progressives. Richmond is among the top Democratic recipients of fossil fuel money in the House. 

After a year-long scientific mission in the Arctic, scientists warn that if bold, expansive action is not taken to address the climate crisis immediately, we face a very grim future. 

Some Democratic Party leaders are being COVID hypocrites. This week Senator Diane Feinstein was filmed in the Capitol without a mask talking to a group of people; Gavin Newsom was caught maskless on video at an indoor birthday party for a lobbyist held at the exclusive Napa Valley restaurant, French Laundry. 

Nancy Pelosi was re-elected, despite previous promises that she would step down. 

Black Lives Matter activists want to see conservative Democrats’ receipts for their claims that “defund the police” messaging was responsible for down-ballot losses. Still waiting. As the national director of the Working Families Party, Maurice Mitchell told Politico, “This is the tip of the spear. They are using this ‘defund’ fight as a proxy for a broader ideological fight.”

Marco Rubio lays out GOP plans for the Biden administration: they plan on blocking all Biden’s cabinet appointments because Democrats mean.

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree was set in place last Saturday. The Charlie Brown Christmas tree was set in place last Saturday and to nobody’s surprise, it was as scraggly as 2020. And, they found a baby owl trapped inside. Maybe 2020 will end like the Charlie Brown Christmas special after all. 

China just set up the world’s largest trading bloc. 

And speaking of the Charlie Brown Christmas special, after loads of public pressure, Apple TV - who bought the exclusive rights to the Charlie Brown specials - gave in and will allow the show to air on PBS alongside Apple TV. It will air on December 13. Oh, by the way, the Grinch Who Stole Christmas will air on NBC on Friday, November 27th. Perfect for closing out the war on Thanksgiving and preparing our assault on the war on Christmas. 

A couple of big wins in PA Democratic Party leadership. Two outspoken progressives, just won leadership roles in the PA Senate Democratic leadership fight. Katie Muth will take over the reigns from Lisa Boscola as Senate Dems policy chair. And, Maria Collett replaced outgoing Senator Larry Farnese to take over as caucus secretary.

Refinery 29 published a profile on some of Pennsylvania’s women of color organizers who have spent the past four years organizing throughout the commonwealth and how their organizations were able to put together the Count Every Vote rallies.

Former Pennsylvania Lt Governor Mikey Stacks made a surprise acting appearance once again.  This time he was moonlighting for a campaign to Save Stonehenge and prevent the construction of a tunnel that may destroy the world heritage site.  

Pennsylvania, like many other states, is exploding with COVID cases.

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Rachel Levine, PA’s Health Secretary, laid out the state’s vaccination plans, assuming the continued success on the vaccine front. Levine reminded people that while a vaccine may be available by the end of next month, the supply will be limited. In the meantime, Mask Up Til March would be a good slogan. 

Several PASSHE University presidents pack their bags and get out of Dodge in the wake of planned university mergers and layoffs. At a short Board of Governors’ meeting on Wednesday, Chancellor Greenstein praised the “breadth and audacity” of the mergers, mass layoffs, program eliminations, and deep cuts, calling them “ambitious and audacious goals.” 

SpaceX officially launches the first crewed mission to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Station. Baby Yoda was on board. 

Astronomers are proposing a huge telescope on the Moon to further research about the Big Bang. According to The Hill, “ University of Texas astronomer Anna Schauer nicknamed the proposed telescope the ‘Ultimately Large Telescope,’ adding that it would have a liquid mirror over 300 feet in diameter.”

Free Will Brewing has got some great releases for your quarantine Turkey Day. And, the 2020 Ralphius bottle variants are announced and will be available on Free Will’s online store at 9 am on Saturday, 11/21 for presale pick up on Black Friday, 11/27.