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States of Emergency: Governors and the Public Wage War on COVID-19

March 29, 2020 by David Toscano

On December 31, 2019, a brief release appeared on the website of the World Health Organization (WHO). Captioned “Pneumonia of unknown cause – China,” it briefly reported about a number of cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology (unknown cause) detected in the city of Wuhan, a port city of 11 million inhabitants. Few in this country took note, with the notable exception of scientific specialists in the areas of infectious diseases and public health.

Halfway around the world, Governors and state legislators were preparing for their annual legislative sessions. Virginia was among the first of the states to convene, and they did so on January 8. Major changes were contemplated for the state, since the Democrats had just taken control of the legislature and held the Governor’s office as well. On the other side of the country, Washington state convened its own session on January 13. Both states were making history as each elected their first women Speakers in history — Eileen Filler-Corn in Virginia and Laurie Jinkins in Washington. And Democratic Governors Jay Inslee of Washington and Ralph Northam were optimistic about making their marks on their states in light of a strong economy and Democratic majorities. Within two months, they would join other Governors across the nation, as they confronted the greatest challenges of their administrations, and their states would be plunged into the most serious crisis since the Great Depression. [Read more…]

Closing Arguments: Be Sure To Vote!

November 5, 2018 by David Toscano

Vote Tomorrow, November 6, 2018

We are in the fight of our lives, and this election is the most important one yet. The Trump presidency is not only systematically attempting to undo the positive changes of the Obama years, but is attacking the institutions of Democracy itself. His assaults on civil servants, labeling those with whom he disagrees part of the “deep state,” diatribes against journalists and the media, and reckless disregard for the rule of law bring to mind Franklin’s admonition in the aftermath of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia 231 years ago that the founders had created “a Republic … if you can keep it.” Every day of the Trump White House provides us with more evidence of efforts to undermine the counterbalances to executive power, whether it involves the discriminatory “travel ban,” his efforts to “pack the courts” with like-minded judges, or the peddling of “fake news” claims and cynical lies. [Read more…]

Pittsburgh, Kentucky, and Beyond

November 1, 2018 by David Toscano

As I sat quietly last Sunday evening during the Tree of Life memorial ceremony at Congregation Beth Israel, the only synagogue in the City of Charlottesville, my mind was flooded with images of so many incidents that preceded what occurred in Pittsburgh last week. All mass shootings — Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Parkland, and more — are terrible tragedies, but too many of the most recent shootings, such as the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, the massacre of a prayer group at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, the deliberate shooting of two African-Americans shopping for groceries in Kentucky last week, and the assault on Jewish worshipers in the Tree of Life synagogue, are distinguished by one additional factor. The people killed and injured in these events were targeted because of their religion, race, or sexual orientation.

The rise in hate-related attacks in America is deeply troubling. For example, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 57% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2017 over 2016, the largest spike in more than 50 years. This sends shivers down the spines of those of us who witnessed neo-Nazis in Charlottesville in 2017 chanting “Jews will not replace us.” The Southern Poverty Law Center reports a 22% increase in neo-Nazi groups in 2017. Hate seems to be on the rise in America, emboldened by xenophobic rhetoric coming from Washington, DC, and endorsed by conspiracy theorists of the internet. [Read more…]

Kavanaugh, Due Process, And Legislative Impasse In Richmond

October 1, 2018 by David Toscano

Few Washington events have rivaled the spectacle and drama of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. Once thought a shoe-in for the U.S. Supreme Court, the conservative judge is now embroiled in a maelstrom of accusations that include attempted sexual assault, prolific drinking, possible lying to Congress, and an insufficiently judicial temperament, all of which may eventually sink his nomination and may even threaten his standing as a sitting judge on the D.C. federal appeals court. [Read more…]

24 Words For Equality — Adopt the ERA

September 5, 2018 by David Toscano

Ten days ago, my wife and I attended a screening of “Iron Jawed Angels” in celebration of Women’s Equality Day. Filmed in Virginia in 2004, it tells the story of Alice Paul and her efforts to gain universal suffrage for American women in the early decades of the 20th century. Americans often see the suffragettes as privileged women in white dresses and great hats. The reality was more complex; many of these women endured considerable hardship and abuse. Women of color were involved in the fight, though the racial divisions of the day diminished their role in the historical record. The film chronicles Paul’s imprisonment and forced feeding during a hunger strike. Ultimately, Paul and her allies prevailed, and the nation added the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 26, 1920, guaranteeing women the right to vote.

David Toscano with Megan Tracy, Creigh Deeds, and Alisa Hefner

At the showing of “Iron Jawed Angels,” about the effort to gain universal suffrage for American women. From left to right: Megan Tracy (board member of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters), Delegate David Toscano, State Senator Creigh Deeds, and Alisa Hefner (co-chair of the local ERA Task Force).

[Read more…]

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