Monthly Archives: June 2021

How Democrats are unilaterally disarming in the redistricting wars – POLITICO

Posted: June 24, 2021 at 11:11 pm

Yet what happened this spring in Oregon is just one example, though perhaps the most extreme one, of a larger trend vexing Democratic strategists and lawmakers focused on maximizing the partys gains in redistricting. In key states over the past decade, Democrats have gained control of state legislatures and governorships that have long been in charge of drawing new maps only to cede that authority, often to independent commissions tasked with drawing political boundaries free of partisan interference.

Supporters of these initiatives say it's good governance to bar politicians from drawing districts for themselves and their party. But exasperated Democrats counter that it has left them hamstrung in the battle to hold the House, by diluting or negating their ability to gerrymander in the way Republicans plan to do in many red states. And with the House so closely divided, Democrats will need every last advantage to cling to their majority in 2022.

We Democrats are cursed with this blindness about good government, said Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, a Democratic state that will nonetheless see its congressional map drawn by a newly created independent commission.

In rabid partisan states that are controlled by Republicans, they're carving up left and right. And we're kind of unilaterally disarming, Connelly conceded, before adding: But having said that, I still come down on the side of reforming this process because it's got to start somewhere.

Only a handful of states had redistricting commissions a decade ago, but the number has grown since then thanks in large part to a campaign from national Democrats, including former Attorney General Eric Holder, to increase voter awareness of gerrymandering casting it mostly as a Republican abomination, despite the practice's bipartisan history.

Outside of Oregon, Democrats are also nervous about Virginia and Colorado, which will both have new independent commissions after state legislators and the voters passed amendments creating them. Together, those three states account for 25 seats in the House.

The saga of Virginia's redistricting commission, however, has proved to be the most controversial.

National Democrats poured upwards of $10 million into the state in the 2019 elections and painted the capture of the state legislature as crucial to the party's redistricting fate. They took both chambers, securing total control in Richmond under Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.

Democratic legislative candidates campaigned on a pledge to back an existing amendment that would create a redistricting commission. But when it came time to vote on it, they balked.

The proposed 16-person commission includes eight state lawmakers, four from each party. At least two Republican legislators must approve a map giving the GOP de facto veto power and if the commission deadlocks, the Republican-leaning state Supreme Court steps in.

Most Democrats in the House of Delegates voted against placing the amendment on the ballot. But nine defected and voted with Republicans to pass it, and voters overwhelmingly approved it in November.

"We just don't seem to have the guts to just go out and go play politics the way Republicans do," said Ben Tribbett, a Virginia-based Democratic operative.

The stakes are high: Democrats currently represent seven of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. But two of those are hard-won battleground seats held by Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria that they had hoped to shore up under a new map. Also on the wish list: making the districts of GOP Reps. Rob Wittman and Bob Good more competitive.

"I didn't endorse it. I thought it was ill-conceived," said Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin, who represents the Richmond area. "By and large, I do think that unless you're going to have everybody do redistricting commissions, our party is at a disadvantage."

That's what House Democrats proposed in their election reform bill, H.R. 1 (117). Yet that legislation, which would mandate independent redistricting commissions, is unlikely to make it through the Senate.

In the meanwhile, few Democrats dispute that they have been much quicker to move toward commissions or power-sharing agreements in states where they have trifecta control over redistricting.

Holders group, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, has framed the shift as a crucial part of the battle for the integrity of American democracy that transcends any immediate political gain because Republicans are using gerrymandering as a form of voter suppression.

We want fairness, and we put our money where our mouth is, said Kelly Ward Burton, the groups president. We have pushed for fairness in the states where we have control or influence. We're even doing it at the national level."

The Republicans are not," she added, "because they intend to manipulate the maps to hold on to power.

Redistricting is a fraught process for Democrats, who remain scarred from their 2010 experience. State legislative and gubernatorial losses left them boxed out of the mapmaking in nearly every major state, and Democratic strongholds like California and Washington already had commissions in place. Republicans were pressing their advantage in states like Texas, while Democrats couldn't counter.

They vowed to secure more control before the 2020 redistricting and have. But that has made recent developments all the more frustrating.

Some Oregon Democrats insist the short-term gain, an end to the legislative logjam, was not worth the decadelong price of a compromise map. And in an interview last month, DeFazio said state House Speaker Tina Kotek made the decision without consulting members in other parts of the state.

"She is totally Portland-centric, and nothing outside of Multnomah County exists so far as she's concerned," DeFazio said, adding: "It's just inexplicable and arrogant."

In a statement, Kotek's office countered that she had "ensured an open, transparent and thorough legislative process" for redistricting, while also minding state business. Speaker Kotek is focused on making sure our government is actually working to help people in need after a year of crises," Danny Moran, the speaker's spokesperson, said.

The state, which has four Democrats and one Republican currently in Congress, is gaining a seat. Schrader and DeFazio are the only Democrats who don't represent a significant part of Portland, the state's largest city, and their districts have been competitive at times.

In Colorado, a Democratic-led state House joined with a Republican-led state Senate in 2018 to place a redistricting commission proposal on the ballot.

Privately, some Democrats in the state weren't sold on the idea. But others were eager to preempt an attempt by Colorado Republicans to gather signatures for their own redistricting amendment proposing a commission with parameters more favorable to the GOP.

Ultimately, the amendment passed with few detractors the legislature voted to place it on the ballot, and the voters also gave it a stamp of approval. Now Colorado's eight districts will be drawn by a commission.

"I don't see it that way," said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) when asked if it was a missed opportunity for the party. "It's good government, and I think that at the end of the day that's what nonpartisan redistricting is all about."

There are 17 states where Democrats have control of the legislature and the governors mansion or a legislative supermajority that can override a GOP governors veto. Yet all but a half dozen of those have some form of a commission or power share, and another, Delaware, has only one congressional district.

To be sure, Democrats plan to be aggressive in states where there are few restraints. One proposed Illinois map could give Democrats control of 14 of the state's 17 seats. In Maryland, there's some Democratic appetite to claim all eight of its districts taking the current 7-1 Democratic map, one of the nations most notable gerrymanders, and pushing things a step further.

In New Mexico and New York, Democrats have given a commission a chance at drawing new maps but allowed their legislatures to retain the final say. They represent a roadblock for Democrats, but not an insurmountable one; legislators can reject those maps and pass their own.

Still, Republicans have control in places like Texas, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. And they need only five seats to recapture the House, something they could possibly attain through favorable maps in those states alone.

The NDRC, which will serve as the party's redistricting legal clearinghouse, said Democrats remain clear-eyed about the challenges that lie ahead.

"We will fight tooth and nail in the states with every tool at our disposal to prevent them from locking in gerrymandered maps," Ward Burton said of their plans if H.R.1 doesn't pass. "We will sue them. We fully anticipate being in court. And that will be the battlefront on which we fight for fair maps. We're ready for that."

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How Democrats are unilaterally disarming in the redistricting wars - POLITICO

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Infrastructure Bill Talks Collide With Democrats Goal to Tax the Rich – The New York Times

Posted: at 11:11 pm

But Democrats see a changed landscape. The ProPublica report added fodder. But even before the pandemic recession, corporate tax receipts had plunged 40 percent after the Trump tax cuts. Though the 2017 tax law ostensibly lowered the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent, the effective business rate has fallen to 8 percent, said Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas, a senior Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee.

Theres been a big change in voter attitudes on taxes, Mr. Wyden said. In the last 10 years, Republicans always want to talk about taxes, nail those Democrats on taxes, tax-and-spend and all the rest. Now, the American people are sympathetic with our point, which is that everybody ought to pay their fair share.

Democrats are divided about how far to go. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, pressed Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen last week on Ms. Warrens proposed wealth tax, which would impose a 2 percent surtax on the value of assets owned by people worth more than $50 million and raise at least $3 trillion.

This is about choices, she told a reluctant Ms. Yellen. We can fund universal child care, or we can hand Jeff Bezos enough tax savings to build a superyacht.

Other Democrats, even liberals, are not so sure.

The whole term of a wealth tax scares an awful lot of people who are hoping to achieve some wealth, Mr. Doggett said. We dont want to discourage economic success. We just want to level the playing field.

Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, is stuck in the middle. As a pro-business Democrat, he was tapped by Mr. Wyden to hash out a corporate tax package with Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a pro-labor Democrat. But he is also a member of the group negotiating the bipartisan infrastructure deal.

He said he was confident there would be unanimous support among Democrats to include the international tax framework in a reconciliation bill that followed a narrower infrastructure compromise, because its just so darned complicated.

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Filibuster Rules Debated Again With Voting Rights Bill Vote – NPR

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing at the White House on Monday. Reporters asked about the administration's next steps on voting rights. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing at the White House on Monday. Reporters asked about the administration's next steps on voting rights.

The White House on Monday opened the door to revisiting the filibuster a hotly contested issue across political lines setting the stage for a bitter congressional fight to do away with the controversial debate tactic.

Responding to a question about Tuesday's Senate debate on voting rights legislation, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: "As it relates to the filibuster, I don't think you have to take it from us, that would be Congress moving forward or making a decision. If the vote is unsuccessful tomorrow, we suspect it will prompt a new conversation about the path forward. And we'll see where that goes."

The filibuster is a long-standing Senate practice used to delay a proposed law from being brought to a vote a tactic that has picked up steam over the last 10 years. It has only been used once so far this session, to block a vote on a bipartisan commission investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Senate Democrats will on Tuesday begin debate in pursuit of sweeping overhauls to current voting laws. The proposal is called the For the People Act.

The bill comes as Republican-led states nationwide seek to implement a number of restrictive voting measures that opponents say could significantly curtail the ability of minorities and lower-income Americans to cast ballots. Republicans defend these measures as necessary to safeguard the security of U.S. elections.

After President Biden's 2020 presidential win, many Republicans, at the urging of former President Donald Trump, launched a smear campaign, falsely alleging that ballot irregularities were the cause of their White House defeat.

In order for the party to be successful in advancing a federal voting rights bill, Democrats would have to vote in lockstep support of the measure and get the support of 10 Senate Republicans. Some Democrats and outside advocates say without any likely backing of GOP senators, Democratic leaders should change Senate rules getting rid of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to end debate.

Party moderates including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have opposed both measures, leading to significant infighting among Democrats about next steps.

The White House said Biden spoke to both senators Monday Manchin on voting rights and infrastructure, and Sinema in regards to infrastructure and thanked them both for their "engagement."

Biden, himself formerly a member of the Senate, in March endorsed changing the filibuster to "what it used to be," requiring senators to physically take to the floor and speak ceaselessly in order to delay a vote.

Despite the common misconception, as it stands now, a Senate staffer can send an email registering a senator's objection and triggering a 60-vote requirement to advance a bill to a final up-or-down vote without having to make a speech or any other effort.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has warned of a logistical nightmare if those rules were to change and lawmakers were constantly required to be physically present at the Capitol. Plus, he's said that when Republicans regain majority control of the chamber, "We wouldn't just erase every liberal change that hurt the country. We'd strengthen America with all kinds of conservative policies with zero input from the other side."

Even with Biden's cosignature, Democrats have been unable to unanimously reach an agreement on either voting rights reform or the filibuster.

Vice President Harris was tapped to lead the administration's strategy on voting rights but so far hasn't come forward with concrete steps on the issue.

Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president and who remains a popular figure among Democrats, on Monday expressed his support for overhauling the filibuster during a conference call with voting rights activists and former Attorney General Eric Holder.

"Unfortunately, right now at least, Republicans in the Senate are right now lining up to try to use the filibuster to stop the For the People Act from even being debated," Obama said.

"Think about this: In the aftermath of an insurrection, with our democracy on the line, and many of these same Republican senators going along with the notion that somehow there were irregularities and problems with legitimacy in our most recent election they're suddenly afraid to even talk about these issues and figure out solutions on the floor of the Senate. They don't even want to talk about voting," he said, referencing the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

"That's not acceptable."

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Varney: The Democrat coalition is falling apart – Fox Business

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FOX Business host Stuart Varney on Biden's 'far-left' policies and state of the Democratic party.

In his latest "My Take," FOX Business Stuart Varney discusses the fractures within the Democratic party, arguing "things are falling apart" for President Biden and his "radical policies."

STUART VARNEY: Its probably very fortunate for the president that his handlers keep him away from the media he would have a very hard time answering free-wheeling questions on any of the major issues of the day. He ran for the presidency as a moderate. Now that he's governing, he's gone to the far left.Things are falling apart.

How about Defund the Police? Powerful Congressman Jim Clyburn, now says that idea 'doesn't work.' That puts rising crime at the center of the law and order debate. If he had to answer a question on this, would the president ditch the man who essentially gave him the nomination, thats Jim Clyburn. Would he ditch him or would he go with AOC?

BIDEN STILL NOT SOLD ON BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FOLLOWING MANCHIN, SINEMA WH MEETINGS

The border: Thats disaster territory for the Democrats. They have to be quiet about their open border policy because they know it is extremely unpopular. Heaven forbid the media asks the president if he still thinks its Trump's fault!

Voter ID! Democrats don't want it, but 8 out of 10 voters do want it. There's a vote on it today. The president may have to re-think the issue.

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Infrastructure: Is it just roads and bridges, or social infrastructure like pre-k education and vast green subsidies? Once again, the president is caught between his early far-left pledges and the reality of getting the votes!

He gets good press. The media loves him. But it's crunch time. This president is about to find out that he cannot push through his radical policies. The left will be apoplectic. The Democrat coalition is falling apart.

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Weakness in Auto Insurance Offset by Continued Positive Property Insurance Trends – GuruFocus.com

Posted: at 11:11 pm

CHICAGO, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the U.S. economy begins to recover from the pandemic that has gripped the world for the past year, new data from TransUnions (: TRU) Personal Lines Insurance Shopping Report shows that property insurance shopping is growing at a robust rate. Conversely, auto insurance has lagged behind 2020 levels during much of the first quarter of 2021.

Property insurance shopping has risen markedly in the last year. The three-week moving average of such shopping rose 24.6% the week of March 28, 2021 compared to the previous year. While the increase was influenced by the fact that March 2020 marked the beginning of many state lockdowns, interestingly, this marked only the second largest such increase in Q1 2021. A 26.0% year-over-year increase occurred during the week of January 3, 2021.

In comparison, auto insurance shopping rose 14.0% the week of March 28, 2021, but that increase was an outlier compared to the rest of the quarter. Auto insurance shopping rates have mostly declined or risen only slightly for much of Q1 2021 compared to the previous year.

Driving the personal lines insurance marketplace are a combination of factors, including robust growth in mortgage originations and flush consumer wallets emerging from the pandemic with expanding needs to cover homes and valuable belongings.

Based on our latest data, we expect that positive year-over-year trends will continue for personal lines insurance shopping as the economy continues to emerge from the pandemic, said Mark McElroy, executive vice president and head of TransUnions insurance business. Price continues to be the main driver of auto insurance shoppers. For property insurance shoppers however, better coverage is the main driver, perhaps owing to the fact they are in a better financial position at this point in the recovery.

Whats driving shopping behaviors?In addition to the customary market analysis found in the quarterly report, TransUnion collected a data snapshot via a high-level consumer survey in March 2021. These survey results allowed TransUnion to better understand the different motivations of auto and property insurance shoppers over the course of the pandemic.

The survey of 2,055 U.S. adults found that approximately 14% of respondents said they switched auto insurance providers since the beginning of the pandemic. Of that group, 42% said they changed because of a cheaper premium and 32% switched for better coverage. About 11% of respondents said they switched property insurance providers since the beginning of the pandemic with 36% changing to secure better coverage and 35% doing so for a lower premium.

An interesting nuance occurred during the pandemic, though, where the dynamics between personal lines insurance shopping and new loans shifted. TransUnion research found that the percent of auto insurance inquiries with a mortgage trade opened within the preceding 90 days increased from 1.5% in 2019 to 2.1% in 2020. The percent of property insurance inquiries with a mortgage trade opened within the preceding 90 days also increased to 2.4% in 2020 compared to 1.6% in 2019. While these percentage changes may seem low, the increase affected tens of thousands of insurance policies across the country.

Low interest rates, a work from home posture, and a race for space fueled the hot housing market and the likely increase in property insurance shopping, said McElroy. The housing market, though, also impacted other forms of insurance. In turn, it is now more important than ever to understand the full consumer credit picture as it has implications for varied insurance policies.

For additional insights into personal lines insurance marketplace, the full report can be accessed here.

About TransUnions Insurance Shopping Snapshot ReportThe quarterly Insurance Shopping Snapshot Report is based entirely on TransUnions internal studies. The auto insurance shopping trends reported are based on TransUnions report which is derived from TransUnions extensive database of credit data. It includes information on more than 500 million auto insurance shopping transactions from January 2016 to March 2021. The report focuses on the credit population, highlighting TransUnions data. It also explores a subset of the total insurance shopping population. The report excludes data from auto insurance customers in California, Hawaii and Massachusetts, where credit-based insurance scoring information is not used for auto insurance rating or underwriting.

About TransUnion (: TRU)TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences, and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

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Weakness in Auto Insurance Offset by Continued Positive Property Insurance Trends - GuruFocus.com

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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to Unveil New Exhibit, Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice – KPVI News 6

Posted: at 11:11 pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is set to explore the music and legacy of influential vocalist Martina McBridein the exhibition Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice. The exhibit encompasses the singer's journey from performing in her family's band as a child to becoming an award-winning country music artist with an enduring career delivering substantive and socially aware hit songs. Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice opens July 30, 2021, and runs through Aug. 7, 2022.

McBrideknown for hits including "Independence Day" and "A Broken Wing"has ranked as one of country music's most powerful voices, owning four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards. The Kansas native released her major label debut in 1992 and had her first Top Ten single on Billboard's country charts in 1993 with "My Baby Loves Me." Inspired by forerunners such as Linda Ronstadt and Country Music Hall of Fame members Reba McEntire and Connie Smith, McBride brought her own unique voice and style that helped further modernize the image of female artists in country music, choosing material that often highlighted women's strengths. In 2019, the Academy of Country Music presented her with the Cliffie Stone Icon Award for her contributions to country music.

"Martina McBride has been creating powerful, socially conscious country music for more than 25 years," said museum CEO Kyle Young. "Her anthems of personal empowerment have addressed the challenges women face and contributed a much-needed perspective to the genre. The empathy at the core of her music informs her life offstage, where she advocates for female artists."

Born July 29, 1966, Martina Mariea Schiff was raised on a dairy and wheat farm in Sharon, Kansas, population 200. By age seven, she began performing with her family's band, the Schiffters. After moving to Wichita, Kansas, she performed in rock bands in area clubs and met recording engineer John McBride, whom she married in 1988. After returning home to sing with the Schiffters at a battle of the bands, she decided to move to Nashville and sing country music.

The McBrides moved to Nashville in January 1990, as country music exploded in popularity. John started working as a sound engineer on concert tours and, in 1991, became production manager for Garth Brooks. So that the newlyweds could spend more time together, Martina took a job on Brooks' tour selling T-shirts. She made a demo recording of five songs to pitch to record labels. To get the demo to the talent scouts at RCA Records, she got past the company's strict rules about submitting new material by writing, in large letters, "REQUESTED MATERIAL" on a bright purple package, even though RCA had not asked for the tape. The strategy worked. RCA signed McBride to a recording contract in 1991.

Focusing on traditional country music, McBride's debut album, The Time Has Come,was released in May 1992. The album received critical accolades, but it wasn't until the release of her second album, The Way That I Am, that she began achieving commercial success, with songs focused on what she described as "melody and message." The song "My Baby Loves Me" reached #2 on Billboard's country charts and depicts a woman reveling in her partner's love of the traits that make her different and distinctive. "Independence Day," an anthem portraying an abused wife and mother reaching a breaking point, was named Song of the Year in 1995 and Video of the Year in 1994 by the CMA.

The Way That I Amcrossed the million-seller plateau in May 1995 and began a streak of platinum albums stretching into the 2000s. McBride ranked among country music's most acclaimed stars of the era. She won four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards, three consecutively (1999, 2002-2004), and three consecutive ACM Top Female Vocalist honors (20012003). In November 1995, she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

After years of crossover pop success, McBride returned to her roots in traditional country music with her 2005 album,Timeless, the first album she produced alone. She has continued as a commercial force: Each of her albums from 2007 to 2016 reached the Top Five on the country album chart. She continued as a cultural force, too: In 2015, she became a lead voice in combatting the dwindling airplay given to female country artists.

Martina McBride, who will mark her thirtieth year as a recording artist in 2022, epitomizes how country artists can find success as they reflect their changing times and address social issues in songs.

"Postponing the exhibit opening last year due to the pandemic was a difficult decision but the right one," said McBride. "It did, however, allow us more time to plan and dig through my archive to find several truly special artifacts. I'm excited to finally be able to let everyone see what we've created.Having an exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is something I've had on my dream list for a long, long time. Being able to share moments and mementos from my life and career with my fans and country music fans from all over the world is both humbling and exciting. I'm so grateful to be a part of country music."

Items featured in Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice include awards, stage wear, handwritten lyrics and personal artifacts. Some highlights:

In support of the exhibition's opening, McBride will participate in a conversation and performance in the museum's CMA Theater on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, at 2:00 p.m., discussing her career and sharing personal stories and memories associated with the artifacts included in Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice. Tickets will be available at CountryMusicHallofFame.org on Friday, July 2.

More information about this exhibit can be found at http://www.CountryMusicHallofFame.org.

Suggested Tweet: @CountryMusicHOF announces details of Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice. The exhibit will run from July 30, 2021, through Aug. 7, 2022.

Photos of artifacts featured in Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voicecan be found here.

About the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum:

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum collects, preserves, and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibits, publications, and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and welcomes over one million patrons each year, placing it among the most visited museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B, Hatch Show Print poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive, and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fameand Museum is available atwww.countrymusichalloffame.orgor by calling (615) 416-2001.

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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to Unveil New Exhibit, Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice - KPVI News 6

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CLEVE CARNEY MUSEUM OF ART TO OFFER VIRTUAL TOURS OF – GlobeNewswire

Posted: at 11:11 pm

Works On Loan From the Museo Dolores Olmedo Collection are Presented Alongside Multimedia Timeline of Artists Life, Kahlo-inspired Garden and Childrens Area

Glen Ellyn, Ill., June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beginning Friday, June 25, the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage will offer virtual tours of Frida Kahlo: Timeless, a one-of-a-kind, multifaceted exhibition of original artwork by iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Making the in-person exhibition accessible to remote audiences, on-demand individual tours are priced at $18 and provide in-depth curatorial commentary from curator Justin Witte and Executive Director Diana Martinez, offering intimate glimpses into the artists life and work. Group tours, led by museum docents and offering opportunities for lively discussions and questions, are available Monday Friday at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. for groups of up to 25 people ($250) and 26-50 people ($500).

On view now through Sept. 6, Frida Kahlo: Timeless is the most comprehensive presentation of Kahlos work displayed in the Chicago area in over 40 years. Visitors to the exhibition, both virtual and in-person, can also take advantage of a robust series of virtual programs focused on Kahlos life and legacy, freely available on the museums website (theccma.org/videos). Virtual talks feature renowned art historians, scholars and curators including Cesreo Moreno, Chief Curator of the National Museum of Mexican Art and Julie Rodrigues Widholm, Director of the UC Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive.

The 26-piece collection, on loan from the Museo Dolores Olmedo, features an array of oil paintings and works on paper spanning the life of Kahlo, a Mexican artist foundational to the 20th century art historical canon. Best known for self-portraits highlighting themes of identity, politics, sexuality and death, Kahlo channeled her childhood and personal struggles into her art and became an iconic figure and symbol of female empowerment, individual courage and Mexican pride.

The exhibition includes pivotal pieces created throughout the artists life, including 19 oil paintings, representing over one-tenth of the total number of Kahlo paintings in existence. Works from Kahlos life follow a period when the artist was bedridden for months after surviving a life-altering bus accident at age 18 and span her lifetime, concluding with a work completed the year of her death.

The exhibition also features a multimedia timeline with replicas of notable objects from Kahlos life, over 100 photographic images, a Frida Kahlo-inspired garden and a childrens area.

Frida Kahlo: Timeless will be on view at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, 425 Fawell Blvd., through Sept. 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday through Wednesday and 10 a.m.10 p.m. Thursday. The exhibition is presented by Bank of America and made possible by the support of Ball Horticultural Company, Wight & Company, Nicor, AeroMexico, The National Endowment for the Arts, DuPage Foundation Illinois Office of Tourism, the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and the College of DuPage Foundation.

For tickets or more information, visit Frida2021.org or call 630.942.4000.

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Society 340 bringing joy and empowerment to the Virgin Islands community – Virgin Islands Daily News

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Dior Parsons grew up believing she could accomplish anything thanks to the support of the adults in her life. Now, she and a team of volunteers are working to instill this same confidence in young St. John residents while addressing other issues on the island, like mental health. The group, called Society 340, got its start in 2019 by hosting a Junior Achievement U.S. Virgin Islands workshop called Innovation Camp at Sea Shore Allure.

I was feeling like my peers didnt have motivation or determination, Parsons said. Growing up, it was instilled in me that you can grow up to do whatever you want, so Id apply for jobs I wasnt qualified for and Id be confident stepping into any room. I wanted to share that. I want people to dream big. I wanted to create an opportunity to give people that experience and space where they can feel comfortable and know what they can do.

The Innovation Camp was followed by a graduation celebration for the class of 2020, whose in-person ceremonies were thwarted due to COVID. A Mothers Mental Maintenance Brunch at Heading East invited island mothers to relax with one another, and an impromptu celebration and motorcade for the Class of 2021 brought joy to the graduates whose high school career started with hurricanes Irma and Maria and ended with a global pandemic.

When we did the motorcade, one of the graduates said This couldve never happened anywhere else other than St. John, said Parsons. It came together so quickly. [V. I. Police Departments St. John Deputy Chief] Vivianne Newton was like whatever you need. Anything we do I can always reach out to [V.I. Fire Service St. John Deputy Chief] Clarence Stephenson for help. [Senator at Large] Steven Payne was influential in the motorcade and our administrator Shikima Jones-Sprauve was there to make sure everything went smoothly. Any time we reach out to Love City Strong theyre like yeah sure, just let us know what you need. Its always a community effort. St. John really takes care of St. John.

Society 340s next event will be the V.I. Male Empowerment Network Initiative this Sunday, when Sherman Browne will return to his home island of St. John. Browne is a personal growth expert and founder of Aim High, an organization that works to empower students, and hell bring his message to young men on the island.

Youll see a room full of influential men willing to step up to be the mentors and the models, said Browne. We want to change the narrative of how we look at young men. We want to show you men who are influential. When I was growing up on St. John, I remember individuals who taught me through sport and mentored me and made a tremendous difference in my life. This will be a game-changing event.

Along with Society 340s in-person events, the group has hosted online forums called Leh We Talk, where community members are invited to join the discussion on topics like marketing for entrepreneurs and mental health.

The excitement that Society 340 members have for bettering their community is palpable, and with every event the group hosts, it spreads even more.

Were all fired up, said Parsons. The young boys who came out to serve our mothers at the brunch have been calling me every other day asking what else they can do and theyre encouraging their peers.

Aim Highs Browne commended Society 340 for bringing to the forefront discussions that are typically swept under the rug.

Sometimes we see situations like mental health as important, but nothing is urgent, said Browne. We acknowledge we have to take care of this but we dont do it urgently. In partnering with Society 340, I saw an opportunity to urgently address this matter by providing resources that are needed and by building relationships across networks so we can build resilience as it relates to mental health and many other issues.

Society 340 members meet virtually every Thursday evening to discuss their upcoming projects and events. Committees focused on events, policy, and planning are in place to help channel new volunteers to the tasks that best suit them. Society 340 is working toward becoming a 501(c)(3).

Donations to the organization can be made by contacting info@society340.org. Follow Society 340 on Facebook for updates on future events.

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Society 340 bringing joy and empowerment to the Virgin Islands community - Virgin Islands Daily News

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AIDS @40: White House laughs as gays try to save themselves – Washington Blade

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Editors note: This is the fourth and final installment of this special series looking back at 40 years of AIDS. Visit washingtonblade.com for the previous installments.

Like so many others in California, lesbian feminist Ivy Bottini had high expectations for the federal government to finally intervene in the growing AIDS crisis after the first congressional committee hearing on the mysterious new disease, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman on April 13, 1982. There was very little press coverage of the hearing held at the Los Angeles Gay Community Services Center on Highland Ave. in Hollywood. But years later, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health recalled a quote reported by the Washington Blade: I want to be especially blunt about the political aspects of Kaposis sarcoma (KS), Waxman said. This horrible disease afflicts members of one of the nations most stigmatized and discriminated-against minorities.There is no doubt in my mind that if the same disease had appeared among Americans of Norwegian descent, or among tennis players, rather than among gay males, the responses of the government and the medical community would have been different.

The gay San Francisco newspaper The Sentinel published a very short brief on April 16 entitled House Holds Cancer Hearings about the gay cancer. The paper quoted an unnamed subcommittee staffer saying the CDC, which is coordinating research on the baffling outbreak, should not have to nickel and dime for funds. The brief appeared next to a column written by gay nurse Bobbi Campbell, who wrote about going to The Shanti Project to get emotional support for his KS.

Bottinis takeaway from the hearing was that no one really knew how AIDS was transmitted. She was upset. Her friend Ken Schnorr had died just before the hearing and Bottini had to explain to Kens distraught mother that he had not been abused at the hospital the purple bruises on his body were KS lesions. After weeks of governmental inaction, Bottini called Dr. Joel Weisman, Schnorrs gay doctor, to update the community at a town hall in Fiesta Hall in West Hollywoods Plummer Park. Weisman had sent gay patients to Dr. Michael Gottlieb and was one of the co-authors on the first CDC public report about AIDS on June 5, 1981.

Bottini later recalled how gay men often thanked her for saving their lives at that packed town hall. Bottini subsequently founded AIDS Network LA, to serve as a clearing house for collecting and disseminating information. But not everyone bought the science-based premise that AIDS was transmitted through bodily fluids including Bottinis friend Morris Kight, prompting a deep three-year rift. Nonetheless, groups offering gay men advice on how to have safe sex started emerging, as did peer groups forming for emotional, spiritual and healthcare support. The Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights, Houstons Citizens for Human Equality and the new Gay Mens Health Crisis in New York City published pamphlets and newsletters.

Panic and denial were wafting in tandem through gay Los Angeles, too. In Oct. 1982, friends Nancy Cole Sawaya (an ally), Matt Redman, Ervin Munro, and Max Drew convened an emergency informational meeting at the Los Angeles Gay Community Services Center on Gay Related Immunodeficiency Disease (GRID, soon to be called AIDS) delivered by a representative from San Franciscos Kaposis Sarcoma Foundation.

My friends and I were in New York in 1981, hearing stories among friends coming down with this mysterious disease. We realized that back home in L.A. there was no hotline, no medical care, and no one to turn to for emotional support, Redman told The Advocates Chris Bull on July 17, 2001 for a story on the 20th anniversary of AIDS. For some reason I wasnt really scared. It was so early on that no one could predict what would happen.

That quickly changed when the friends realized there was no level of governmental help forthcoming. They set up a hotline in a closet space at the Center, found 12 volunteers and asked Weisman to train them on how to answer questions, reading off a one-page fact sheet. The idea was to reduce fear and eventually give out referrals to doctors and others willing to help.

The four also reached out to friends to raise money, netting $7,000 at a tony Christmas benefit to fund a new organization called AIDS Project Los Angeles. They set up a Board of Directors with Weisman and longtime checkbook activist attorney Diane Abbitt as co-chairs. They gaveled their first board meeting to order on Jan. 14, 1983 with five clients. The following month, APLA produced and distributed a brochure about AIDS in both English and Spanish.

Four months later, in May, APLA and other activists organized the first candlelight march in Los Angeles at the Federal Building in Westwood and in four other cities. The LA event was attended by more than 5,000 people demanding federal action. The KS/AIDS Foundation in San Francisco was led by people with AIDS carrying a banner that read Fighting For Our Lives. When the banner was unfurled at the National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference that June by activists presenting The Denver Principles, the crowd cried, with a 10-minute ovation.

If the word empowerment hadnt yet been a part of the health care lexicon, it was about to be, HIV/AIDS activist Mark S. King wrote in POZ. The group took turns reading a document to the conference they had just created themselves, during hours sitting in a hospitality suite of the hotel. It was their Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence rolled into one. It would be known as The Denver Principles, and it began like this: We condemn attempts to label us as victims, which implies defeat, and we are only occasionally patients, which implies passivity, helplessness, and dependence upon the care of others. We are people with AIDS.

While The Denver Principles were injecting self-empowerment into the growing movement of people with AIDS, the Reagan administration was infecting America through mass media association of homosexuality, AIDS and old myths of sexual perversion. Ronald Reagan was keenly aware of his anti-gay evangelical base, appointing Gary Bauer as a domestic policy adviser. Bauer was a close associate of James Dobson, president of the powerful Religious Right group Focus on the Family. Reagan also picked anti-abortion crusader C. Everett Koop as surgeon general which turned into a mini-scandal when Koop agreed that sexually explicit AIDS education and gay-positive materials should be federally funded for schools. You cannot be an efficient health officer with integrity if you let other things get in the way of health messages, Koop told the Village Voice. Koop was slammed by the Moral Majoritys Rev. Jerry Falwell and other anti-gay evangelicals.

But perhaps one of the most egregious examples of the Reagan administrations homophobic callousness toward people with AIDS came from the persistent laughter emanating from the podium of White House Press Secretary Larry Speakes. On Oct. 15, 1982, less than four weeks after Reps. Henry Waxman and Phillip Burton introduced a bill to allocate funds to the CDC for surveillance and the NIH for AIDS research, reporter Lester Kinsolving asked Speakes about the new disease called A.I.D.S.

KINSOLVING: Larry, does the president have any reaction to the announcement the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?

SPEAKES: Whats AIDS?

KINSOLVING: Over a third of them have died. Its known as gay plague. (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean its a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the president is aware of it?

SPEAKES: I dont have it. Do you? (Laughter.)

KINSOLVING: You dont have it. Well, Im relieved to hear that, Larry. (Laughter.) Im delighted.

SPEAKES: Do you?

KINSOLVING: No, I dont.In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?

SPEAKES: No, I dont know anything about it, Lester. What

KINSOLVING: Does the president, does anybody in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?

SPEAKES: I dont think so. I dont think theres been any

KINSOLVING: Nobody knows?

SPEAKES: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.

The exchange goes on like that. For another two years.

On World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 2015, Vanity Fair debuted a 7:43 documentary directed and produced by Scott Calonico about that 1982 exchange between Kinsolving and Speakes. But Calonico also found audio of similar exchanges in 1983 and 1984 for his film, When AIDS Was Funny.

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AIDS @40: White House laughs as gays try to save themselves - Washington Blade

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Who is H.E.R? Get to know the R&B goddess in 11 songs – Fashion Journal

Posted: at 11:11 pm

From child star to anonymous poet to Oscar winner.

H.E.R. is a name wrapped in anonymity. The singer whose identity was unknown until two years ago was considered somewhat of a musical ghost, with her real name shrouded in mystery. You may know her by her voice, or by the sunglasses that conceal her face, but as long as you know H.E.R., I guess thats all that matters.

The multi-instrumentalist has used her crooning vocals and thoughtful lyrics to win over R&B purists the world over. She signed to RCA Records at age 14, is halfway to an EGOT (winning an Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar and a Tony), and considers Alicia Keys a label mate and collaborator.

She has also just released a brand new 21-track album titled Back Of My Mind. To truly get a sense of the evolution of H.E.R. we revisit 11 essential songs from her catalogue. Join us as we learn all about musics favourite anonymous poet.

1. Age 10, performing Alicia Keys on The Today Show, 2007

The H.E.R story begins many moons ago. 2007, to be precise, when a young lass named Gabi Wilson took to The Today Show stage to perform, neigh, belt out, a rendition of Alicia Keys No One. Gabi plays the piano, the drums, the bass guitar, begins host Hoda Kotb. She has the rich, soulful voice of a singer three times her age.

This performance is enough to bring a tear to even the most jaded of eyes. Before TikTok, YouTube and Ellen DeGeneres became hell-bent on making every minor a cash-cow cum celebrity, it was a rare and glorious sight to see kids excelling on public platforms like this. Watching 10-year-old Gabi Wilson was one of those pure, innocent moments; and an appropriate foreshadowing of the career to come.

2. My Music, 2009

Like all child prodigies of the early 2000s, H.E.R. (still making music under her government name, Gabi Wilson) was tapped on the shoulder by executives at Disney. She participated as a part of Radio Disneys Next Big Thing contest.

Gabi Wilson competed in Season Two of the competition, eventually losing out to Jasmine Sagginario (who!?). My Music was the single she performed, and it is an extremely accurate snapshot of Disneys sonic output in 2009. Im getting R&B Camp Rock vibes.

3. Something to Prove, 2014

In 2011, Gabis big break came when she signed her first record deal with Sonys RCA records at age 14. Still performing under her real name, Something to Prove was the debut single that the label chose to release.

It was here that R&B purists began to take note of Wilson. Sampling Between The Sheets by The Isley Brothers, Youre Getting a Little Too Smart by Detroit Emeralds Take Me to the Marti Gras by Bob James, Something to Prove was the first taste of what would become H.E.R. Her deep, soul-filled voice while still growing was filled with self-empowerment, yet delicate and airy in delivery.

4. Focus, 2016

The world was first introduced to H.E.R. on September 9 2016. Re-emerging with a new persona, her debut EP, H.E.R. Vol. 1, was the beginning of a new sonic era. The EP release was relatively low-key, making H.E.R the perfect combination of indie and talented that heavy hitters like to co-sign.

She received support from Usher, Tyrese, Pusha T, Wyclef Jean, and label mates Alicia Keys and Bryson Tiller. The EP features seven cuts, including a notable cover of Drakes Jungle. The standout track, Focus, connotes undertones of desperation. Beautiful in its execution, and extremely loyal to the genre, the song is a public-private musing that examines vulnerability in the best possible way.

And, in a stroke of marketing genius I doubt you can even pay for, the song was given the ultimate approval in April 2017. Rihanna posted a video of herself on Instagram, with Focus playing in the background. The clip has been viewed over 5 million times.

5. Every Kind of Way, 2017

H.E.R.s second EP, H.E.R. Vol. 2, revolves around seduction. Every Kind of Way places onus on personal sexuality, in a way that its predecessor was too nervous to affirm. Interestingly, the identity of H.E.R. was still anonymous at this point in time perhaps why it was easier to write so literally about taboo topics at the age of 20.

The Pitchfork review of this project wrote, There have been theories that H.E.R. is Gabi Wilson, a singer who saw her first big break at the age of 10, but at the end of the day, does it matter? With hindsight, its clear to see the world was ready to know about H.E.R.

6. Best Part ft. Daniel Ceaser, 2017

The compilation album H.E.R. was released on October 20, 2017, comprised of songs from each of the three EPs in this series. Best Part was the breakout acoustic collaboration, featuring the radiant musings of Daniel Ceasar.

This simple, thoughtful love song has become an alt-radio staple. And the album on which this appeared was H.E.R.s greatest personal success yet. It took home Best R&B Album and received four other nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist.

7. Couldve Been ft. Bryson Tiller, 2018

Riding the wave of Grammy success, Couldve Been is the fourth track from H.E.Rs I Used To Know Her: The Prelude EP. The song marks her first collab with Bryson Tiller who she had toured with in 2017 and was ranked as one of Barack Obamas best tracks of 2018. Not much else to be said, really.

8. Slide, 2019

H.E.R had a couple of notable songs and projects in the wake of the Grammy wins, and Slide was one of the big ones. The original version of the song featuring Californian rapper YG was initially released in September 2019, with an official remix featuring Pop Smoke, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Chris Brown following in January 2020.

The lyrics artistically interrogate two sides to a supposed new perspective on love and relationships. H.E.R broke down the meaning of the song in a Genius Verified video here.

9. Prince In Memoriam, Nothing Compares 2 U, 2020

It was always a well-known subsidiary of H.E.Rs persona that she was an aesthete for the masses. Similar to Solange and Rhianna, intricate costumes and elevated fashion are just par for the course in the brand of H.E.R.

Nowhere is this more evident than in this Prince memoriam at the 72nd Emmys. H.E.R. is well-documented in dubbing Prince one of her major influences, and listeners can hear Princes signature, funky, husky notes in her solos particularly the ones that are played live.

Like Prince, H.E.R.s celebrity image is intrinsically attached to the things she wears. Her signature sunglasses are almost as iconic as the music itself, and I could write an entire piece dedicated to her inspired sartorial choices. In fact, I just might.

10. Damage, 2020

When news began permeating of the first official H.E.R album, eager anticipation began to build. Fans knew it was titled Back Of My Mind, but they didnt know much else. Damage was the first taste they received.

The track samples Herb Alperts 1987 hit Making Love in the Rain, and uses its dulcet croon to express how the protagonist doesnt want to be taken for granted by a lover. The significance of the song came to a head on October 24 2020, when H.E.R debuted the song on Saturday Night Live alongside guest host, Adele.

11. We Made It, 2021

That brings us here. We Made It ironically the opening song to H.E.Rs first proper album release. It feels incorrect to call this project a debut, and yet, here we are. Released just days ago, Back Of My Mind is swarmed with social and political hallmarks,and aptly intertwined with moments of light. 2021 has been the year of H.E.R.

In March, the now 23-year-old won a Grammy for her poignant protest song titled I Cant Breathe, written in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd. At the Oscars, she collected a win for Fight For You for her contribution to the film Judas and the Black Messiah.

This album occurring over 79 blissful minutes gives H.E.R. the space to breathe. Her lyrics have always been intimate, but the panoramic versatility of this record leaves everything out on the floor. It was a conscious choice it seems, because with a talent (and release) of this scale, complete anonymity will most likely be the next thing H.E.R. will have to let go of. Heres hoping she enjoys it.

Listen to H.E.Rs new album here.

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Who is H.E.R? Get to know the R&B goddess in 11 songs - Fashion Journal

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