The Long Game and Cancun Cruz (2/21/21)

We literally landed on Mars this week. If you have not taken the time to watch the eleven-minute video of the landing of Perseverance on Mars, please try to find the time to do it. We are a country that marvels at and celebrates the greatness of science and ingenuity and it does not get any bigger than precisely and safely landing a rover on Mars. In this dark and difficult year may we be reminded that reaching for the stars with patience, perseverance, and the long game pay off.

This week also brought into the spotlight the stark reality that climate change is an existential threat. As we watch the suffering of our fellow Americans in Texas, many are reminded of NY after Hurricane Sandy. It appears that despite past recommendations, this storm caused system-wide failure that the Texas energy system was not prepared to handle.

Combatting climate change is a monumental task but President Biden is committed to addressing this threat. Biden quickly joined hands with local officials in Texas to provide disaster relief to anyone in need. In addition, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Accords this week. It is encouraging that the Biden administration believes in science and Biden’s team is viewing infrastructure projects and other actions through the climate change lens. It will not help the current crisis in Texas, but there is hope for the future of our planet.

This week also shone a bright light for Texans and for all of us, on the fact that elections matter. We watched in horror as the junior U.S. Senator from Texas fled to a luxury hotel in Cancun instead of helping his fellow Texans and then lied about it. Beto O’Rourke, a civilian, is showing us what a public servant should look like while Ted Cruz, a public servant, left Texans hanging. It is stunning that while Cruz was flying back and forth from a country he tried to build a wall around, AOC was raising 2 million dollars for the people of his state. Ted Cruz is an example of a politician that cares only about himself and power and not the people he was elected to serve. He is not alone on that pedestal and we need to tirelessly work to vote them out.

As with the creation of the Perseverance rover, we cannot take our foot off the pedal when it comes to having patience and persistence and playing the long game when tending to our democracy. We need to continue the work to help others recognize that all elections including state and local elections have consequences and to use their vote as their voice. We must register voters and turn out the vote so elected officials like Ted Cruz are handily beaten at the ballot box. We need to hold all our elected officials accountable for their actions or inaction.

We are engaging in this work for the long game and we feel blessed to be in it with all of you. Stay motivated!