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Ten Steps to Revolution

Journey to American Democracy

Heather Cox Richardson posted on her June 7th Letters from an American column, introducing Ten Steps to Revolution:

“The hard lessons of history seem to be repeating themselves in the U.S. these days, and with the nation’s 250th anniversary approaching, some friends and I got to talking about how we could make our real history more accessible.

“After a lot of brainstorming, we have come up with Journey to American Democracy: a series of short videos about American history that we will release on my YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram. [What they released was] a set of videos that can be viewed individually or can be watched together to simulate a survey course about an important event or issue in American history.

“Journey to American Democracy explores how democracy has always required blood and sweat and inspiration to overcome the efforts of those who would deny equality to their neighbors. It examines how, for more than two centuries, ordinary people have worked to make the principles the founders articulated in the Declaration of Independence the law of the land.

“Those principles establish that we have a right to be treated equally before the law, to have a say in our government, and to have equal access to resources.”

A crash course in America

“In late April, in an interview with Terry Moran of ABC News, [FOTUS] showed Moran that he had had a copy of the Declaration of Independence hung in the Oval Office. The interview had been thorny, and Moran used his calling attention to the Declaration to ask a softball question. He asked [FOTUS] what the document that he had gone out of his way to hang in the Oval Office meant to him.

“He answered: ‘Well, it means exactly what it says, it’s a declaration. A declaration of unity and love and respect, and it means a lot. And it’s something very special to our country.’

“The Declaration of Independence is indeed very special to our country. But it is not a declaration of love and unity. It is the radical declaration of Americans that human beings have the right to throw off a king in order to govern themselves. That story is here, in the first video series of Journey to American Democracy called ‘Ten Steps to Revolution.'”

From the YouTube page: “Journey to American Democracy examines how ordinary people worked to make the principles the founders articulated in the Declaration of Independence the law of the land. This series, Ten Steps to Revolution, explains how the king’s American subjects came to oppose monarchy and, over the course of only thirteen years, to embrace the right to govern themselves.”

Also

Transcription: Two years ago, in partnership with the National Park Service, the National Archives set an audacious goal to transcribe the more than 2.5 million pages found in the Revolutionary War Pension Files by America’s 250th on July 4th, 2026. Together with the National Park Service, we spread the word and recruited volunteers. In our first year, Citizen Archivists transcribed 65,000 pages, and we were so excited to see the stories of America’s first veterans that they uncovered.

Tories: From the Smithsonian: The Defiant Loyalists Who Chose the Wrong Side in the American Revolution. American colonists who aligned with the British lost their lands, their reputations, and sometimes even their lives.

“The popular image of the American Revolution may be of fired-up colonists united in the fight to overthrow their British rulers. But the reality was far more complicated. Many historians estimate that at least 15 to 20 percent of the population remained loyal to the crown, some even taking up arms against their rebellious neighbors and fighting alongside the British.

The Boss: Land of Hope and Dreams intro by Bruce Springsteen

Attending the closing of Trinity UMC Albany

Disciple Bible study

Of course, we were attending the closing of Trinity UMC Albany on June 22. Not just my wife and I, but our daughter, who hadn’t even been born yet when we left in 2000. The bulletin notes, “Celebrating 188 years of faith and service!” But it won’t hit 189.

The opening hymn was The Church’s One Foundation, which was the opening hymn on September 17, 1933, when the building was rebuilt on the corner of Lark and Lancaster for the second time in less than 35 years.

The choir numbered but five; they’re pretty good, given that. A small piece of me wishes I had been singing with them.

After the anthem, a Litany of Thanksgiving was offered for the physical elements (Baptismal font, communion table, etc.), the congregations over the years, the church’s mission, the study groups, music, and hymnals. Near the end: “We come together with so many good and treasured memories, but with a strong sense of grief at saying farewell to this hallowed place.”

The sermon by Rebecca Richards was based on Lamentations 3:19-26.

Remembering Our Ministries was offered by Nancy, the Lay Leader. Someone read a letter from Rev. Jeffrey Matthew, the pastor from 2008 to 2021. The hymn This Is A Day of New Beginnings, which made me a tad melancholy, especially as a Prayer of Letting Go followed it.

I saw several folks I recognized who were still attending, as well as many who came back for the finale, including Allie from California. Here’s the video of the service.

Repast

In the parlor where coffee hour is usually held, there were several items to eat and drink. People were encouraged to tell stories. My wife noted that she hosted the Disciple Bible study at her home, which I attended; subsequently, we got married at the church.

I could have spoken about our choir singing at the annual Troy Conference in Vermont, caroling on Lark Street, and the several choir members who passed away during my tenure there. Or a book club I attended for over a decade. But I was disinclined.

Someone asked me what it was like being there on that day. I compared it to going to the funeral of an old friend. Perhaps you experienced friction in your relationship, or maybe you’ve fallen a bit out of touch. Still, you didn’t want them to die. I know that building and the many souls past and present who attended there. It was/is a foundational time in my life.

I was very touched by the Goodbye Trinity video, which I saw a few days later. It showed people no longer with us, including Lillian, Fran, Bob, Jim, Jeannette and Bob, and even Mickey, and ends with a couple of touching pieces of music.

Underground Railroad and Frederick Douglass

Albany Symphony Orchestra

This week, it feels like the Underground Railroad and Frederick Douglass all the time.

Friday, July 4th: Oration at the Underground Railroad Education Center, 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany, 11 am-1 pm. New York State’s Investment in the Institution of Enslavement and Its Legacy Today. The speaker will be Lavada Nahon, culinary historian and interpreter of African American history with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Nell Stokes, long time community activist and supporter of UREC will share her poetry. Maggie D’Aversa, weaving artist, will share her storytelling coverlet.

Saturday, July 5: Frederick Douglass’ What To The Slave Is the Fourth of July, 2 pm. Location: Peterboro United Methodist Church, 5240 Pleasant Valley Road, Peterboro, NY 13134. Parts of the famous 1852 speech to be delivered by Owen Corpin.

ASO

Sunday, July 6: Water Music New York: More Voices – Schuylerville, Hudson Crossing Park, County Road 42, Schuylerville, NY, 1-10 pm. As part of the Erie Canal bicentennial commemoration, the Albany Symphony, the NYS Canal Corporation, and Hudson Crossing Park are presenting a festival day celebrating the rich, multifaceted history of Washington and Saratoga Counties, with an emphasis on the experiences of Black Americans, culminating in a free orchestra concert at 8 pm that will feature a thrilling world-premiere composition by DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain) inspired by the legacy and life of Solomon Northup.

Among the many PRE-CONCERT EVENTS & PERFORMANCES between 1 and 6 pm: at 4:00 PM – Songs of Freedom with the Underground Railroad Education Center at the Pavilion.

Author talk re: Douglass.

Tuesday, July 8: Author Talk – John J. (Jack) Hanrahan, PhD, discusses and reads from his history/travel book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: Frederick Douglass in Maryland., 2:00 pm–3:30 pm. Location: the 161 Washington Avenue branch of the Albany Public Library, Large Auditorium, sponsored by the Friends and Foundation of the Albany Public Library.

The book combines “a narrative on Douglass’s historical links to Maryland with detailed travel information guiding readers to over four dozen Douglass-related sites in Baltimore and on the Eastern Shore. At each recommended stop, the book details the great man’s connections to that place and provides a short selection relating to that location from his voluminous writing or his inspiring speeches.

“When asked why he added these ‘Douglass Speaks’ selections, author John Hanrahan noted, ‘It’s a moving experience just to visit the places that were part of Douglass’s life in Maryland, but that experience is amplified when one can read his words that connect with that place. The power of place and the power of Douglass’s words help us to know this great American better.'”

Big Ugly Bill: awful

changes to federal health care programs would kill more than 51,000 Americans annually

The Big Ugly Bill is awful. As of this writing, the vote-a-rama continues.

Statistica: “The ‘Big Beautiful Bill Act’ could add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next ten years, according to an assessment published by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office…

“The so-called reconciliation bill calls for a range of tax cuts amounting to $3.7 trillion, including a temporary pause of taxes on tips and overtime pay. At the same time, it would slash $1.2 trillion in spending across federal programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“The CBO estimates that as it stands, the act would leave some 10.9 million people without health insurance by 2034, including 1.4 million who are in the U.S. without permanent legal status in state-funded programs. This could rise to 16 million people due to expiring tax credits and new Affordable Care enrollment requirements.”

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver discusses “the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ what will happen if it’s passed, and what it has in common with Apple’s Terms and Conditions.”

Dear Kellyanne Conway: I Have a Job, But You Still Want to Take My Healthcare. “I was dismayed to learn of your recent comments stating that people who receive Medicaid and would lose it under the Republicans’ proposed health care plan can just ‘get a job’ that provides health insurance. Your words are misleading and inaccurate. You see, I and millions of others who would lose healthcare do have jobs. But Medicaid is the only option to get the help we need.”

The Relief Pitcher and Joni Hearse

[On June 3], “the Yale School of Public Health sent a letter to Senate Democratic leaders with a new analysis showing that the One Big Beautiful Bill’s changes to federal health care programs would kill more than 51,000 Americans annually. Nearly 15 million are liable to lose health coverage as a result of the bill, due to enrollment changes on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, Medicaid cuts that are the largest in U.S. history, and the end of support for the Medicare Savings Program, which grants access to subsidized prescriptions. Those cuts would cost about 29,500 people their lives, the Yale researchers estimate.

“Another 13,000 largely poor nursing home residents would die from the repeal of the Biden administration’s safe staffing rule, which would remove the minimum number of nurses on call in those facilities. And close to 9,000 would die from the government’s failure to extend enhanced premium support for the ACA that expires at the end of the year, making health coverage unaffordable for another five million Americans.

“It’s not easy to wring a compelling message out of legislation that will cause 51,000 deaths. You can lie that the cuts aren’t cuts, but that only gets you so far. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), for example, was clearly flummoxed when confronted at a town hall in Butler, Iowa… with the fact that people will die because of the bill. So she went philosophical.

“‘Well, we all are going to die,’ Ernst said, in one of the most misguided attempts to quiet constituent fears I’ve seen in my political lifetime.”

MAGA misinformation

KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views of the One Big Beautiful Bill (June 17) “As the Republican-backed bill proposes sweeping cuts to Medicaid spending as well as changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), overall favorability of both programs reach all-time highs…

“A majority of the public (68%), including nine in ten Republicans and MAGA supporters, as well as half of Democrats, support Medicaid work requirements as described in the House bill. Yet, most people are unaware that most Medicaid recipients are already working, and attitudes can change once people are provided with additional information. For example, support for Medicaid work requirements drops as low as 35% (a 33-point decrease in support) when proponents hear that most people on Medicaid are already working and that many would be at risk of losing coverage because of difficulty completing paperwork to prove their eligibility.
On the other hand, support increases as high as 79% (an 11-point increase) if opponents hear the argument that imposing these requirements could save money and help fund Medicaid for the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income children. This shows how persuasive an argument can be even if it is not factually true.

Clay Bennett cartoon

Dear Canada, I am genuinely sorry

Mark Carney

Dear Canada, I am genuinely sorry.

As you have noted, “Canada and the United States (U.S.) have built a thriving economic, military, and security partnership that has created vast opportunities and longstanding prosperity for both countries.”

Unfortunately, it became necessary for the Government of Canada to provide “resources and solutions to help Canadians manage the potential effects of the evolving Canada-United States relationship.”

I don’t need to tell you that 13 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, and one territory share the 5525-mile/8892 km border. Most Canadians – two out of three – live within 100 kilometers of the border.

I’ll admit that it was strange to hear the usually polite Canadian fans booing the Star-Spangled Banner at the sporting events. I realized, of course, that this wasn’t disdain for Americans writ large, but rather one particular cruel and vulgar bully.

51st state indeed! Your land mass exceeds that of the United States. I wonder if he even knows that? Initially, I thought it was just a way to belittle your previous prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

Credentials

By the way, I liked Mark Carney a great deal. I saw him on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart interviewed him a few months ago. At the time, he was being cagey about whether he was entering the race to replace Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal Party. He certainly had the bona fides as an economist and former Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. And he ended up leading not just his party but also becoming the PM.

So when TACO suggests the 51st state status to Prime Minister Carney, he politely declined. When 8647 said, “Never say never,” it was the “tell” of a predator. The Seditionist said that Canada could be under the US “golden dome” for $61 billion or, with the old 51st state canard, for free. Of course, the dome doesn’t exist, and will cost far more than suggested.

At least FOTUS has engendered Canadian political activism.

Just be Canada

I really like your travel advice to Canadians visiting the US. Americans know so little about our neighbor to the north that we ought to be required to watch Heritage minutes.

My buddy Kelly loves Toronto. My family visited the city in 2011. At one point, I said to my wife, “I could live here.” I’ve been to Montreal twice, back in 1991 and 1992. When I was in Detroit in 1998, my friend Sarah and I filled up with petrol in London, ON, which was cheaper.

But the place I’ve been most often, starting as a child, is on both sides of Niagara Falls. While I’ve always stayed at a hotel or camp on the American side, I always made it across the Peace Bridge, often on foot. It reminds me of the historic bond between our two countries.

So, to the degree you can, please ignore the Orange Man. The underlying bond that the two countries share will survive this.

I hope you accept the apology.