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Trump’s plan for Social Security risks undermining its future

A fictional, fanciful sign depicts the results of voter suppression through the unfair, partisan manipulation of district lines (gerrymandering).

The worst congressional gerrymanders of the 2020s

Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs on stage

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Photo from the movie "Conclave"

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Georgia committee gives counties options for 'souls to the polls'

Georgia voting
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The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumFeb 25, 2021
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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A Georgia House committee removed one contentious item from an elections overhaul package on Wednesday while leaving most of the bill intact.

The Special Committee on Election Integrity amended the legislation by reworking a provision that would have banned early voting on the Sunday before Election Day, when Black people often leave church and go vote together — an event known as "souls to the polls." Instead, counties will have the option to offer early voting on a Saturday or Sunday.

More than 70,000 voters were cast on Sunday, Nov. 1 last year, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Joe Biden carried Georgia by 12,000 votes.

Even with that Sunday ban excised, voting rights advocates remain opposed to the bill, which they say is a vehicle for voter suppression. It would require photo ID to be provided when requesting a vote-by-mail application, cut off those submissions 11 days before each election and prohibit the use of drop boxes excerpt inside early-voting locations.

The committee approved the bill on a party-line vote, sending it to the full House for consideration.

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Thwarting conflict profiteers to save the republic

Over several decades, fringe ideas have grown in popularity to reach the crescendo of noise we have today. Truth and facts are routinely dismissed by half the country (progressive and conservative!) and societal trust is very low. We may be witnessing the decline of the American Empire, or on a more optimistic note it could be the clearing we need for the United States to live into the promise of the founders — a multiracial, pluralistic democratic republic.

At the heart of the matter there lies a disjointed group of savvy marketing people who have created a highly profitable business by dividing society against itself. This “business of breaking” was perfectly timed to take advantage of many societal-changing innovations like the internet, email, social media and most recently artificial intelligence. Ironically It is the democratization of information where discerning truth from lies became more difficult.

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Will DOGE promote efficiency for its own sake?

This is the first entry in a series on the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory board created by President-elect Donald Trump to recommend cuts in government spending and regulations. DOGE, which is spearheaded by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has generated quite a bit of discussion in recent weeks.

The goal of making government efficient is certainly an enviable one indeed. However, the potential for personal biases or political agendas to interfere with the process must be monitored.

As DOGE suggests cuts to wasteful spending and ways to streamline government operations, potentially saving billions of dollars, The Fulcrum will focus on the pros and cons.

We will not shy away from DOGE’s most controversial proposals and will call attention to dangerous thinking that threatens our democracy when we see it. However, in doing so, we are committing to not employing accusations, innuendos or misinformation. We will advocate for intellectual honesty to inform and persuade effectively.

The new Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory board to be headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is designed to cut resources and avoid waste — indeed to save money. Few can argue this isn't a laudable goal as most Americans have experienced the inefficiencies and waste of various government agencies.

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Invest Appalachia supports community economic development projects and businesses across the Appalachian counties of six states.

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In Part 2 of this three-part series focused on why and how the community development finance field needs to reframe the role of capital technicians and the market, rebalance power relationships, and prioritize community voice. Today we continue that discussion.

Invest Appalachia

Invest Appalachia (IA) is another strong example of how to rebalance power between financial expertise and community voice. On the surface, IA can be described in traditional finance terms—a community investment fund similar to a CDFI that has raised $35.5 million in impact investments and nearly $3 million in grants for flexible and risk-absorbing capital. IA officially opened its doors at the end of 2022. In its first year of operation, it deployed $6.3 million in blended capital (flexible loans alongside recoverable grants) to support community economic development projects and businesses across the Appalachian counties of six states: Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. Another $6.5 million was deployed in the first eight months of 2024.

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