Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of August 29

Mary Peltola: First Alaskan Native elected to Congress as Sarah Palin loses In Ranked-Choice election
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62747378

I only wish this article had more discussion of the ranked-choice election process. It was the first time this has been used in Alaska.

Back to school in DeSantis’s Florida, as teachers look over their shoulders (New York Times)

Normally I’d just pull an overview quote, but I want to highlight a particular part this time. As a queer teacher myself, my heart broke when I read this:

Rebecca McDermott, who teaches gifted classes for elementary students in Duval County, said she has heard students use the term “gay” to insult one another. In the past, she said she typically intervened and asked students to reflect on what the term meant.

“A lot of times they didn’t know,” said Ms. McDermott, who is gay and raising two children with her wife. “It’s just something they’ve heard.”

Now, she wonders if it is best to steer clear. She has mentally practiced what she might say this year: “We’re not here to talk about that. We are here to learn. Let’s move on.”

Every queer person knows this feeling: when we face discrimination and we have to quietly bite our own tongues and swallow assaults on our own dignity because it’s safer than speaking up.

Furthermore, she’s consciously choosing to not safeguard her students. As a teacher, I can guarantee you that is eating her up inside.

I don’t begrudge her for that response, by the way. Not in the slightest. This situation is not her fault, and her caution is almost assuredly warranted. I don’t know the particulars of Florida, but it’s not uncommon in the US for teachers who lose their jobs to also lose their licensure and pensions.

She’s biting her tongue not because she doesn’t care: she’s biting it because she wants to hold onto her livelihood and everything she’s worked for.

She shouldn’t have to be in this situation. Not at all.

Ginni Thomas urged Wisconsin lawmakers to overturn 2020 election, emails show (CBS News)

Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist and wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, sent emails to at least two Wisconsin Republican legislators just days after the 2020 election urging them to overturn President Biden's victory and nominate an alternative slate of electors who would back Donald Trump.

(emphasis mine)

Another Republican rapist convicted:

Former Idaho state lawmaker convicted of raping legislative intern sentenced to 20 years in prison

The above and the linked article within get into some disturbing details, so consider yourself fairly warned before you click.

Senator Ted Cruz has emerged as one of the biggest critics of President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan and now he and other Texas Republicans are reportedly exploring legal options to block the policy before it takes effect, alleging the move to cancel student debt is actually against the law.