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Anna Gifty's avatar

Thank to EVERY single person weighing in! I will share candidly that Governor Cook is my mentor, dear friend, past educator, and one of my role models. I appreciate you all taking the time to read and engage with this piece and I genuinely hope you check out my upcoming book:

THE DOUBLE TAX, which features her story, everywhere books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/734115/the-double-tax-by-anna-gifty-opoku-agyeman/

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Diane Bisson's avatar

I find it rich that Trump is attacking Governor Cook while individuals in his cabinet as well as other prominent GOP politicians are guilty of the very act of which she is being accused of. The cost to her in fighting this battle- financial, emotional, her reputation- all are done in order to deflect the attention of the public from his many disasters as well as…wait for it…the Epstein files. This attack on her is such an example of racism and an assault on her integrity, intelligence, and character. The Republicans in Congress need to discover their backbone and shut him down!

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Chris Fox's avatar

An excellent article. Thank you.

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Cape Ian's avatar

Terrific piece, thank you. One key point that has been underreported: Cook is known to be a "dove" on interest rates (meaning generally favoring low rates), and is arguably the most strongly inclined of all current Fed governors to support rate cuts if they make sense in the context of the overall picture. While her reasons are not Trump's reasons (she favors low rates because they help employment, especially for people of color), the fact that her preferences with respect to rates are already aligned with Trump's gives the lie to any claim that she is standing in the way of what he wants.

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Anna Gifty's avatar

I was planning to include this but literally forgot until you just brought it up! She is actually someone who low key agrees with 45 but alas, this #TheDoubleTax.

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Cape Ian's avatar

Indeed!

The President's behavior is also a hallmark of the authoritarian: it's not enough to do something he likes, you have to do it because he made you do it. The loss of agency is the point.

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janinsanfran's avatar

Thanks for this. It should be obvious that Trump and MAGA are singularly hostile to Black women -- and that the rest of us should pay attention to Black women because, under that authoritarian suspicion, Black women consistently suss out threats to everyone.

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babaganusz's avatar

Add one more item to the nauseatingly massive list of things that should [have] be[en] obvious to millions years ago ...

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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

The firings of high-ranking military officials -- disproportionately female and/or Black -- tend to confirm your headline. IOW, this is a feature of the Trump administration, not a coincidence.

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babaganusz's avatar

And sure as shit neither a "distraction" nor a "deflection".

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Patricia Jaeger's avatar

I'm a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. On our campus, the economics faculty were in the business school. Years ago, one of our economists retired and we had to hire a new economics faculty member. All economics faculty had been male for a very long time. I met with the search chair who showed me the vitas of the three candidates they selected and I asked him why there was no woman in the group. He looked at me as if I had two heads and then started to stammer and mumble. I suggested that the committee take another look among the candidates because they probably missed a very qualified woman. They included a woman among the candidates and she ended up being offered the job and joined our school. One small step.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Trump’s disparagement of black women - “nasty!” - is baked in … along with denigration of all women. He will threaten, perhaps even litigate; if the latter, the lower courts will toss; I fear SCOTUS will then ride in … with its equal disdain for women and African Americans.

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babaganusz's avatar

My guess is if it ever gets to the merits, the 4 women will dissent from Mrs. Clarence Crow's majority opinion that doesn't mention race at all.

(And the 5-to-4 podcast will have a field day)

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Not sure about Justice Barrett … but I think she still retains - or wants to retain - integrity.

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babaganusz's avatar

Ditto. My hypothetical is only because she hasn't been in lockstep with either Alito or Thomas.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Now that SCOTUS handed down - without explanation - permission for ICE to stop anyone with a Spanish name or accent (Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo) - with Barrett’s in the majority - I rescind any hope for her “amenability”.

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babaganusz's avatar

The consistently not even trying to explain themselves is the crowning turd in the punchbowl. It's like their only audience is people who hate to read, like Public Senile Felon #1 even before he was senile or (officially) a felon.

(Not that I ever fail to regret reading anything Alito/Thomas has ever written. But Kavanaugh, the Chief Tryhard, almost never even tries anymore.)

It's almost as though the fig leaves are no longer deemed necessary and the powermongering has begun in earnest.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Me sad riffraff … me no understand yous big words … but me trust you, High Lord John Roberts … you tell what best for us pitiful peoples.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Well, of all the conservative justices, she seems more amenable … but too intent on procedure rules than rule of law for my taste.

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kdsherpa's avatar

I find it disgusting to watch the orange pedophilic sadist's attack on "nasty" Black women in positions of power. Starting with Rep. Maxine Waters of CA; to Rep. Frederica Wilson of FL; VP Kamala Harris; Judge Tanya Chutkin; AG of NY Letitia James; Peggy Carr, chief statistician at the Department of Education; Mayor of Washington, DC, Murial Bowser, and now Lisa Cook, a Governor on the board of the Federal Reserve. Is THIS isn't racism (and sexism), you tell me what is.

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Sally Richman's avatar

And Atlanta Fulton County DA Fani Willis

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kdsherpa's avatar

Yes, Fani Willis. As I started compiling this list, more and more women came to mind. If you think of some more people, please let me know.

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Linda Weide's avatar

I am hoping that she wins.

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Michael Wild's avatar

I'm still waiting for confirmation that Governor Crook really did commit mortgage fraud. It ought to be easy enough to establish but I wouldn't put anything beyond Trump and his enablers.

That said it's a bit rich coming from a proven fraudster like Trump.

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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

IIRC the charge of "mortgage fraud" seems to hinge on Governor Cook's claiming of two primary residences, something that is not unique to elected and appointed officials who serve in D.C.

P.S. Was your referring to her as "Governor Crook" a typo or a Freudian slip?

(Speaking of typos, I just corrected mine: It's Governor Cook, not Look.)

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Michael Wild's avatar

Thanks Susannah. Actually I misread her name (I'm an Australian who's new to her name) and I thought at the time that was a strange and unfortunate name for someone in high economic office!

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babaganusz's avatar

I appreciate this specific alarm and its significance to the bigger picture, and the article's points aren't contingent upon the following particular phrase, but how does "[If removed from her post,] our economy [stands to be] influenced by the whims of a man’s ego rather than reliable economic expertise" not succinctly describe what is ALREADY THE CASE?

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