Morning Reads for National Dogs in Politics Day (September 23)

Good morning! Did you know there was actually a day to honor all of the dogs who have served as First Dog of the United States? It’s true, and it’s today! So, I’d like to thank Grits and Lewis Brown Carter; Lucky, Rex, Victory, Peggy, Taca, and Fuzzy Reagan; Millie and Ranger Bush; Buddy Clinton; Spotty, Barney, and Miss Beazley Bush; and Bo and Sunny Obama for making politics a little less serious and a lot more fun during my lifetime. Especially Barney. I loved Barney Cams!

Actually, what prompted National Dogs in Politics Day is that it’s the anniversary of Richard Nixon’s “Checkers Speech.” (Poor Checkers.)

With that fun fact revealed, let’s get on with the news:

Pat Conroy

• Here’s a bit more on President Trump’s visit on Friday. He’s coming to Middle Georgia.
• GEMA wants the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to pay $33,000 for three open records requests related to its COVID response. I’m not sure how that amount can be justified under the “reasonable amount” as laid out by state law, which cannot exceed the prorated hourly rate of the lowest paid qualified employee at the agency. (Alternate link.)
• The Republican National Committee has added Georgia to the list of 20 states it’s suing over the November election. The Georgia Republican Party has also joined the suit to stop ballots received after Election Day from being counted. (Alternate link.)
• Speaking of the election, the deadline to register is October 5. Check and make sure your record is up to date and active!
• Georgia taxpayers may be on the hook for $76 million in “improper payments” from Medicare.
• UGA’s Lambda Chi Alpha made national news after the members’ racist group chat was exposed, and as a result, the fraternity has suspended operations for a year. (Alternate link.)

Alice Walker

• Yesterday, the U.S. surpassed 200,000 deaths due to COVID-19.
• The body of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg will lie in repose today at the Supreme Court.
• President Trump has extended his ban on racial sensitivity training to include federal contractors.
• Johnson & Johnson has entered Stage 3 of trials with its single-shot COVID vaccine. (Alternate link.)
• Meghan Markle will be the first member of the British Royal Family to publicly exercise their right to vote this November when she does so in the U.S. general election.

Flannery O’Connor

• A new “mini-moon” is set to join Earth’s orbit this week, and wildly, it could be a booster rocket from the 1960s.