Summary
Jonathan Capehart and Gary Abernathy, two Washington Post columnists, join Judy Woodruff to discuss Nov. 3rd’s surprising election results including the role "wokeness" may have had on voters and the infrastructure and Build Back Better bills. Shortly after this interview was recorded, Congress passed the 1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill. As a result, the two bills are no longer tied to each other, which would have given progressive (left-leaning, liberal) lawmakers greater advantage to pass the Build Back Better bill over their more conservative colleagues. The Build Back Better bill is intended to boost the economy and strengthen social programs that support those in need. Key terms: infrastructure — the basic physical structures of a society needed to function, including buildings, roads, bridges, power woke/wokeness — being sensitive and aware, especially of social problems, including racism and inequalityFive Facts
- Who do you think is the conservative voice on the panel? The more liberal voice?
- What evidence does Abernathy give for why he thinks Democrats believe the administration has gone too far left with their agenda?
- Why are Democrats disappointed in Congress's performance, according to Capehart?
- How are the Build Back Better plan and the infrastructure bills different?
- When did the 2021 off-year elections take place and where were the two races for governor held?
Focus Questions
Do you lean more towards Abernathy who said Americans voted more conservatively to show their disapproval with Biden's agenda or with Capehart who argues that many Americans don't think the bills went far enough and are fed up with the job Congressional Democrats are doing? Do you think wokeness is affecting how people vote? Does it affect you? Explain. Media literacy: What is a newspaper columnist? How is a columnist different from a news reporter or journalist? (See Britannica's definition .)For More
To learn more about the 2021 election, use this Classroom Daily News Lesson. Explore the importance of down-ballot voting using this lesson plan here.To receive the Daily News Lesson in your inbox each morning, sign up here .
