In one America, people are congregating safely, planning for future pandemic risks, and striving for herd immunity. In the other America, none of those things is happening, in the name of owning the libs/freedom.
 

• The former America, role modeled most admirably in New England, faces very low risk from COVID-19, because enough people have been vaccinated (or have immunity from prior infection) to stop community spread. The state of South Dakota enjoys similarly little virus, thanks to its 2020 “give hundreds of thousands of people COVID” plan implemented by Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD).
   
• In this America, the news that Pfizer has sought FDA authorization for mRNA booster shots counts as an important development. There is widespread awareness of the risks of the Delta variant, which spreads more easily than earlier coronavirus strains, and is more likely to cause breakthrough infections. To date, the CDC and FDA contend that fully vaccinated Americans do not need boosters to protect against Delta or any other variant. If and when the federal government changes that guidance, uptake in this America will be very high. 
   
• That’s because in this America, things like ‘reopening schools without causing huge coronavirus outbreaks’ are high priorities. On Friday, CDC released new guidance urging schools to reopen in the fall (with the understanding that vaccines are widely available for all Americans over the age of 12) and to tailor mitigation measures (masking, distancing, outdoor instruction) based on local measures of coronavirus prevalence and spread.

The other America wants to relive the glory days of the 2020 surges that brought the country to its knees.
 

• Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are up in many states, but particularly in the south, driving a minor uptick in both nationwide. And there’s no mystery as to why. Vaccine resistance is higher in states with faster case growth, and Delta is exploiting the lower levels of population immunity to spread like wildfire. New research confirms that Delta does a better job evading immune response from prior infections, and from vaccination, though fully vaccinated individuals remain well protected. 
   
• ‘Why oh why are citizens of the other America so reluctant to get vaccinated?’ asks Mitch McConnell wearing his finest, freshly pressed hot dog costume? Perhaps it has something to do with fellow Republicans like Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) rejecting President Biden’s last-mile vaccination drive, or Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) threatening to kill door-to-door vaccine providers, or official GOP media running wall-to-wall vaccine disinformation? Nah, couldn’t be that!

The vaccines work miraculously well, and it’s great to know that if boosters become necessary, they will be available to those who want them. In their descent into nihilism, the vaccinated leaders of the Republican Party have made it their mission to keep that demand as low as possible. It’s reprehensible, and we can’t forget it come election time.

This week’s ALL CAPS is not one to miss. Following Game 2 of the NBA Finals, host Jason Concepcion checks in to clarify who’s controlling the series, and NBA rep Megan Gailey joins the show to explain why the league is unconcerned with a championship matchup between two small-market teams. Never miss an episode of ALL CAPS NBA—subscribe to the Takeline Youtube channel.

Republican state legislators have latched onto Maricopa County’s ballot-seizure circus as a template for rewriting how elections are run, a more insidious and potentially much more serious crisis than the GOP wave of voter-suppression laws. The audit scam, comically messy as it is, has laid the groundwork for Republicans to sow further doubt about election integrity with an eye towards overturning future elections. Republican delegations from at least 13 other states have gone to watch Cyber Ninjas at work, and many hope to replicate their antics. Lawmakers have introduced more than 200 bills modifying election rules this year, and 24 have already been enacted into law. Those modifications include shifts of power from Democratic governors and secretaries of state to GOP-controlled legislatures, and Republicans running for secretary of state in key states have made imaginary fraud central to their campaigns. In other words, Trumpism’s threat to democracy has only gotten more serious since the election, and it just might be time to start treating it like an emergency.

• President Biden warned Vladimir Putin on Friday that Russia needs to disrupt the ransomware groups operating there, or the U.S. will take “any necessary action” to defend American infrastructure.
   
• Then-Vice President Mike Pence reportedly “lost it” after then-President Trump threw a crumpled-up newspaper article at him in 2018, according to reporter Michael Bender’s new book. You can send a violent mob to murder him, but a disrespectful paper toss is where he draws the line.
   
• In a letter laying out his priorities for the upcoming work period, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer seemed to issue a very statesmanlike “Stephen Breyer, retire bitch”: “As always, Senate Democrats stand ready to expeditiously fill any potential vacancies on the Supreme Court should they arise.”
   
• A federal judge has temporarily blocked Tennessee’s anti-trans bathroom law, which would require businesses to post warning signs if they don’t police their bathroom users.
   
• A former GOP staffer and RNC aide has pleaded guilty to a child-pornography charge and faces at least 12 years in prison.
   
• The FDA’s acting commissioner has called for an independent investigation of her agency’s dealings with Biogen representatives prior to its controversial approval of the company’s Alzheimer’s drug. 
   
• A group of heroic young progressives has spent the last year taxing people who are too horny for Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) online to raise money for Democratic candidates. Ossoff said he was not aware of the Ossimp Patrol, and thanked the Daily Beast for bringing it to his attention. 
   
• We hope you’ll continue reading What A Day for the latest Crooked/Data for Progress polling, but if you miss a newsletter, there are always White House press releases. 

Democrats have begun mobilizing early to reach Latino voters ahead of the midterms, after “waiting until the last minute” proved to be a disappointing strategy in the 2020 election. President Biden won Latino voters nationally by a 59-38 percent margin over Donald Trump, according to Pew data, but that marked a 17-point drop from Hillary Clinton’s 66-28 percent margin in 2016. This time around, the DCCC is investing more than $1 million on 48 organizing directors around the country to boost outreach in minority communities in key battleground districts, including in Florida and Texas. Democrats are hoping to take those efforts beyond voter registration, and engage voters in the kind of long-term, ongoing conversation that Stacey Abrams has modeled in Georgia.

Here at What A Day, we’ve found ourselves with an unofficial team sneaker: the OCA Low from CARIUMA. A classic canvas sneaker is a summer staple, the closed-toe solution to heat waves and last-minute invites of an unknown dress code. Cool sneakers are a must-have, it’s true—but a lot of what’s out there isn’t worth the wear. 

You and the planet deserve something better. 

That’s where CARIUMA comes in. Their signature styles are good-looking and crazy-comfortable, consciously made in ethical factories using low-impact, Earth-friendly materials. 

CARIUMA’s best selling sneaker is the OCA Low Canvas, a classic low-top made with organic cotton canvas and a natural rubber outsole. We love this shoe, and, apparently, so do the other 26,000 people on its most recent waitlist. Every pair comes with CARIUMA’s featherweight insoles, made with cork, organic mamona oil and memory foam for day-to-night comfort.

CARIUMA recently took low-impact sneakers a step further with their new, 100% vegan IBI Slip-On. It’s an easy, on-the-go update for their IBI sneaker, knit with sustainably harvested bamboo and recycled plastic for a barely-there sock fit. They’re even machine-washable—good news for a slip-on you won’t want to slip off.

While we’re talking about Mother Nature, let your summer style take a cue from her: everything looks better in color. CARIUMA’s styles come in some of this season’s most popular colors, like Sun Yellow, Rose, Mineral Blue, and Off-White. Both OCA and IBI are everything you want in a summer sneaker: colorful, classic, and comfortable right out of the box. 

Find your perfect pair! What A Day readers receive an exclusive 15% off your pair of CARIUMA sneakers for a limited time.

Zaila Avant-garde, 14, has become the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She also happens to hold three Guinness world records, and can do terrifying math in her head.

The Education Department has canceled $55.6 million in student loan debt for borrowers who were defrauded by for-profit institutions. 

President Biden has signed an executive order aimed at boosting competition across the economy, and thus giving workers more leverage to earn higher wages and switch to better jobs.

Fair Fight has now raised more than $103 million since it was founded two years ago.