No matter how you celebrate, a season of joy is upon us. Our wish for you this holiday is for time—to spend in the company of loved ones, to enjoy precious moments of peace and happiness, and to count your blessings at the end of a long year. That is how we plan to spend our time over the next week. THE TOPLINE will return on Jan. 3, ready for the brand new year. From all of us at Renew America, happy holidays! —Miles Taylor

Ed. Note: Don't miss our Book Corner year-end list below!
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Another Covid Christmas

President Biden addressed the nation today about how the federal government is mobilizing for the latest battle in the ongoing war against the coronavirus pandemic. Compelled by the arrival of the fast-spreading Omicron variant, Biden detailed changes to his COVID-19 winter plan, including providing 500 million free rapid tests, increasing support for hospitals under strain, and redoubling vaccination and boosting efforts. Once again, he pleaded with Americans to do their "patriotic duty" and get vaccinated, noting that even his predecessor has gotten his booster shot. "It's the only responsible thing to do," the president said. "Omicron is serious and potentially deadly business for unvaccinated people." —Associated Press

MORE: Trump White House made 'deliberate efforts' to undermine Covid response, report says —NBC News

Murphy & Kosminsky: America's real divide

"Strengthening democracy can be as simple as changing how people talk to each other and what they choose to read and share on social media. It can entail direct political action through one of the many groups that have sprung up across the country to seek common ground and enact common sense political reforms. Above all, Americans need to work to elect leaders in 2022 and 2024–whether Democrats, Republicans, or independents—who are willing to do the hard work of listening, bridging partisan differences, and making needed reforms that give voice to those feeling left out and left behind. With democracy itself at risk, Americans need to choose sides—not between left and right—but between partisan politics as usual and a new American politics dedicated to creating a common democratic destiny." —Michael Murphy & Jay Kosminsky in The Hill

Michael Murphy is the director of FixUS and the chief of staff at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Jay Kosminsky is an advisor to FixUS and an adjunct faculty member at New York University, School of Professional Studies.

MORE: Steve Bannon threatens to take over entire U.S. 'election apparatus' —The Daily Beast

'We will find a way to move forward next year'

According to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Senate will vote on the Build Back Better Act, President Biden's top domestic priority…but not until January. Sen. Joe Manchin dealt the final blow to any hope of passing the bill—at least in its current House-passed form—when he announced his opposition to it on Sunday. With the Democrats holding a razor-thin Senate majority, one senator alone can sink legislation, even on a simple majority vote, if the opposition is unified against it, which Republicans are. While the bill will likely fail when brought to a vote, Schumer wants to put every senator's position on the record. The bill would invest in the social safety net and green-energy programs. The enhanced child tax credit, which the bill would renew, expires at the end of the year. It is unclear if Democrats will try to pass a smaller bill that includes only parts of the Build Back Better Act. Stay tuned. —CNBC

MORE: Senate Democrats to meet on Build Back Better, filibuster rule change —NBC News

Jain & Parello-Plesner: It's time for an alliance of democracies

"The reality is that competition between democratic and autocratic powers is now an established feature of the current global system. The key question is how democracies will choose to respond. To minimize the risks of polarization, leading democracies should embrace a two-tracked approach: engaging with Beijing and Moscow though the United Nations, G20, and other venues in areas where cooperation may be feasible, and, at the same time, working through an Alliance of Democracies to uphold shared values and interests." —Ash Jain & Jonas Parello-Plesner in The Hill

Ash Jain is the director for democratic order at the Atlantic Council. Jonas Parello-Plesner is the executive director of the Copenhagen-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation.

MORE: G7 condemns 'erosion' of democracy in Hong Kong election —Al Jazeera
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Sosnik: A political shock wave is coming

"Republicans can be expected to take over the House of Representatives after the midterm elections—most likely by a considerable margin. Trump already dominates the GOP at the state and local levels, and with the notable exceptions of Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), has a vice-like grip on Republican House members. Even if Trump does not run in 2024, his views and policies now represent mainstream Republican thinking." —Doug Sosnik in The Washington Post

Doug Sosnik was a senior adviser to former President Bill Clinton and is a counselor to the Brunswick Group.

MORE: Trump to address nation on anniversary of Jan. 6 calling riot an 'unarmed protest' —The Independent

Focus on the Jan 6 investigation

Rep. Scott Perry, the first lawmaker to be asked to answer questions about the insurrection, said today that he will not cooperate. Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, requested that Perry voluntarily cooperate with the panel by meeting with its members and handing over an array of records, including his communications with Donald Trump and his legal team. In a pair of tweets, Perry, one of dozens of Republicans who voted to challenge the Electoral College results following the riot, called the committee "illegitimate" and "not duly constituted" under the rules of the House. —CNBC

MORE: Trump sues N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James, seeking to end investigation —CBS News

Renkl: The light at the end of a dark year

"I take comfort from the prominent conservatives, too many to name, who repudiate what is happening in the Republican Party. I believe with all my heart that still others are poised to rise in the year to come, willing to sacrifice their careers for the sake of preserving American democracy." —Margaret Renkl in The New York Times

Margaret Renkl is an author and New York Times contributing opinion writer who covers politics and culture in the American South.
There isn't a book review this month, but fear not…Book Corner will be back in 2022 with more reads and reviews. As we head into the last few weeks of 2021, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for allowing me the space to share my love of books with each of you. Below I have recapped each book reviewed over the past year (with the exception of July and December). Please feel free to share this reading list with a fellow bibliophile who enjoys American history and pro-democracy reads.

Lastly, as always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with a book recommendation at [email protected]. 

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

With gratitude, Mary Anna

January: "The Lincoln Conspiracy" by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

Americans across the country breathed a sigh of relief on January 21, 2021, as they watched a peaceful and complete transfer of power take place when Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. "The Lincoln Conspiracy" is a page-turner and a tough book to put down until you are assured Lincoln is safely sworn into office and assumes his place as America's 16th President of the United States.

February: "Love Your Enemies" by Arthur C. Brooks 

If you've ever wanted to have a coffee with an economist and discuss how to fix the contempt that currently permeates our modern political discourse, "Love Your Enemies" by Arthur C. Brooks is for you! While Donald Trump is out of office, there continues to be a deep political divide among Americans, which has left many people worried about the future state of American politics. Brooks offers tangible insight and key steps anyone can take each day to help eradicate the contempt that currently exists in our society, specifically in our politics. As Brooks explains, the opposite of love isn't hate, it's contempt, and he makes the case for loving your enemies.

March: "On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder*

*March's read was a recommendation from Rebecca, a TOPLINE reader! 

"On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder is a look back on the history of fascism, and offers 20 lessons on how to survive and resist authoritarianism. Written shortly after Donald Trump took office, the book is small in stature and short in nature, but don't be fooled. The text is a gut-punch of history, and the lessons provided by Snyder show you tangible steps you can take to preserve your freedoms. As Snyder points out, "History does not repeat, but it does instruct," and "On Tyranny" is a great instruction on history while providing hope for the future. If you've ever been curious how European democracy yielded to fascism and Nazism as Adolf Hitler and other authoritarians rose to power—and what you can do to help protect American democracy from a similar fate—this book is for you!

April: "The Politics Industry" by Katherine Gehl and Michael Porter

If you've ever wondered why our political system is broken and if there is a way to fix it, then this month's Book Corner read is for you! "The Politics Industry" by Katherine Gehl and Michael Porter outlines America's electoral history, and why the government isn't operating in the interest of its citizens. Gehl and Porter point to how our elections work and how we make our laws as the culprits of why our political system seems broken. However, as the authors point out, the system isn't broken; in fact, it is working exactly how it was intended.

May: "The Centrist Manifesto" by Charles Wheelen

Currently, the Republican Party is at a crossroads, and many people are grappling with the best path forward. Some believe we can fix the party from within, while others make the case for a new party altogether. For those of you who are #TeamNewParty, I recommend "The Centrist Manifesto" by Charles Wheelen.

June: "Contract to Unite America: Ten Reforms to Reclaim Our Republic" by Neal Simon

"Contract to Unite America" by Neal Simon is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how we can fix our broken political system. If you're looking for your next policy read, which shares real-world solutions and suggestions for what you can do to help, look no further!

August: "I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year" by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker

"I Alone Can Fix It" is a compulsive read. The book shows how close our nation came to the end of a great experiment, and a must-read for anyone who lived through the last year of Trump's presidency and wants to learn the truth about how America survived it.

September: "Here, Right Matters: An American Story" by Lt. Col. (ret.) Alexander Vindman

What transpired in the time before the now-infamous call between then-president Donald Trump and newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and afterward is outlined in Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman's book. Vindman tells his family's story of immigrating to the United States from Ukraine and how he garnered national attention when he testified at Trump's first impeachment hearing. Vindman's memoir showcases the importance of standing on principles and not being afraid to speak the truth even if your voice shakes.

October: "GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party" by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan

The Republican Party remains in the clutches of Trumpism, and while some conservatives have left the party, others have doubled down on bringing the GOP back to its conservative roots. Spearheading that fight is the lieutenant governor of Georgia, Geoff Duncan. In Duncan's latest book, "GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party," he shares his story on opting for principle and truth over lies and conspiracy in the wake of Donald Trump's loss.

November: "The Last of the President's Men" by Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward's book "The Last of the President's Men" is the untold story of former President Richard Nixon's aide Alexander Butterfield, who shared his knowledge of the secret White House taping system. Butterfield's disclosure was the death knell blow to Nixon's presidency and directly led to his resignation. For Butterfield, his loyalty and service to our country was more important than his commitment to President Nixon. As I read this book, I couldn't help but wonder if the Jan. 6 select committee would stumble upon their own Alexander Butterfield. 
 

It looks like several legislators in both the House and Senate knew about the planned coup on Jan. 6 and believed it would succeed (remember Josh Hawley's fist pump). These legislators only spoke against the coup after it was exposed and clear that events were not going to unfold as Donald Trump had told them they would. For a few days, these legislators paused their cheerleading and distanced themselves from Trump, but as soon as it became clear that the base was not fazed by even a coup, the legislators returned to worshiping their idol, likely because they feared exposure. 

Well, now we have the exposure. The Mark Meadows materials show that the Jan. 6 coup was well planned and that Trump let the violence continue and escalate for several hours. Why? Was he hoping the violence would escalate to chaos? Imagine what would have happened if the insurrectionists had retrieved their stash of guns from the Virginia hotel and then captured or assassinated a key figure like Mike Pence. Trump the draft-dodger would then have had an excuse to declare martial law, and the military would have had to go along. We know that Trump remained glued to his TV and only issued a lukewarm stand-down order to the insurrectionists after it was clear to him that his plans had been thwarted. Our republic was (and is) hanging by a thread. —Tim P., New Mexico
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