Friendly Fire: The Chauvin verdict and Biden’s retreat on refugees

Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the week’s events with Tom Moran, editorial page editor of The Star-Ledger.

Q. After the conviction of Derek Chauvin I spoke with several Black leaders in New Jersey who were relieved, but also anxious that the movement for racial justice might stop with police reform and needs to go much farther. What will the verdict do to the politics around race in America?

Julie: I share their anxiety. From housing to education to ballot access to criminal justice, we have a long way to go in treating everyone in this country equally, regardless of race. The verdict is a small victory but it’s just one step in a long and necessary process.

Mike: Growing up, I was naïve to race issues. That’s not easy to admit. Sure, I knew the basics about slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement. But then then we passed civil rights laws in the 1960′s and then everyone was equal, right? Wrong. It wasn’t until adulthood that I was able to focus less on my own personal experiences and reflect upon the struggles and realities of others who don’t look like me or share my background. We are still very much in the middle of the struggle to reach the ideals our founders laid out. I guess all I know now is how much I don’t know. Maybe all I really know is we’re better than we once were yet still have a long way to go.

Q. President Biden came out swinging on Earth Day, vowing to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from 2005 levels within the decade. “Our nation is resolved to act now,” he said. Is that true? Will this really happen?

Julie: The United States has historically been the greatest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the world. But until the #MAGA crowd in Congress starts listening to scientists instead of to Sean Hannity, we will continue to be a laughingstock on this issue. Biden won’t be president in 2050 or even in 2030. Who is to say that the next Republican who comes along doesn’t scrap Biden’s plans, the same way Trump scrapped previous plans to reduce emissions?

Mike: Julie, China emits twice the carbon as the US now. Biden has given a nice goal which rhetorically placates the green new deal movement, but we will only reach these clean energy goals with a realistic and collaborative approach that includes natural gas, nuclear and renewables.

Q. President Biden alienated liberals for the first time last week by sticking with President Trump’s tight cap of 15,000 asylum admissions per year, breaking a promise amid chaos at the Mexican border. He then half-retreated, saying he’ll offer a new number in May. Is immigration going to be his Achilles’ heel?

Julie: It’s a disgrace and there is no excuse for Biden’s retreat on this issue. Zero. None. People are literally fleeing for their lives – often the very same people who helped us achieve our foreign policy objectives abroad and now find themselves in danger as a result.

Mike: There are solutions on immigration, but they will offend and be controversial and require compromise from both sides. And there are factors well outside of our control, such as living standards in other countries. As long as people are fleeing hunger, poverty and political persecution, the US will be a magnet, thank God. When people stop wanting to come to America, that’s when we have the real problem.

Q. In New Jersey, police unions won support for a bill that would allow officers to retire as early as age 41, on half salary. Am I turning into a grouchy old man, or is that just outrageous? (Or both?)

Julie: You are a grouchy old man who will be happily tethered to your Ledger laptop until they take you out of their feet first.

Mike: We have bipartisan agreement on your grouchiness, but in this case, you may have a case. Half-salary retirements after 20 years for people who will live another 40-50 years simply may be unsustainable for taxpayers. That said, given the last year, compensation packages must become more generous if we are to recruit and retain the good, brave men and women we need in the police force.

Q. Axios reported that former Gov. Chris Christie is “seriously” considering running for president in 2024, according to unnamed “friends.” Why are his friends floating this balloon now? And Mike, was it you?

Julie: I don’t blame his friends – ahem, Mike – for floating this balloon now. The presidential election kicks off in 18 months, right after the midterm elections. There isn’t much time for any serious contender to waste in locking up support, donors and prospective staff.

Mike: How dare you both insinuate I speak to reporters on background. Seriously, Gov. Christie should certainly keep his options open. Christie has a network of national donors and supporters in places like New Hampshire, and he has the intelligence and charisma to win debates and communicate effectively on television each week. And oh yeah, he would actually be really good at the job.

Q. Finally, the virus. New Jersey is likely to cross the threshold of 1 million cases in the coming week, but all the trends are good, and I can report that Montclair was packed last weekend, and I hosted a poker game for the first time in a year. Are the vaccines finally winning this thing? What are you seeing and hearing?

Julie: I wish I were as optimistic as you, but all reports show that half the American population is reluctant to get vaccinated, even though new COVID strains have the potential to kill many more people. We run the very real risk of having some parts of this country achieve herd immunity, while having other parts severely under-vaccinated. But unless you ban flights from New Jersey to Georgia, all of us are at risk until the nation as a whole has much higher vaccination numbers.

Mike: I was feeling better until I read Julie’s answer. The vaccines are working. Look at Israel where a majority has been vaccinated. Life is back to normal. Closer to home, we still don’t have enough schools open, and restrictions should loosen more, but hopefully that’s coming from Gov. Murphy as the trends remain good.

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