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Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov has announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Sydney. The 22-year-old is one of the first overseas players to arrive in Australia and is part of Canada's team for the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1-9, ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne starting on January 17. Former world No.10 Shapovalov played last week at the World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he beat 20-times major winner Rafa Nadal in the third-place playoff match. Nadal, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur all tested positive for the virus after playing the tournament. Shapovalov said he is experiencing minor symptoms. "Hi everyone, just wanted to update you that upon my arrival in Sydney, I tested positive for COVID," Shapovalov tweeted. "I am following all protocols including isolation and letting the people who I've been in contact with know. "Right now I am experiencing minor symptoms and look forward to getting back on the court when it safe to do so." All players have to return negative tests 72 hours before flying to Australia. They also have to undergo testing upon landing in Australia and, while waiting for the test results, have to remain in isolation. Meanwhile, Serbian daily Blic is reporting that world No.1 Novak Djokovic will not travel to Sydney for ATP Cup. Djokovic was named in Serbia's team for the ATP Cup, although the 34-year-old has yet to commit to the Australian Open following the COVID-19 vaccination mandate agreed by Tennis Australia and the Victorian Department of Health. Djokovic has declined to disclose whether he is vaccinated, citing privacy concerns. Serbia have been drawn in Group A - along with Norway, Chile and Spain. Canada are in Group C with Germany, Britain and the United States. - with Reuters Australian Associated Press

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December 26 2021 - 8:18AM

Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov has announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Sydney.

The 22-year-old is one of the first overseas players to arrive in Australia and is part of Canada's team for the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1-9, ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne starting on January 17.

Former world No.10 Shapovalov played last week at the World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he beat 20-times major winner Rafa Nadal in the third-place playoff match.

Nadal, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur all tested positive for the virus after playing the tournament.

Shapovalov said he is experiencing minor symptoms.

"Hi everyone, just wanted to update you that upon my arrival in Sydney, I tested positive for COVID," Shapovalov tweeted.

"I am following all protocols including isolation and letting the people who I've been in contact with know.

"Right now I am experiencing minor symptoms and look forward to getting back on the court when it safe to do so."

All players have to return negative tests 72 hours before flying to Australia.

They also have to undergo testing upon landing in Australia and, while waiting for the test results, have to remain in isolation.

Meanwhile, Serbian daily Blic is reporting that world No.1 Novak Djokovic will not travel to Sydney for ATP Cup.

Djokovic was named in Serbia's team for the ATP Cup, although the 34-year-old has yet to commit to the Australian Open following the COVID-19 vaccination mandate agreed by Tennis Australia and the Victorian Department of Health.

Djokovic has declined to disclose whether he is vaccinated, citing privacy concerns.

Serbia have been drawn in Group A - along with Norway, Chile and Spain.

Canada are in Group C with Germany, Britain and the United States.

Australian Associated Press

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Tennis star COVID positive in Sydney - Daily Liberal

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The country has never been more divided politically, and whether theyre strongly in favor of President Bidens policies or adamantly opposed to them and cheering on Brandon, people have been inspired to go to law school as a means to somehow change our countrys future.

As our readers know, the latest Princeton Review law school rankings are out, and today, well be focusing on what are perhaps the most important rankings of them all: the law schools with the most conservative students and the law schools with the most liberal students. During these times of political division and strife, why not attend a law school where theres a high likelihood that your classmates will share your political ideology?

Which law schools do you think came out on top of these lists?

First, well begin with the methodology Princeton Review used to determine which law schools had the most conservative and liberal students. A single question was asked of respondents to determine the political bent of each schools student body: If there is a prevailing political bent among students at your school, how would you characterize it? Answer choices were: Very Liberal, Liberal, Middle of the Road, Somewhat Conservative, Very Conservative.

Per Princeton Review, these are the law schools where you can likely go to Federalist Society functions without getting the side-eye, otherwise known as the law schools with the most conservative students:

1. Ave Maria School of Law School of Law2. Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School3. Regent University School of Law4. George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School5. Faulkner University Thomas Goode Jones School of Law6. Texas Tech School of Law7. University of Alabama School of Law8. Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center9. Mississippi College School of Law10. University of Idaho School of Law

Note that the majority of these law schools are in Southern states. Pwn the libs and discuss ways to keep CRT out of our public school systems here.

According to Princeton Review, these are the law schools where youll learn what critical race theory actually is, and band together to stop the assault on the right to choose and the right to vote the places that are also known as the law schools with the most liberal students:

1. Northeastern University School of Law2. City University of New York School of Law3. New York University School of Law4. American University Washington College of Law5. University of California Berkeley School of Law6. University of Colorado School of Law7. University of Oregon School of Law8. University of California Irvine School of Law9. George Washington University Law School10. Washington University School of Law (St. Louis)

Note that the majority of these law schools are on either the East or West coasts, and two of them are T14 institutions. These damned coastal elites.

Did your law school make the cut? If it did, do you think it was ranked fairly? If it didnt make the list for best career prospects, do you agree with that assessment? Please email us or text us (646-820-8477) with your thoughts.

Best Law Schools 2022[Princeton Review]Most Conservative Students 2022[Princeton Review]Most Liberal Students 2022[Princeton Review]

Staci Zaretskyis a senior editor at Above the Law, where shes worked since 2011. Shed love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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The Law Schools With The Most Conservative And Liberal Students (2022) - Above the Law

Liberal media are reacting to Sen. Joe Manchin's, D-W.Va., announcement that he's a conclusive "no" on President Biden's Build Back Better plan.

"Ive always said this, Bret: if I cant go home and explain to the people of West Virginia I cant vote for it," Manchin told "Fox News Sunday"guest host Bret Baier Sunday. "And I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just cant. Ive tried everything humanly possible. I cant get there."

"Youre done? This is a no?" Baier replied.

"This is a no on this piece of legislation," Manchin said. "I have tried everything I know to do."

The senator said that the rise in inflation, the national debt and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic helped him come to his decision on the massive social spending bill.

Sen. Joe Manchin closes the door of an elevator after a Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 16, 2021. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)

MANCHIN SAYS HE CANNOT VOTE' FOR BUILD BACK BETTER: IVE DONE EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE'

"My Democratic colleagues in Washington are determined to dramatically reshape our society in a way that leaves our country even more vulnerable to the threats we face," Manchin said in a statement following his announcement. "I cannot take that risk."

A couple of Manchin's colleagues took turns ripping him on CNN's "State of the Union." Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., started by accusing Manchin of lacking the courage to stand up to pharmaceutical companies, and an outraged Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said the West Virginia senator was obstructing the president's agenda.

Several media pundits failed to hide their disappointment as well.

"A lot to process on the Manchin news but, from a substantive standpoint, it's just objectively devastating for the planet," Politico's Sam Stein tweeted. "The last best chance at climate change legislation is gone."

Social media users noted Stein was acting more like a partisan than a journalist.

It was a similar story on Sunday morning news shows, as viewers who tuned in to ABC's "This Week" heard audible sighs from the guests at the roundtable after Jonathan Karl announced the breaking news. Their reaction again raised questions about the press' supposed objectivity.

Kirsten Powers and Joe Manchin (Getty Images)

CNN ANALYST IMPLORES JOE MANCHIN TO LEAVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY: IT WOULD BE BETTER OFF'

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But Sunday's media reaction was no surprise to analysts who have been following the treatment of Manchin in the lead-up to his decision on Build Back Better. CNN analyst and former Democratic staffer Kirsten Powers told Manchin it would "be better off" if he left the Democratic Party last week. And ABC News raised eyebrows Friday after sharing an AP story republished on its site, tweeting, "A single senator is about to seriously set back an entire presidential agenda."

President Joe Biden delivers remarks about his Build Back Better agenda from the East Room of the White House on Oct. 28, 2021. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Fox News' Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.

Originally posted here:

Liberal pundits react to Manchin's 'no' on Build Back Better: 'A lot to process' - Fox News

Progressives are growing restless over the state of Joe BidenJoe BidenSenate confirms 40 judges during Biden's first year in office, the most since Reagan SNL removes live audience, loses musical guest for Saturday as omicron spreads Liberals disappointed after Biden's first year MOREs presidency, with some upset that his first year in officewas not as transformativefor Democrats as they had hoped.

Desperate for a shift from the Trump years, liberals who wanted the new president to rewrite the policy playbook are now worried that Biden, burdened by a narrow Senate majority, may not accomplish more sizable changes heading into 2022.

That realization has hit some in the partys left flank particularly hard.

Biden has governed all year long like anyone but him is the president, said Deirdre Shelly, campaign director of the climate-oriented Sunrise Movement.

He has refused to throw any punches or posture at all towards the people in his own party who are hindering his agenda, or even to Republicans,Shelly added.

Biden entered office with Democrats holding slim majorities in the House and Senate, but progressives bemoan what they view as asense of timidity on tackling major and long-sought priorities.

Many see the party'snarrow advantage in Congress slipping away by the day, adding to Democrats' anxiety that they are running out of time to tackle a range of issues before losing control of one or both chambers.

Progressives who once gave the new president a grace period have now grown tired of watching items fall off the agenda.

On every issue voting rights, student debt, climate he lets the bad actors set the terms of the debate, Shelly said.

Biden met privately with Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinFilibuster-backers are Framer-wannabes Liberals disappointed after Biden's first year Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 cases surge amid omicron wave MORE (D-W.Va.) this week to attempt to hash out a path toward passing hissignature Build Back Better proposal.

But the fallout from that discussion, which has left Manchin and the White House at odds over the sweeping bill's child tax credit provision,has heightened tensions on Capitol Hill and has left progressives angryabout the inability oftheDemocrats to come to an agreement.

Some on the left are less critical of Bidens role in all of it. They perceive Manchin as the leading Democratic obstructionist and say the president has tried hard to move him.

Hes doing what he can, working his connections, said Jeff Garis, federal campaigns and program director for the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, which has mobilized support for Bidens spending plan. This is so narrowly divided.

Garis maintained that Biden "has done very well so far" given the broader partisan climate, with Senate Republicans unanimously opposed to the Democratic-only bill.

By comparison, 19 GOP senators voted with Democrats to pass the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill in August, the biggest legislative achievement for Biden this year.

Progressives were more optimistic earlier in Biden's term when talk of a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package appeared to be gaining traction. Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersLiberals disappointed after Biden's first year Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 cases surge amid omicron wave Democrats end year reopening old wounds MORE (I-Vt.) and members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus in the House maintained for months that such a large figure was crucial, despitemajor pushback from moderates.

Rep. Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalLiberals disappointed after Biden's first year Overnight Health Care Presented by Rare Access Action Project Supply woes expected for anti-COVID drug More than 80 Democratic lawmakers call for billion to fight COVID-19 globally MORE (D-Wash.), the caucuss leader, convened several working sessions with senior White House officials relaying the importance of keeping the scope of the bill wide and mounted a considerable effort to ensure that her key items around climate change, Medicare and paid leave, among other liberal considerations, were left intact.

While Democrats hailed the eventual passage of the scaled-down social spending bill in the House, it has lagged in the Senate. Some activists are also voicing frustration that the party isn't moving more quickly to address election reform and other areas that disproportionately impact minority communities.

Biden called forthe Senate to pass federal voting legislation and even acknowledged thatreforming the procedural filibuster might be necessary. But progressives argue he should have also launched a national retail politics effortto generate momentumon the issue, similar to how he traveled the country to tout the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

"Biden deserves high marks on how his team has navigated a national health crisis," said Michael Ceraso, a progressive strategist and former campaign worker for Sanders. "But that doesnt give his administration or congressional Democrats a pass on not reforming the criminal justice system, watching voting rights erode and the right to protest stripped, and allowing reproductive health to be under siege."

The question for political leaders is, when will they put an end to the trauma loop for the historically marginalized? he added.

Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten SinemaKyrsten SinemaFilibuster-backers are Framer-wannabes Liberals disappointed after Biden's first year Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 cases surge amid omicron wave MORE (D-Ariz.) have declined to budge on the filibuster, despite Bidens meetings with the two moderate holdouts at various junctures.

Now Biden appears to be caught between a long-standing Senate rule that at least two centrists areloath to change and the majority of Democrats who want to see action before the midterms including the president.

If the folks we have elected to office to carry the banner of the Democratic Party are unable to press the basic principles of the party, then I think theyve got to reconsider what their role is, said the Rev. Leah Daughtry, a veteran party operative and former CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee.

Youve got a community of people, a nation of people, who are watching to see, particularly in these perilous times, who is fighting for us? Daughtry said. Who is protecting us? Who is advancing the American agenda on behalf of the least, the last, the lost, the locked up?

Will you be a hero? Or are you just somebody else weve got to fight? she said.

Like many Democrats, Daughtry predicts that more stagnation and lack of results before January could lead to a colossal shake-up in next years elections.

The shared angst comes as progressives are already anticipating a tough cycle. Some have started to look ahead to 2024 amid speculation discredited numerous times by the White House that Biden may not run for reelection if his standing with the American public remains low.

Justmore than 50 percent disapprove of how Biden is handling the office of the president, according to recent aggregate polling averages, while just 44 percent approve of the job hes doing.

That feeling escalated after the first electoral mood-setter the Virginia governors race proved to be a disappointment for the party that expected an early win, with GOP businessman Glenn YoungkinGlenn YoungkinLiberals disappointed after Biden's first year Photos of the Week: Tornado aftermath, Medal of Honor and soaring superheroes Governors grapple with vaccine mandates ahead of midterms MORE easily defeating formerGov. Terry McAuliffeTerry McAuliffeLiberals disappointed after Biden's first year Will or should Kamala Harris become the Spiro Agnew of 2022? Governors grapple with vaccine mandates ahead of midterms MORE (D).

We are fighting the same fights over and over again, said former Ohio congressional candidate Nina Turner, who has long been critical of the president, during an organizing call this week with grassroots activists.

Turner, who suffered her own high-profile primary defeat to moderate Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) last month, used the word daunting to describe the state of affairs under Biden in Washington.

We cannot continue to build on the old and expect new, she said.

Some House Democrats have started messaging around what they deem a failure within the party to address other issuessuch as college debt reimbursement and a $15 minimum wage. Both priorities were campaign pledges from Biden in 2020.

A note to Democrats who blame progressives after losing an election: Forcing millions to start paying student loans again and cutting off the Child Tax Credit at the start of an election year is not a winning strategy, tweetedprogressiveRep. Cori BushCori BushLiberals disappointed after Biden's first year The Memo: Failure on big bill would spark cascade of trouble for Biden Angelina Jolie returns to Congress to advocate for Violence Against Women Act MORE (D-Mo.). We're warning you now, don't point fingers in November.

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Liberals disappointed after Biden's first year | TheHill - The Hill

Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives are betting on a key Liberal to oversee Ontario Lottery and Gaming.

Ford has named Jim Warren, once a top aide to former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty, to be the new chair of the provinces troubled gambling agency.

Warren, who was also once an OLG vice president, fills a vacancy left by ex-chair, Peter Deeb, who resigned for personal reasons earlier this year amid controversy.

Senior Conservative officials, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations, said the premier sought a cross-partisan appointee to keep a watchful eye on the gaming giant.

A frequent political commentator on CP24 and Newstalk 1010, Warren runs his own consultancy, Riseley Strategies, which has done work for Torstar, parent company of the Toronto Star.

More than two decades ago, Warren worked closely with Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips himself a former OLG chief executive in the office of the late Toronto mayor Mel Lastman.

The three-year OLG appointment pays $150,000 annually.

Earlier this year, the Toronto Sun reported the departure of Deeb, a Ford appointee, was tied to an Ontario Provincial Police investigation. No charges were laid.

In the summer of 2020, Ford indicated he wanted OLG executives to shape up after they were awarded big bonuses early in the pandemic despite casinos being closed and thousands of employees being laid off at rival private-sector gambling facilities.

The premier, whose government floated OLG a $500-million line of credit three months ago, was outraged at the unacceptable payouts and called Deeb onto the carpet.

For all these big smart guys, they arent too frigging smart, he said in August 2020.

Youve got to be sitting around the table and think, is this prudent to do this?

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Tories bet on Liberal to oversee Ontario Lottery and Gaming - Toronto Star

Texas is well known for its deep-red policies and conservative leaders, yet the state may send a handful of progressive Democrats to Washington next year.

From Dallas to Austin to the Rio Grande Valley, far-left candidates are popping up in congressional races, including some in reliably blue districts that would likely elect them in November, if they make it past the primaries.

The list features some of the Texas Houses most liberal members, community activists and Greg Casar, the self-avowed Democratic socialist from Austin who pioneered the citys defund the police move last year.

We don't just need progressives coming from each of the coasts, said Casar, also an architect of Austins loosened homeless camping laws that were reinstated by the citys voters earlier this year. I think it's so important for progressives to come from places like Texas that are bearing the brunt of failed Republican leadership in the state.

Political experts say the increase in viable candidates is both a reflection of the increasing polarization across the country and of the popularity of young progressives in Congress, especially U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. If they can win March 1 primary races, progressive candidates are likely to claim at least two and possibly three or more Texas seats next year.

IN-DEPTH: With 31 lawmakers moving on, Texas Legislature has room to get redder

There's a real shot, said Jen Clark, a professor of political science at the University of Houston. Its not necessarily just folly, and they're just entering the race just to raise issues. Because those are solid blue districts, they do have a real chance if they reach out to the voters and can make a convincing case.

Texas Republicans say theyre more than ready for that challenge and it might even make their campaigns easier. Some candidates are salivating at the chance to take on progressives in the general election, said Austin-based GOP strategist Brendan Steinhauser.

They want to brand them as radical leftists out of touch with Texans, especially moderates and swing voters, Steinhauser said. We think that if the Democrats nominate those types of candidates in that B category, we're going to have a lot of success and there are going to be races on the table that otherwise may not be.

Austin city councilman Greg Casar urges participation as demonstrators speak in front of the Texas Workforce Commission in Austin on July 24, 2020.

Casar is running in the 35th Congressional District, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio. It is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who decided to swap districts after boundary changes made in redistricting. He faces state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez also a progressive, but not a Democratic socialist in the primary, along with two other Democrats.

Casar is undoubtedly the farthest-left candidate of the group, but Rodriguezs record is similar: He is ranked among the most liberal members of the state House, where hes served for nearly two decades, and he helped lead the Democrats dramatic walkouts over the summer in an effort to delay the GOPs priority elections bill.

Whoever comes out on top is likely to also win in the November general election, as 72 percent of voters in the district picked Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

The progressive momentum this year is, in part, related to a nationwide sense of urgency kindled by right-wing extremism that snowballed during the Trump administration, Rodriguez said. That filters down to Texas, he said, where GOP politicians this year implemented new voting restrictions and approved a near-total abortion ban in a remarkably partisan legislative session.

There are already five members of Texas Democratic congressional delegation in the House Progressive Caucus, and one is retiring next year: U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represents the 30th Congressional District in the Dallas area. The incumbent, who is the longest-serving House member in Texas, has already given her endorsement to state Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas the most liberal member of the Texas House.

Eight other Democrats are also vying for the nomination in the 30th, including at least three who self-identify as progressive: Abel Mulugheta, Arthur Dixon and Jessica Mason.

All seven candidates who spoke to Hearst Newspapers for this article embrace the term progressive, even if they have different definitions for it but all of them spoke either of grassroots organization or the idea of putting people first instead of corporations.

On most of their priority lists: Improving access to health care (in many cases, Medicare for all); addressing climate change (in many cases, the Green New Deal); expanding abortion access; increasing voting options; legalizing marijuana; implementing gun control; facilitating a path to citizenship for people living in the country without authorization; promoting social equity and diversity.

But those policy items a few of which are popular among Texans, according to recent polling arent always well-received in Texas and elsewhere. The term progressive on its own can evoke images of more extreme, national politicians; and, for that reason, Crockett said she shies away from using it on the campaign trail.

People don't even understand what it is to be progressive, and everybody defines it a little differently, Crockett said. But if there is a narrative that has been put out there that this is what it is to be progressive, and someone has a negative connotation of it then it does you a disservice.

Republicans would argue that progressive policies have earned that reputation, especially in Texas. While the GOP-led Legislature passed a slate of conservative legislation this year, local officials in Democrat-controlled cities have been working to undo their policies.

Weve been building the bench at the local level, and now I think its really important for there to be more progressive representation thats willing to stand up against the status quo at the federal level, Casar said.

But even if Texas progressives expand their presence in Congress, they likely wont have a broad impact on policy, said Matt Mackowiak, a GOP strategist and chair of the Travis County Republican Party. He has been a longtime Casar critic, asserting that his camping and police initiatives in Austin have been disastrous.

Hes going to be another Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez squad member focused on extreme policy ideas that are going to have 10 or 15 or 20 votes at most, Mackowiak said.

In 2020, immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros raised $1 million in her challenge to longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, one of the Democrats most moderate House members. She lost by less than 4 percentage points.

Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren runs onto the stage with Jessica Cisneros as she holds a town hall meeting at Vic Mathias Shores at Lady Bird Lake Metro Park on September 10, 2019.

Now, Cisneros is back for round two.

This time around, we're not starting from scratch, Cisneros said. People know who I am. They know what I stand for. They know the people-centered progressive policies that I'm running on.

National Republicans are targeting Cuellars district in 2022, hoping to flip the seat after making gains in majority-Latino communities in 2020. Former President Donald Trump earned about 46 percent of the vote there in 2020, and President Joe Biden, 53 percent.

Polling shows Democrat policies are not popular in Texas, said Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.Theyre not popular in Texas, and theyre not popular across the country. ... No matter who makes it through a Democrat primary, theyre going to have a tough time winning in 2022.

In the neighboring 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McCallen is stepping aside to run instead in the 34th Congressional District, after redistricting made the 15th redder.

Six Democrats are now vying for the nomination in the 15th Congressional District, where Trump won 51 percent of the vote last year. One of them, 30-year-old Michelle Vallejo, has earned the support of local nonprofits for her progressive platform, and she says her top priority is Medicare for All.

Back in the 34th District, where Biden beat Trump by about 15 percentage points, Gonzalez one of the more moderate House members is also facing a progressive challenger in Beatriz Reynoso, an Air Force veteran who is campaigning on raising the minimum wage.

And then there are the districts where Democrats have little to no chance of winning in the general election, but progressive candidates run anyway.

Texas, especially our established Democratic Party, needs to shift the complete focus and invest in these red areas, invest in these unwinnable elections and non-viable candidates, said Claudia Zapata, a community activist running in the 21st Congressional District currently represented by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin.

The willingness to run even for unlikely offices speaks to the energy of the progressive movement nationwide, experts say and its a trend likely to grow in Texas as the state increases in population and diversity.

A lot of this really does come from progressives who feel that the Democratic Party their strategy, whatever it is, it hasnt been working, said Mark Kaswan, a government professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. We've had 25 years of Republican control of the state, so maybe it is time to take a different approach.

cayla.harris@express-news.net

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A Democratic socialist, the state's most liberal lawmaker: Meet the Texas progressives aiming for Congress - San Antonio Express-News

In 1970, as the nation was embroiled in protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War, a boyish-looking, progressive-minded, antiwar law student was elected to represent Manhattans West Side in the New York State Assembly.

The 23-year-old student, Richard Gottfried, became one of the youngest lawmakers elected in the state, and it did not take long for him to develop a reputation as a champion of liberal policies that were nobly idealistic but also often politically infeasible even if the concepts would later become popular within the party.

He spoke out in favor of legalizing prostitution in the 70s, shepherded legislation to decriminalize marijuana in 1977 and was the first lawmaker to introduce a same-sex marriage bill in 2003.

A half-century and 26 elections later, Mr. Gottfried, now 74, holds the record as the longest-serving legislator in New Yorks history.

His career will soon receive its bookend: Mr. Gottfried will not seek re-election next year and will retire when his term ends next December, 18,993 days after he was first sworn in.

It was a difficult decision because I so love what I do, Mr. Gottfried, a Democrat, said on Sunday from his 22nd-floor Manhattan office, which overlooks City Hall and the East River. Its really a privilege to have spent your life doing work that you really love and to be able to retire when you still love doing it.

In 1987, he became chairman of the Assemblys health committee, a perch he has used to craft consequential health care policies, such as the legalization of medical marijuana in 2014 and a program to provide children from low- and moderate-income families with free insurance.

Mr. Gottfried, his once red-tinged beard now mostly white, has become a fixture in Albany, bearing witness as the state slowly lurched to the left and embraced many of the policies he had long supported.

He evolved into a constant presence in a state capital defined by political tumult and big personalities. He witnessed nine governors take up office in Albany, including two Cuomos and the states first Black and female governors. He saw two of them resign in disgrace and legislated through fiscal crises, political coups and the arrest of a string of his colleagues in corruption cases that tainted the State Capitols reputation.

Mr. Gottfried, known to most as Dick, is considered a legislators legislator by his colleagues a policy nerd who often drafts his own legislative language. Carl E. Heastie, the speaker of the Assembly, said in a statement that Dick is a living encyclopedia when it comes to health care, adding that he has set the standard for what it means to be a true citizen legislator.

Mr. Gottfried, a graduate of Columbia Law School, ran for an open seat in the State Assembly as part of a wave of young, reform-focused Democrats who challenged the partys establishment and opposed the Vietnam War. He emerged victorious in a contested primary to represent a district that includes Chelsea and Hells Kitchen and has been easily re-elected ever since.

Kids, was what everyone called us, he said. I was 23 years old and very full of myself, and it never occurred to me to be intimidated by anybody else.

Indeed, Mr. Gottfried, whom The Times described in 1971 as looking more like a page than a politician, was denied entry to the Assembly chamber on his first day as an incoming lawmaker. He recalled how a confused sergeant-at-arms told him, Well, youll have to wait until your father gets here.

Democrats were in the minority in the Assembly, but, fueled by the fallout from the Watergate scandal, the party regained control of the chamber in 1974, a majority they have held ever since. Democratic control, Mr. Gottfried said, led to a host of lasting changes, including funding to create district offices and hire legislative staff and rule changes to democratize the body and shift power away from party bosses.

Representative Jerrold Nadler, a longtime friend who studied with Mr. Gottfried at Stuyvesant High School and recalled sleeping in the same hotel rooms when he was Mr. Gottfrieds assistant early on, said his former colleague would be remembered as a tireless worker.

People take for granted that Assembly members mail out newsletters, said Mr. Nadler, who was elected to the Assembly in 1976. Nobody did so before Dick. He invented the concept. He wrote them and then he had them printed and sent out, and I dont think the Assembly paid for that until later.

Mr. Gottfried, who entered office during the last years of Gov. Nelson Rockefellers 14-year tenure, recalled the urgency of taking a series of high-stakes votes when Gov. Hugh Carey was trying to save New York City from the brink of bankruptcy in the 1970s.

Everyone had a sense of the importance of what we were doing and the potential that at any given point things could really fall apart, he said.

He wont forget a 45-minute phone call he received in the late 1980s from Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, who was upset because Mr. Gottfried had told an administration official that he believed Mr. Cuomo was at war with the Legislature. I looked at my clock and I thought, My God, this is the budget season in Albany, doesnt the governor have more important things to do than be on the phone with me?

Then there were his dealings with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who resigned in August following sexual harassment allegations. Mr. Gottfried, who engaged in grueling negotiations with Mr. Cuomo over his medical marijuana bill, took a 20-second pause to choose his words.

I certainly had, as many people did, a lot more friction with Andrew Cuomo because that was often his style, he said. I think Ill leave it at that.

The most impressive governor? Mr. Gottfried said Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after it emerged in 2008 that he had been a client of a high-end prostitution ring. If he had not self-destructed, we would have had eight years of very impressive progress, Im convinced, he said.

Mr. Gottfried served most of his tenure while Republicans controlled the State Senate, but he estimated that about 500 of his bills were enacted into law.

He said one of his proudest achievements was the passage of the Hudson River Park Act in 1998 under Gov. George E. Pataki, a three-term Republican, to protect a stretch of riverfront in Manhattan as a park, overcoming opposition from residents who believed it would lead to commercial development.

He also recalled an embarrassing blunder during an attempt to pass his bill to remove criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The bill was brought to the Assembly floor in May 1977 after an agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations, but it all unraveled very publicly after a roll call showed the bill was six votes shy.

I thought I had the votes and it turned out I didnt, he said. I think that was probably, by far, my biggest screw-up.

In recent years, Mr. Gottfried has become a revered mentor to a cohort of younger, more diverse left-wing lawmakers who helped Democrats reclaim full control of the State Legislature in 2018. Brad Hoylman, a Democrat elected in 2012 to represent parts of Mr. Gottfrieds district in the State Senate, said Mr. Gottfried had left an indelible imprint on our laws.

In his last year in office, Mr. Gottfried said he hoped to channel his efforts into one of his longtime policy aspirations: trying to pass the New York Health Act, a bill he first introduced in 1992 to create universal single-payer health coverage in the state.

In retirement, he hopes to spend more time with his granddaughters and travel with his wife of over 50 years, Louise Gottfried, to Amsterdam and Taiwan. Mr. Gottfried, who lives on the Upper West Side, also plans to dedicate himself to his decades-long passion for Chinese calligraphy, which he described as an addiction.

Im going to miss my colleagues and being able to translate my thoughts into law, Mr. Gottfried said. Thats what I dreamed of doing when I was 13, and Ive been able to do that for half a century.

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Dick Gottfried, Champion of Liberal Causes, to Retire After 52 Years - The New York Times

OTTAWA -- Senators have speedily passed legislation to provide federally regulated workers with 10 days of paid sick leave and to protect health-care workers from harassment and intimidation.

They have passed Bill C-3, swallowing some reservations and forgoing some planned amendments due to the urgency of having the legislation in place as the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads like wildfire across the country.

The move comes less than 24 hours after the Senate fast-tracked passage of Bill C-2, to provide new targeted pandemic aid to businesses and workers faced with new local lockdowns, as well as wage and rent subsidies to those hardest hit by previous pandemic restrictions.

Both bills have now received royal assent.

Earlier this month, royal assent was given to a bill banning the traumatic practice of conversion therapy to alter a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

With the passage of the three bills, the Trudeau government has accomplished its goal of enacting its priority legislation in the first four weeks of the new Parliament following the Sept. 20 election.

Parliament is now on an extended holiday break until Jan. 31.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2021.

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Liberal government gets all its priority legislation enacted before Christmas break - CTV News

The Liberal government and Opposition Conservatives are facing calls from within to mount a more direct challenge to Quebecs controversial secularism law after a teacher was removed from the classroom for wearing a hijab.

Federal parties and their MPs have spent the past week reacting to the law, known as Bill 21, which bans some public servants deemed to be in positions of authority such as teachers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols on the job.

The law was passed in 2019, but received renewed attention outside Quebec last week after news broke that Fatemeh Anvari, a Grade 3 teacher, was told she could no longer teach in a classroom because she wore a hijab.

One of the federal politicians calling for a more forceful condemnation of the law was Conservative MP Mark Strahl, a representative from British Columbia.

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Conservative Leader Erin OToole has said that while he personally opposes the law, he believes its one that Quebecers alone must deal with and that a government led by him would not intervene in any court challenge to it.

But Strahl said he thinks some issues transcend jurisdiction.

The MP said he thinks Conservatives should re-examine their stance, which he said is unclear, and be prepared to challenge the law in court.

We cant let laws like that go unchallenged, he told reporters before heading into the Tories national caucus meeting Wednesday, where he said the issue would be raised.

Its a position thats shared by many, many of my colleagues.

Conservative Sen. Salma Ataullahjan released a statement calling Bill 21 discriminatory and racist, saying she cannot in good conscience remain silent while fellow Canadians are being blatantly targeted.

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In a subsequent interview, she said she felt compelled as a Muslim to speak out and believes there has been a lack of leadership all around on the issue.

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We cant be selective about human rights, she said.

Despite the wish from some to adopt a tougher stand, OToole and other members of his caucus left the meeting saying nothing had changed.

On his way out, OToole, speaking in French, reiterated his personal opposition to the law and said Conservatives must speak as a team on important issues.

As for the Liberals, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Wednesday that he has not ruled out federal intervention at an appropriate time in a court challenge to the law. For now though, he suggested its best to let Quebecers themselves lead that fight.

I think the one thing to remember in all this is that Quebecers believe in a free and open society. Quebecers believe in freedom of expression, Quebecers believe in the equality of men and women, Quebecers believe in freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, he told a news conference.

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And right now, a whole bunch of Quebecers are asking themselves questions about how in a free society someone could lose her job because of her religion.

During Wednesdays question period, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet challenged Trudeau to put Quebecs public opinion on the matter to the test in a referendum. Polls suggest the majority of Quebecers support the law.

The Bloc leader also blasted Trudeau for allowing United Nations Ambassador Bob Rae to call the law discriminatory, which Blanchet said amounted to Quebec-bashing.

On Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shifted from his earlier stance to say he would support Ottawa stepping into a court challenge.

Liberal MP Salma Zahid, who wears a hijab, issued a statement this week saying it was time for Ottawa to join the legal challenge against the law mounted by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

This cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged, she said.

To date, the challenge has come from civil society. But as the party that brought the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to Canada, as a government that champions human rights around the world, we cannot allow the weight of this fight to be carried by civil society alone.

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Montreal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather also said this week he wants a national debate on the use of and rules around the notwithstanding clause, which Quebec Premier Francois Legault pre-emptively invoked. The clause gives provincial legislatures and Parliament the ability to bring in legislation that overrides provisions in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for five years.

Its a conversation others have suggested is long overdue, four decades after the clause was created as part of constitutional talks. Housefather said the discussion should include whether the clause can be invoked without an actual court challenge of the law in question, as Legault did when Bill 21 was passed.

Newly elected Ottawa Liberal MP Jenna Sudds had similar sentiments in a statement she issued on the secularism law. She called it a manifestation of intolerant and xenophobic sentiments that may need federal intervention.

Canadian governments at all levels have an unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom of religion and expression, she said. We cannot in good conscience stand idly by and allow this bill to go unchallenged, for what we permit, we promote.

With files from Mia Rabson

2021 The Canadian Press

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Calls grow from Liberal, Tory MPs for federal intervention in Quebecs Bill 21 - Global News