Can our democracy be saved?

Happy Wednesday! Here's what we have. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Today's Opinions   Wednesday, January 5 How House committee investigating Jan. 6 riots can save democracy Happy Wednesday! Here's what we have. Tomorrow marks one year since the Jan. 6 insurrection. We're leading today's newsletter with a column about how the House Committee's role in holding those rioters accountable.  How House committee investigating Jan. 6 riots can save democracy By Norman Ornstein and Dennis Aftergut Two priorities for preserving our constitutional republic stand out on this anniversary of insurrectionist violence at the U.S. Capitol – first, the duty to hold accountable those who led the plot to overturn a free and fair election; second, the need to shine a light on and block the sustained and organized efforts to succeed in 2024 where the plotters failed in 2020. On both fronts, the bipartisan House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack is rapidly moving forward with agility and diligence. We can be confident that the committee's ultimate report will help point the way toward thwarting the Republican efforts to turn democracy into autocracy. After House Republicans delayed the investigation's start for months via negotiations that in retrospect look like pure malingering, it is heartening to see the pace and skill with which the committee has proceeded.  Today's Editorial Cartoon Mike Thompson, USA TODAY USA TODAY • How to not protect yourself from the Omicron COVID-19 variant: Mike Thompson President Biden is too slow in providing COVID tests By Dr. Marc Siegel It was Dr. Peter Marks, head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA, who's credited with coining the apt term Operation Warp Speed. The key to this highly successful operation was to prepay drug companies for vaccines that at the time were unproven and might never see the light of day.  This, plus a multiarmed distribution plan involving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the drug companies, the U.S. military, FedEx, UPS and major pharmacy chains as well as state cooperation, led to an unprecedented success story. We had the vaccines before the end of 2020, and the therapeutics and rapid tests were supposed to follow. Other columns to read today • Don't confuse us, communicate better on COVID-19 • NYPD's 1st Black female commissioner faces historic challenges • Honor those who defended the US Capitol by lowering flags on Jan. 6 • 2022 goals must include love of those from different political parties Columns on qualified immunity We are doing a series examining the issue of qualified immunity. For more on the series read here.  • My son was killed by a park ranger. Qualified immunity means I may never see justice. • 'I had seen that smirk before': Vestiges of slavery still haunt our legal system • Ben & Jerry: We white people need to use our power to fight police abuse. • University officials flagrantly violate student speech rights. Courts let them off the hook. This newsletter was compiled by Jaden Amos. Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.   FOLLOW US Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2022 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102