Don't let these stories fall through the cracks

{NAME}, We know it’s tempting to feel overwhelmed by these never ending news cycles. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can feel both impossible and deeply, deeply necessary to look away. Well, we hope you did. Look away. For a while. Got a breather. And if you did, but you’re cautiously back to following the world now, here’s a few little things that happened this week that we didn’t want to let fall through the cracks. – LP Staff   Biden Administration Releases Infrastructure “Rural Playbook”; Goes on Tour “Among the more interesting specifics were $42.5 billion to bring high speed internet to unserved and underserved regions, administered by the Department of Commerce, plus another $2 billion to tribal governments to fund the same; $4.7 billion to create jobs remediating and restoring polluted “orphan oil wells” around the country—“places where industry extracted resources like oil and natural gas then abandoned the site”—administered by the Department of the Interior; $5 billion for updated school busses (let’s be honest, an undiscussed but critical part of every rural child’s life is waiting for the bus on the little bench or lawn chair in that Dad-built sheds at the end of the gravel drive); $44 billion for drinking and wastewater programs; nearly $1.8 billion for river and lake restoration; $1 billion for improved energy transmission systems; and dozens, and dozens more.” [READ MORE](   Abortion, Conspiracy, and Asphalt: the 2022 Michigan Governor’s Race “In keeping abortion rights in the public eye in Michigan, Whitmer is hoping to build off recent [opinion polling]( that nearly 70% of Michigan voters support Roe v. Wade. Again, according to the Post, “I think it’s very clear: The assault on women’s privacy rights, health rights, and bodily autonomy is not theoretical. It is a very real and present danger,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) told me. Given that both chambers of the Michigan legislature are controlled by Republicans, Whitmer says there is no chance they would vote to get rid of the old law.” [READ MORE]( Abbott’s Clown-Show at the Border is an Opportunity for O’Rourke “"You let him attack me. ... That is wrong," Television personality and current GOP candidate for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat Dr. Oz [complained to the moderator]( of the state’s first GOP Primary debate on Wednesday. Oz had been put on the defensive over his former position on fracking–the controversial oil extraction technique that stole the show at 2020’s VP debate between Kamala Harris and then VP Mike Pence.” [READ MORE](     [DONATE]( Lede Progress is a progressive, digital-first media organization dedicated to moving forward the progressive agenda that will foster a more equitable, just, and prosperous America. With over 100,000 grassroots supporters, our movement is on the frontlines combating right-wing media lies, far-right extremism, and expanding the reach of progressive messaging through digital and social media channels. We rely completely on progressive grassroots support to fight for our shared values. [Please, pitch in today to help get the progressive message out.]( [Facebook]( Contributions or gifts to Lede Progress are not deductible for income tax purposes. [ledeprogress.org]( Paid for by Lede Progress Lede Progress PO Box 15845 Washington, DC 20003 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](.