Thank you for featuring VoteRiders' work on understanding the reality of unnecessary voter ID laws which are a subterfuge for vote suppression.
www.voteriders.org VoteRiders needs funding to expand its outreach to help individuals get their necessary IDs in new states attacking voting rights such as Idaho which last month passed a law disallowing student photo ID from accredited schools but allowing NRA cards to be used as voter ID at the ballot box.
Idaho's current senators are Republicans Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. They voted against the Freedom to Vote: John R Lewis Voting Rights Act in 2022 by supporting the unconstitutional filibuster thus not allowing the bill to get to the floor of the Senate. They need naming and shaming for attacking our fundamental right to vote by not passing federal legislation so that our zipcodes won't determine whether we can vote.
We need Senators and Congressional Representatives who work on behalf of WE the PEOPLE!
I posted more.. thinking maybe readers don't see the straight-line fall of voting rights from Citizens United to Shelby and its aftermath ... the election of Trump because too many states limited access to the ballot box and money in politics prevented facts from prevailing
Thank you so very much, Alice, for your ongoing championship and support of VoteRiders' critical and effective work! VoteRiders’ mission is to ensure that no eligible voter is prevented from casting a ballot that counts due to voter ID laws, either directly from lack of acceptable ID or indirectly because of voter confusion. Sixteen (and counting) states have enacted new or stricter voter ID laws since 2020, and about a dozen states are poised to pass additional laws. If anyone knows of voters who have questions or need assistance, they can email Helpline@voteriders.org; for those who'd like to volunteer, volunteer@voteriders.org; and thank everyone for donations at https://www.voteriders.org/donate/!!!
NRA card carrying Americans have more rights than students in an accredited school. Think about that...
I’m repeating myself - we are locked in a cold civil war. I have faith that truth and good will prevail just as it did in the American Revolution almost 250 years ago and the end of the civil war 158 years ago because of groups like VoteRiders and Americans who refuse to give-in to tyranny.
I am adding VoteRiders.org to the Democratic groups I support!
Lawrence O'Donnell gave an excellent analysis of Dominion/Fox settlement that convinced me the settlement was the best outcome for this case. If Dominion won the jury trial they still wouldn't get any apology from FOX since in this kind of civil suit money is the only thing awarded. And, unlike the settlement FOX could appeal for years making it difficult for Dominion to ever see the money that the settlement now binds FOX to pay. https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-rupert-murdoch-s-stupidity-gave-dominion-a-huge-win-170739781892
Agree with O’Donnell (and Aftergut). It is, however, appalling that Fox can tax-deduct the amount it pays, I suppose as a “cost of doing business.” Yikes.
Thank you for the link to that terrific piece. The only thing Mr. O'Donnell left out was to mention the international negative fall-out from this case on the Murdoch's, especially in the British and Australian media.
Exactly! No need to dwell on the Dominion case. Robert made it clear as did many pundits. Just think about it, odds of 12 jurors deciding aren’t great in 2023.
Voter ID - Voter ID is not only against the poor, young, elderly and minority,
it is particularly discriminatory against WOMEN.
Women are more likely to change their name - BOTH from marriage AND divorce.
These ID laws "often" throw out ballots that do not precisely match the name at initial registration.
There are also "significant" COSTS to obtaining an ID.
Getting a copy of a birth certificate - cha-ching!
Certified copy - more cha-ching!
Getting a driver's license - notoriously long waits, taking time away from work.
DMV offices limited in number and location - access and transportation limitations.
NOTE: If a REAL LIVE PERSON wants to vote, there should be a path for allowing them to exercise their right to decide who will represent them.
Democratic elections in other countries have other examples of establishing the integrity of the voting process.
For example, in some countries a person dips their finger in ink to prevent voting more than once.
In MANY countries, illiteracy is a major problem.
Candidates on the ballot may be represented by an icon in addition to and/or instead of a printed name.
In the 1960s, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (a multiracial coalition) challenged the Democratic Party to be recognized and seated at the National Democratic Convention.
In Alabama, new voters were registered and urged to vote for the (Black) Panther on the ballot, the Lowndes County Freedom Organization.
An excellent post. Thank you. I have been volunteering in St. Louis to help people obtain their birth certificates and government issued photo IDs or driver’s licenses. The hoops one has to go through to get these documents is, as you say, both timely and costly. While this organization helps with the fees and paperwork, the time it takes and the process seem to be unnecessarily burdensome, and it is only available on Tuesday mornings. Another organization is open for a few hours on Thursdays by appointment. That’s it
Thank you, Donna - and Beverly - for sharing this important information about some of the complications and burdens of obtaining a government-issued photo ID and the underlying required documents like a birth certificate! VoteRiders has a terrific and effective Voter ID Assistance program for both in-person and virtual volunteers (volunteer@voteriders.org)!! The organization helps to secure these documents but covers the costs when needed as well as arranging and paying for transportation to and from ID-issuing offices.
I’ll need to look into volunteering at VoteRiders, too. This is so needed. Government-issued photo IDs are needed for employment, housing, voting, and on and on. Before I started volunteering, I knew it was difficult, but I had no idea of how challenging this can be. Thank you for your reply.
But you/ we do have potential problems. MA has an openly gay governor - that alone is fodder for Rethuglicans and maga maniacs to go deeper into requiring voter ID laws elsewhere Why? They’ll see Massachusetts as what can happen where there are no stringent voter ID requirements. The last thing they want to see is a gay person hold ANY elected position in government (state or federal). This is especially true in states where GQP have majorities in their state legislatures.
People must REGISTER to vote. That process involves some qualifying documentation of citizenship. Disqualifiers (often pertaining to criminal history) are applied.
Primaries of major parties determine who will be on the ballot. Exclusion from the primary process by active tactics OR apathy, essentially determines whether the ballot even has a candidate or platform worthy of supporting. The person who stands out in my mind on this point is Maceo Snipes, whose murder led the teenaged Martin Luther King, Jr. to pen a letter to the editor calling out injustices in the political system.
In too many areas, some seats are uncontested.
The elephant in the room (so to speak) is the campaign funding that essentially buys power. "Dark money" and Citizens United have spiraled the election process in the United States away from the will of the people.
So yes, voting "should" be as simple as showing up and participating. But it isn't that simple.
Well, I went to renew my license at DMV in a liberal state, mind you. Alas, while it was still the month of renewal, I was a week past the day. It had expired. I was sent home for a proof of identity. I brought my birth certificate which has three names, first, middle and last. It was rejected because it differed from my license, which only uses my first and last names. I had to settle for a license to drive that has "Not to be used for identification purposes." stamped on it. Ye gads!
I hate to write it but in the U.S. illiteracy re: civics and how our government works is rampant from the halls of Congress to the voting precincts in some respects.
Another law nerd point: weren't a fairly large part of the damages awarded against Alex Jones based not on defamation but on the tort of outrage? As I recall, in at least some of the suits where Jones was defaulted for discovery and court order violations plaintiffs withdrew their defamation claims. I have neither recollection nor energy to go through the various suits and tot up which ones were an award for defamation. So aren't the "judgement" comparisons kind of apples and oranges? If we are talking just judgements for whatever causes of action, are the Alex Jones judgments still the largest or just the largest for defamation? It is a nitpicking question, sorry.
But I agree that the Dominion suit was a huge win for the country. Their discovery efforts showed without doubt the hypocrisy of Fox we had all suspected. Should we expect a private litigant to take to all the risks and expense of providing for our relish in watching Fox Folks squirm on the stand? It is OF COURSE about money--that's what Dominion was suing for. They are not the ACLU, the DOJ, or a caped crusader.
At least Fox should have had to inform their own viewers of the facts of the case. Dominion may not be the caped crusader but they started out that way… take the money and run.
I’m wondering what you all think of the Senator Feinstein situation.
I have the utmost respect for her accomplishments, and I surely don’t believe kicking someone when they’re down. But her oath to the Constitution should be the priority over how she hoped her retirement would play out. Also, I have never worked for an institution where critical work just halted for months during an employee’s absence. If that’s what the Senate rules dictate, then shame on the Senate for permitting that to be the case.
The Senate rules are a big problem. But our slim majority is an even bigger one. IMO, Feinstein could serve until she is 120 - if she is doing her job. She is not doing her job. And we are not installing judges. That is the most important element right now. I believe she should follow Amy Klobuchar's advice. Pick a time to return - soon. And then if she can't, she should resign. Newsom can appoint a replacement quickly. And we can get back on track with judges.
The Republicans have played the judges long game for decades and we are suffering the results.
I wonder if Feinstein is even mentally capable of making a decision independently at this point. If not, no one would want to be accused of forcing her under duress.
Feinstein is an icon. She was the first female mayor in San Francisco but only after the beloved mayor, Moscone and Harvey Milk, were gunned down by an insane council member. She then served successfully as our Senator for 31 years. She introduced the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 until it was not renewed by the Repubs. She introduced the Amber Alert system for missing children and has many notable accolades. With that said, she is now 89 years young and is suffering from painful shingles and possibly dementia. Ir is my opinion that she is not cognizant enough to continue to serve. She has to let go and so do we.
April 19th is Patriots Day in Massachusetts with the commemoration and reenactment of the first battle of the American Revolution at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. I lived for many years in Sudbury, MA, next to Concord and enjoyed being awakened by the Sudbury Minutemen shooting off their muskets at 6 a.m. starting their march from the center of Sudbury to Minuteman Park in Concord for the reenactment. We would quickly dress and walk to the corner just in time to see the fife and drums and the Sudbury Minuteman march by. Just down Pantry Rd a bit, a British citizen who lived there would always fly his Union Jack. My fondest patriotic feelings were of hearing the Concord Band play the Star Spangled Banner on their July Fourth Concert at Minuteman Park as an airliner left a jet trail in the clear skies above overlooking the Old North Bridge where the first shot heard round the world was fired. Happy Patriots Day!
Um...speaking from one of the only two states that celebrate Patriots Day...in 1894, Massachusetts Governor Greenhalge declared the "compromise" celebration of the Minuteman march and battles of Lexington and Concord date to be called "Patriot's Day" on April 19th (the original date of the battles). Since 1969, it has been celebrated on the third Monday in April--which, this year was Monday, April 17th. Since Maine was part of Massachusetts when the battles of Lexington and Concord were fought, we too, celebrate Patriot's Day!
Have you considered returning to MA? We have a fine new woman governor, not many guns. Boston has a brilliant woman mayor, working on true social equity. Even our local Select Board is about to be majority smart, progressive women.
And...it looks like the long overdue East West rail line could actually happen! MA is on the move...
Actually I can probably make a bigger difference here in Texas. Beto came close to unseating Senator Cruz in 2018. Texas population is now minority white although heavily gerrymandered. Glad to hear MA women are doing so well!
Cathy, we may have been neighbors—I lived in Sudbury in the 1970s. I loved the Sudbury Minutemen, because they didn’t dress up in fancy uniforms (which the colonists did not have) or march in step. They just shambled along, dressed any old way, like their forebears.
I lived at 11 Deacon Lane. A one acre lot abutting conservation land where they grew strawberries. Yes, the Minutemen in their floppy hats and the women in colonial dresses standing on the side of the road giving the Minutemen encouragement.
Re the abortion pill ruing. Here’s a thought: We shop for a sympathetic district judge who is covered by a sympathetic Circuit Court. We bring suit on behalf of a group of children who are traumatized by gun violence and afraid to go to school and ER docs who are traumatized by having to treat assault weapon wounds. We ask for a country wide ban on the sale of assault weapons. Then it goes to the Supreme Court. Sigh…. Well, we can dream…
Is it possible to sue about the voter ID laws? For example, there is a cost to a drivers’ license. So now red states who insist on using this as an ID to vote are basically establishing a poll tax to keep the poor out of the polls. They know very well who has various forms of ID and who doesn’t, and they continue to gerrymander as they wish. That is very racial, by the way. Could that sort of case be brought before a court that doesn’t have a Trump judge???? Why doesn’t the government start taking photo ID’s for benefits cards, and such? Perhaps we should just vote for a national ID card that is issued at birth or prior to voting age? Perhaps the Dems could require that voters must show that they do not own a gun in order to vote……..nothing but the abuse of power ever gets the attention of this disgraceful Party.
With the extension of the “stay” regarding the abortion drug by Justice Alito, you can be sure that in his good hands (cough) he will wait to late Friday to support the original judges order. Logic, reason and adherence to the law does not count anymore. The Supreme Court has become the MAGA of Institutions. So no one be surprised that the Court will double down.
I certainly hope this two day extension by Justice Alito is good news and someone on the Court is knocking some sense and real jurisprudence into the ruling. My biggest hope is that they are realizing the chaos their "we're washing our hands of responsibility for women's rights" Dobbs decision and announcing revisiting Dobbs to reestablish freedom for women in the United States. After all, the 14th amendment says no forced labor!
Sorry to hear about the passing of Lee Fadem, who I knew only through your newsletter. He was what the loudmouth “super-patriots” could never be: the real thing.
To switch topics, I’m going to leave my refrain that a default would be unconstitutional, to suggest that the answer to Kevin McCarthy and his gang should be simple and unyielding: We do not negotiate with terrorists.
MAGA knows that voter suppression works. They support democracy but only if white Christian nationalists win. Hitler would have been proud of Trumpsky and MAGA. When Trumpsky says "America First," remember, "America First" was/is the motto of the KKK and the American Nazi sympathizers in 1935-1945.
Thank you for featuring VoteRiders' work on understanding the reality of unnecessary voter ID laws which are a subterfuge for vote suppression.
www.voteriders.org VoteRiders needs funding to expand its outreach to help individuals get their necessary IDs in new states attacking voting rights such as Idaho which last month passed a law disallowing student photo ID from accredited schools but allowing NRA cards to be used as voter ID at the ballot box.
Idaho's current senators are Republicans Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. They voted against the Freedom to Vote: John R Lewis Voting Rights Act in 2022 by supporting the unconstitutional filibuster thus not allowing the bill to get to the floor of the Senate. They need naming and shaming for attacking our fundamental right to vote by not passing federal legislation so that our zipcodes won't determine whether we can vote.
We need Senators and Congressional Representatives who work on behalf of WE the PEOPLE!
"They voted against the Freedom to Vote." Perfectly said, Alice.
Should be on every Democrat’s tongue
I posted more.. thinking maybe readers don't see the straight-line fall of voting rights from Citizens United to Shelby and its aftermath ... the election of Trump because too many states limited access to the ballot box and money in politics prevented facts from prevailing
I did not mean to dismiss all that you wrote, Alice. But the phrase I lifted from your words jumped out at me. Please forgive!
I didn't take your comment as disparaging. Just the opposite!
I didn't take yours either as disparaging. Yay!
Thank you so very much, Alice, for your ongoing championship and support of VoteRiders' critical and effective work! VoteRiders’ mission is to ensure that no eligible voter is prevented from casting a ballot that counts due to voter ID laws, either directly from lack of acceptable ID or indirectly because of voter confusion. Sixteen (and counting) states have enacted new or stricter voter ID laws since 2020, and about a dozen states are poised to pass additional laws. If anyone knows of voters who have questions or need assistance, they can email Helpline@voteriders.org; for those who'd like to volunteer, volunteer@voteriders.org; and thank everyone for donations at https://www.voteriders.org/donate/!!!
NRA card carrying Americans have more rights than students in an accredited school. Think about that...
I’m repeating myself - we are locked in a cold civil war. I have faith that truth and good will prevail just as it did in the American Revolution almost 250 years ago and the end of the civil war 158 years ago because of groups like VoteRiders and Americans who refuse to give-in to tyranny.
I am adding VoteRiders.org to the Democratic groups I support!
I will help.
Lawrence O'Donnell gave an excellent analysis of Dominion/Fox settlement that convinced me the settlement was the best outcome for this case. If Dominion won the jury trial they still wouldn't get any apology from FOX since in this kind of civil suit money is the only thing awarded. And, unlike the settlement FOX could appeal for years making it difficult for Dominion to ever see the money that the settlement now binds FOX to pay. https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-rupert-murdoch-s-stupidity-gave-dominion-a-huge-win-170739781892
Thank you for that link--very interesting and perspective-giving clip!
Agree with O’Donnell (and Aftergut). It is, however, appalling that Fox can tax-deduct the amount it pays, I suppose as a “cost of doing business.” Yikes.
Thank you for the link to that terrific piece. The only thing Mr. O'Donnell left out was to mention the international negative fall-out from this case on the Murdoch's, especially in the British and Australian media.
The link is well worth the ten minutes it takes to hear it. Thank you Cathy!
Exactly! No need to dwell on the Dominion case. Robert made it clear as did many pundits. Just think about it, odds of 12 jurors deciding aren’t great in 2023.
Voter ID - Voter ID is not only against the poor, young, elderly and minority,
it is particularly discriminatory against WOMEN.
Women are more likely to change their name - BOTH from marriage AND divorce.
These ID laws "often" throw out ballots that do not precisely match the name at initial registration.
There are also "significant" COSTS to obtaining an ID.
Getting a copy of a birth certificate - cha-ching!
Certified copy - more cha-ching!
Getting a driver's license - notoriously long waits, taking time away from work.
DMV offices limited in number and location - access and transportation limitations.
NOTE: If a REAL LIVE PERSON wants to vote, there should be a path for allowing them to exercise their right to decide who will represent them.
Democratic elections in other countries have other examples of establishing the integrity of the voting process.
For example, in some countries a person dips their finger in ink to prevent voting more than once.
In MANY countries, illiteracy is a major problem.
Candidates on the ballot may be represented by an icon in addition to and/or instead of a printed name.
In the 1960s, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (a multiracial coalition) challenged the Democratic Party to be recognized and seated at the National Democratic Convention.
In Alabama, new voters were registered and urged to vote for the (Black) Panther on the ballot, the Lowndes County Freedom Organization.
An excellent post. Thank you. I have been volunteering in St. Louis to help people obtain their birth certificates and government issued photo IDs or driver’s licenses. The hoops one has to go through to get these documents is, as you say, both timely and costly. While this organization helps with the fees and paperwork, the time it takes and the process seem to be unnecessarily burdensome, and it is only available on Tuesday mornings. Another organization is open for a few hours on Thursdays by appointment. That’s it
Thank you, Donna - and Beverly - for sharing this important information about some of the complications and burdens of obtaining a government-issued photo ID and the underlying required documents like a birth certificate! VoteRiders has a terrific and effective Voter ID Assistance program for both in-person and virtual volunteers (volunteer@voteriders.org)!! The organization helps to secure these documents but covers the costs when needed as well as arranging and paying for transportation to and from ID-issuing offices.
I’ll need to look into volunteering at VoteRiders, too. This is so needed. Government-issued photo IDs are needed for employment, housing, voting, and on and on. Before I started volunteering, I knew it was difficult, but I had no idea of how challenging this can be. Thank you for your reply.
VOTER ID DISCRIMINATES AGAINST WOMEN, Minorities, elderly; Jim Crow legacy.
Rosanell Eaton was the face of voter discrimination in North Carolina in a high profile case of the GOP's attempts at voter suppression.
One source for more information:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/25/north-carolina-voter-id-law-jim-crow-african-american
Here in Massachusetts, we just walk up to the registrar’s table, state our name and address and vote. And no problems with ballot integrity.
But you/ we do have potential problems. MA has an openly gay governor - that alone is fodder for Rethuglicans and maga maniacs to go deeper into requiring voter ID laws elsewhere Why? They’ll see Massachusetts as what can happen where there are no stringent voter ID requirements. The last thing they want to see is a gay person hold ANY elected position in government (state or federal). This is especially true in states where GQP have majorities in their state legislatures.
Jon Margolis - that is an oversimplification.
People must REGISTER to vote. That process involves some qualifying documentation of citizenship. Disqualifiers (often pertaining to criminal history) are applied.
Primaries of major parties determine who will be on the ballot. Exclusion from the primary process by active tactics OR apathy, essentially determines whether the ballot even has a candidate or platform worthy of supporting. The person who stands out in my mind on this point is Maceo Snipes, whose murder led the teenaged Martin Luther King, Jr. to pen a letter to the editor calling out injustices in the political system.
In too many areas, some seats are uncontested.
The elephant in the room (so to speak) is the campaign funding that essentially buys power. "Dark money" and Citizens United have spiraled the election process in the United States away from the will of the people.
So yes, voting "should" be as simple as showing up and participating. But it isn't that simple.
Well, I went to renew my license at DMV in a liberal state, mind you. Alas, while it was still the month of renewal, I was a week past the day. It had expired. I was sent home for a proof of identity. I brought my birth certificate which has three names, first, middle and last. It was rejected because it differed from my license, which only uses my first and last names. I had to settle for a license to drive that has "Not to be used for identification purposes." stamped on it. Ye gads!
exactly!
I hate to write it but in the U.S. illiteracy re: civics and how our government works is rampant from the halls of Congress to the voting precincts in some respects.
My condolences to the family of Lee. We will proceed with fighting for democracy in his memory, right?
Another law nerd point: weren't a fairly large part of the damages awarded against Alex Jones based not on defamation but on the tort of outrage? As I recall, in at least some of the suits where Jones was defaulted for discovery and court order violations plaintiffs withdrew their defamation claims. I have neither recollection nor energy to go through the various suits and tot up which ones were an award for defamation. So aren't the "judgement" comparisons kind of apples and oranges? If we are talking just judgements for whatever causes of action, are the Alex Jones judgments still the largest or just the largest for defamation? It is a nitpicking question, sorry.
But I agree that the Dominion suit was a huge win for the country. Their discovery efforts showed without doubt the hypocrisy of Fox we had all suspected. Should we expect a private litigant to take to all the risks and expense of providing for our relish in watching Fox Folks squirm on the stand? It is OF COURSE about money--that's what Dominion was suing for. They are not the ACLU, the DOJ, or a caped crusader.
At least Fox should have had to inform their own viewers of the facts of the case. Dominion may not be the caped crusader but they started out that way… take the money and run.
They never asked for the label. The press gave it to them.
Absolurely, Jeri!! They dangled the carrot and we were biting it.
Lee Fadem - true American. Thank you for sharing his spoken life experience with us, Robert.
I’m wondering what you all think of the Senator Feinstein situation.
I have the utmost respect for her accomplishments, and I surely don’t believe kicking someone when they’re down. But her oath to the Constitution should be the priority over how she hoped her retirement would play out. Also, I have never worked for an institution where critical work just halted for months during an employee’s absence. If that’s what the Senate rules dictate, then shame on the Senate for permitting that to be the case.
The Senate rules are a big problem. But our slim majority is an even bigger one. IMO, Feinstein could serve until she is 120 - if she is doing her job. She is not doing her job. And we are not installing judges. That is the most important element right now. I believe she should follow Amy Klobuchar's advice. Pick a time to return - soon. And then if she can't, she should resign. Newsom can appoint a replacement quickly. And we can get back on track with judges.
The Republicans have played the judges long game for decades and we are suffering the results.
I wonder if Feinstein is even mentally capable of making a decision independently at this point. If not, no one would want to be accused of forcing her under duress.
Feinstein is an icon. She was the first female mayor in San Francisco but only after the beloved mayor, Moscone and Harvey Milk, were gunned down by an insane council member. She then served successfully as our Senator for 31 years. She introduced the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 until it was not renewed by the Repubs. She introduced the Amber Alert system for missing children and has many notable accolades. With that said, she is now 89 years young and is suffering from painful shingles and possibly dementia. Ir is my opinion that she is not cognizant enough to continue to serve. She has to let go and so do we.
Oh! Dear! I should have read Marlene before posting. I agree.
April 19th is Patriots Day in Massachusetts with the commemoration and reenactment of the first battle of the American Revolution at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. I lived for many years in Sudbury, MA, next to Concord and enjoyed being awakened by the Sudbury Minutemen shooting off their muskets at 6 a.m. starting their march from the center of Sudbury to Minuteman Park in Concord for the reenactment. We would quickly dress and walk to the corner just in time to see the fife and drums and the Sudbury Minuteman march by. Just down Pantry Rd a bit, a British citizen who lived there would always fly his Union Jack. My fondest patriotic feelings were of hearing the Concord Band play the Star Spangled Banner on their July Fourth Concert at Minuteman Park as an airliner left a jet trail in the clear skies above overlooking the Old North Bridge where the first shot heard round the world was fired. Happy Patriots Day!
Um...speaking from one of the only two states that celebrate Patriots Day...in 1894, Massachusetts Governor Greenhalge declared the "compromise" celebration of the Minuteman march and battles of Lexington and Concord date to be called "Patriot's Day" on April 19th (the original date of the battles). Since 1969, it has been celebrated on the third Monday in April--which, this year was Monday, April 17th. Since Maine was part of Massachusetts when the battles of Lexington and Concord were fought, we too, celebrate Patriot's Day!
Thank you for the (honest) Patriotic good wishes!
Yes, and for years the Sudbury Minutemen would march on April 19th no matter which date the third Monday was causing some consternation with Concord.
Cathy,
Have you considered returning to MA? We have a fine new woman governor, not many guns. Boston has a brilliant woman mayor, working on true social equity. Even our local Select Board is about to be majority smart, progressive women.
And...it looks like the long overdue East West rail line could actually happen! MA is on the move...
Actually I can probably make a bigger difference here in Texas. Beto came close to unseating Senator Cruz in 2018. Texas population is now minority white although heavily gerrymandered. Glad to hear MA women are doing so well!
Cathy, we may have been neighbors—I lived in Sudbury in the 1970s. I loved the Sudbury Minutemen, because they didn’t dress up in fancy uniforms (which the colonists did not have) or march in step. They just shambled along, dressed any old way, like their forebears.
I lived at 11 Deacon Lane. A one acre lot abutting conservation land where they grew strawberries. Yes, the Minutemen in their floppy hats and the women in colonial dresses standing on the side of the road giving the Minutemen encouragement.
We were on Rambling Road (I know) in South Sudbury, hard by the Framingham line.
Lee Fadem, a true American to be admired. Thank you for highlighting his efforts for democracy.
Re the abortion pill ruing. Here’s a thought: We shop for a sympathetic district judge who is covered by a sympathetic Circuit Court. We bring suit on behalf of a group of children who are traumatized by gun violence and afraid to go to school and ER docs who are traumatized by having to treat assault weapon wounds. We ask for a country wide ban on the sale of assault weapons. Then it goes to the Supreme Court. Sigh…. Well, we can dream…
Is it possible to sue about the voter ID laws? For example, there is a cost to a drivers’ license. So now red states who insist on using this as an ID to vote are basically establishing a poll tax to keep the poor out of the polls. They know very well who has various forms of ID and who doesn’t, and they continue to gerrymander as they wish. That is very racial, by the way. Could that sort of case be brought before a court that doesn’t have a Trump judge???? Why doesn’t the government start taking photo ID’s for benefits cards, and such? Perhaps we should just vote for a national ID card that is issued at birth or prior to voting age? Perhaps the Dems could require that voters must show that they do not own a gun in order to vote……..nothing but the abuse of power ever gets the attention of this disgraceful Party.
With the extension of the “stay” regarding the abortion drug by Justice Alito, you can be sure that in his good hands (cough) he will wait to late Friday to support the original judges order. Logic, reason and adherence to the law does not count anymore. The Supreme Court has become the MAGA of Institutions. So no one be surprised that the Court will double down.
Dominion won for the company and lost for the rest of us. Tune in to Fox, same ole Schitt, they just won’t mention Dominion.
I salute the McCurtain Gazette-News. We know it happens, they proved it.
I certainly hope this two day extension by Justice Alito is good news and someone on the Court is knocking some sense and real jurisprudence into the ruling. My biggest hope is that they are realizing the chaos their "we're washing our hands of responsibility for women's rights" Dobbs decision and announcing revisiting Dobbs to reestablish freedom for women in the United States. After all, the 14th amendment says no forced labor!
Sorry to hear about the passing of Lee Fadem, who I knew only through your newsletter. He was what the loudmouth “super-patriots” could never be: the real thing.
To switch topics, I’m going to leave my refrain that a default would be unconstitutional, to suggest that the answer to Kevin McCarthy and his gang should be simple and unyielding: We do not negotiate with terrorists.
MAGA knows that voter suppression works. They support democracy but only if white Christian nationalists win. Hitler would have been proud of Trumpsky and MAGA. When Trumpsky says "America First," remember, "America First" was/is the motto of the KKK and the American Nazi sympathizers in 1935-1945.