I believe that if Donald Trump somehow survives the onslaught of legal jeopardy and makes it onto the Republican ticket in the next presidential election, he will not have the benefit of 1. An element of Surprise, 2. A Backlash to a Black predecessor, 3. Vitriolic hatred of his opponent, and 4. Last minute shenanigans by the FBI Director leading to a loss in the general election and a win in the electoral college.
His loss will be similar and even more devastating than in year 2020.
I predict 60-40 in the general election.
Our challenge is to get EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT to cast a ballot in the next election, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
There is nothing else more important than that.
The result of that message would be the demolition of anything the Republicans could ever hope to achieve.
And to invite many independent or unaffiliated voters to cast ballots for Democrats as their conscience dictates. As well as as many Republicans who have joined the resistance to Trump.
Will, yes, of course. I know I am being highly optimistic. But knowing the Dems voter turnout averages tells me that a slight boost could be quite dramatic. Heck, even a 55% in the general election would be pretty incredible. It’s just hard for me to understand how after what has gone down SO many people can still hold their noses and vote that way. It all seems so very obvious to me.
Since my birth, not one day has gone by when democracy was not in danger. The struggle is constant.
There will always be greed and hunger for power.
Our task, whether from the Sermon on the Mount, Torah, the Parable of Light, the path of the Buddha, or just a belief in Humanism and the Commons, is to walk the path of active love.
I love your "parade" of spiritual or non-physical guidances. May I add as well "the Allah of light" as another evidence of humanity's openness to an essential that is in addition to food, clothing & shelter. 💙 🌷💗
My inclusion of the Parable of Light refers to Surah 24 in the Quran:
"Allāh is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allāh guides to His light whom He wills. And Allāh presents examples for the people, and Allāh is Knowing of all things."
Edward, Forgive me! I thought Parable of Light might be. But I googled Parable of Light and got Matt 15 about not hiding one's light under a bushel! I guess I didn't look far enough down the list! Then I searched Allah + light and got "Allah of Light."
I had to look up FAAP; as mother, grandmother and great grand, I love knowing that you are a pediatrician!
Kevin McCarthy -- I just looked this up -- is 22 years and ten months younger than Joe Biden. So much for complaints about Biden's age! There is obviously no connection between age and effectiveness. If Joe Biden were speaker of the house, the budget would have been in the can long ago.
A small victory in Brevard County, Fl yesterday on National Voter Registration Day.⬇️
Several weeks ago our County Commissioners, all Republicans, voted 3/2 to defund the Supervisor of Elections budget by the exact amount appropriated to send sample ballots to all voters and pay for return postage for mail-in ballots. Yesterday one of the Commissioners reversed his vote saying his office was “inundated” with over 100 calls and 300 emails. We are a county of over 600,000 .A tiny percentage mobilized and made a difference. Your voice matters !
Yes! Congratulations to you and your fellow residents for reversing this attempt to suppress voting rights. Grateful to you and your neighbors who made their objections clear!
This proves Robert's point (and Jess Craven's exhortations) that EACH OF US has a voice that WILL BE HEARD if we make the effort to call, email, write our elected representatives. They DO listen, and we have to understand and believe that truth. Please make sure all of your friends, family and neighbors are registered to vote. Here is the official voter registration check by the US Government: https://vote.gov/
Thank you for voting and for encouraging EVERYONE you know to vote, too. It will take each and all of us to preserve our democracy in 2024 and beyond.
Thanks for the booster shot of reality, Robert. We must not relent!
President Biden's speech to the UN was reassuring to the world, but only his resounding victory in 2024 will sustain it. The return of the Defendant or ascension of any of his enablers, apologists, "echo"lytes, or "sicko"phants will not only seriously damage our own country, but the entire world will suffer. There's more at stake than just our own self-interests.
We should reflect on that fact. When Trump spoke to the UN, it was front page news with video on every cable and broadcast channel. Biden speaks and there is "below the fold" coverage. Is that bad? Good? Understandable given that Biden wasn't mocked by the General Assembly while Trump was?
As to the lack of coverage, unless you (and every reader) are not part of the solution, we deserve what we will get. We are part of Joe's PR team. Spread the word!
Indeed. And how much press will VP Harris get for her month long effort to get young people registered to vote and involved in maintaining a democracy? We can't depend on the "media" for anything now. They are not pledged to tell all the news. They are charged with making money. Period.
We need an independent non-profit publicly funded national news broadcasting system - available over the air, as a cable channel, as a streaming channel, on YouTube, TikTok and yes, even "X". Require it. (PBS has been partially purchased...too late.)
Sep 20, 2023·edited Sep 20, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
When the government shuts down on October 1, everyone should understand who is responsible. We should also make sure everyone knows that this is what Republican governance looks like. For those who think the government is in their way, the shutdown will be a preview of the chaos that a Republican presidency would deliver, and a review of the one they seem to have forgotten. The Defendant had 2 shutdowns in his single term.
Once again, Mr. Hubbell sounds a clarion call for all believers in American democracy--saying how vital it is that everyone, in all parts of the country, work at every level to assure the continuation of our long-established system of democratic governance. But he wisely cautions his readers not to view the possibility of Trump’s re-election as a death knell for America’s democracy. I agree that the chance of a Trump return to office is steadily diminishing. As awful as such a prospect would be, we shouldn’t excessively fear neither its likelihood of happening nor its consequences in the off chance that it does. Donald Trump has injected a virulent poison into American politics, but the majority of voters have generated an antidote to it. The MAGA crowd has resorted to ever more extreme attitudes and actions, spelling their defeat in 2024 and their ultimate expulsion from the American body politic. This is true so long as the decent majority of Americans remain vigilant to the dangers these extremists present.
I just learned of this group on Nicole Wallace's show yesterday. This is good stuff and another group to help in the defense of democracy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTUfe7ZRNQI
Go to: operationsavingdemocracy.org to sign up. This is a DPAC that is BIPARTISAN in its mission to block Trump from regaining the White House in 2024. They definitely are looking for donations, but I just signed up first to see what I receive from them before donating. I'll report back soon -- Sheila
It isn't that Trump might be president again (mind-boggling) It's that Putin will prevail if so, and Ukraine will be toast. Trump will undo the positive strides of NATO, shore up the present SCOTUS' malfeasance, play golf with coniving Saudi Arabia, et al. With apologies to Robert who is always patient with my doom scrolling, there will be a significant lurch toward fascism here and elsewhere. That's what is meant by "the end of Democracy."
Biden's age should be recognized as an asset. He has proved to be a better man and a better leader than he was 34 years ago. Let's not defend his age, let's flaunt it.
As another reader pointed out, the exciting win in NH by Democrat Hal Rafter didn't flip the NH House but did bring it VERY close to a tie (we're now at 198R:197D, with two independents, another special election coming up that is likely to go to the Dems., and 2 other newly vacated seats.) I'd like to add to the comments at the end of Robert's newsletter that, in addition to the Giving Circle and PostcardsToVoters, local grass roots organizations had a lot to do with Hal's win - knocking on doors, sending postcards and making phone calls. This kind of joint effort by local volunteers with boots on the ground and activists from around the country is a winning combination and will carry us through 2024 and beyond!!
Concerning messaging, turn the negative “Democracy will be over” into a positive one by saying “A vote for Biden is a vote for Democracy”.
Concerning the duties of a congressman, I just started reading Jon Meacham’s biography of Lincoln, And There Was Light. Meaham in describing Lincoln noted the role of conscience in defining a congressman’s duty to his constituents:
“The eighteenth-century statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke had thought much on this question. “Your representative,” Burke remarked, “owes you not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.””
As Biden keeps reminding voters he is president of all Americans not just those who put him in office. Congressmen too should view his/her district in the same light. In these harrowing times I can only think how craven are members of the Republican Party. They so easily deny the existence of a conscience and should be defeated for every office, every where.
"As Biden keeps reminding voters he is president of all Americans not just those who put him in office. Congressmen too should view his/her district in the same light." ✅✅✅
Sep 20, 2023·edited Sep 20, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Some time back, Robert Reich wrote that when he asked his near post-Gen-Z students what generation they are, the students answered, “We are the last generation.” I mention this because I believe Robert Hubbell has done great service in partially helping both to explain the source of this perception and also to offer some of the remedy.
I needed your advice today. Yesterday I attended a book group of 6 retired intelligent people. We somehow got onto the topic of Joe Biden. One of the women, a retired schoolteacher, said she knew many Democrats who didn’t like Biden or Trump and would either not vote or would vote for a third-party candidate. This blew me away! And of course led to a heated discussion. She had no idea what Biden has accomplished and I was very happy to educate her. My question to you, Robert, is how does one remain calm and cool instead of hot and passionate in the face of conversations like this one?
That's a tough question, and the answer depends on the situation. if you are dealing with someone who is operating in good faith, I think empathy is a good tactic. Try to understand what brought them to a situation where they are so misinformed? Have they struggled with challenges that have prevented them from engaging? Are they in a family that supports Trump and so they "absorb" the MAGA culture?
if they are not operating in good faith, don't bother. Walk away and save your breath.
If your passions led to a “ heated discussion” that helped a friend recognize how much Biden and his team have done, great! There is nothing wrong with passionate conversations IF you are offering good information without a personal attack on a friend or colleague while leaving room to hear from others. We need more passion, not less while engaging in civil discourse with care absent hostility. Go forward and speak truth. In the end, truth will shine if a person is an open and honest friend. Sometimes, these risks are far less damaging than we anticipate when withholding information and differing ideas.
Rafter has not flipped the NH House, just added momentum.
Thanks. Pinning this to the top to correct the error.
I believe that if Donald Trump somehow survives the onslaught of legal jeopardy and makes it onto the Republican ticket in the next presidential election, he will not have the benefit of 1. An element of Surprise, 2. A Backlash to a Black predecessor, 3. Vitriolic hatred of his opponent, and 4. Last minute shenanigans by the FBI Director leading to a loss in the general election and a win in the electoral college.
His loss will be similar and even more devastating than in year 2020.
I predict 60-40 in the general election.
Our challenge is to get EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT to cast a ballot in the next election, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
There is nothing else more important than that.
The result of that message would be the demolition of anything the Republicans could ever hope to achieve.
And to invite many independent or unaffiliated voters to cast ballots for Democrats as their conscience dictates. As well as as many Republicans who have joined the resistance to Trump.
Or, for the Republicans, simply not vote for trump, even if they can't bring themselves through long tradition to vote for a Dem.
Will, yes, of course. I know I am being highly optimistic. But knowing the Dems voter turnout averages tells me that a slight boost could be quite dramatic. Heck, even a 55% in the general election would be pretty incredible. It’s just hard for me to understand how after what has gone down SO many people can still hold their noses and vote that way. It all seems so very obvious to me.
Since my birth, not one day has gone by when democracy was not in danger. The struggle is constant.
There will always be greed and hunger for power.
Our task, whether from the Sermon on the Mount, Torah, the Parable of Light, the path of the Buddha, or just a belief in Humanism and the Commons, is to walk the path of active love.
I love your "parade" of spiritual or non-physical guidances. May I add as well "the Allah of light" as another evidence of humanity's openness to an essential that is in addition to food, clothing & shelter. 💙 🌷💗
Terry -
Many blessings. I didn't forget! :-)
My inclusion of the Parable of Light refers to Surah 24 in the Quran:
"Allāh is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allāh guides to His light whom He wills. And Allāh presents examples for the people, and Allāh is Knowing of all things."
Edward, Forgive me! I thought Parable of Light might be. But I googled Parable of Light and got Matt 15 about not hiding one's light under a bushel! I guess I didn't look far enough down the list! Then I searched Allah + light and got "Allah of Light."
I had to look up FAAP; as mother, grandmother and great grand, I love knowing that you are a pediatrician!
Blessings,
Kevin McCarthy -- I just looked this up -- is 22 years and ten months younger than Joe Biden. So much for complaints about Biden's age! There is obviously no connection between age and effectiveness. If Joe Biden were speaker of the house, the budget would have been in the can long ago.
That's a great point, maybe some Democrat will take it and start pointing out this fact..
A small victory in Brevard County, Fl yesterday on National Voter Registration Day.⬇️
Several weeks ago our County Commissioners, all Republicans, voted 3/2 to defund the Supervisor of Elections budget by the exact amount appropriated to send sample ballots to all voters and pay for return postage for mail-in ballots. Yesterday one of the Commissioners reversed his vote saying his office was “inundated” with over 100 calls and 300 emails. We are a county of over 600,000 .A tiny percentage mobilized and made a difference. Your voice matters !
💙
Yes! Congratulations to you and your fellow residents for reversing this attempt to suppress voting rights. Grateful to you and your neighbors who made their objections clear!
Kathy, such great news!!!! There is life in Florida.
This proves Robert's point (and Jess Craven's exhortations) that EACH OF US has a voice that WILL BE HEARD if we make the effort to call, email, write our elected representatives. They DO listen, and we have to understand and believe that truth. Please make sure all of your friends, family and neighbors are registered to vote. Here is the official voter registration check by the US Government: https://vote.gov/
Thank you for voting and for encouraging EVERYONE you know to vote, too. It will take each and all of us to preserve our democracy in 2024 and beyond.
Well done and thanks for sharing!!!!!
Thanks for the booster shot of reality, Robert. We must not relent!
President Biden's speech to the UN was reassuring to the world, but only his resounding victory in 2024 will sustain it. The return of the Defendant or ascension of any of his enablers, apologists, "echo"lytes, or "sicko"phants will not only seriously damage our own country, but the entire world will suffer. There's more at stake than just our own self-interests.
True but how many voters read or listened to the speech and the media did not make it headline event
We should reflect on that fact. When Trump spoke to the UN, it was front page news with video on every cable and broadcast channel. Biden speaks and there is "below the fold" coverage. Is that bad? Good? Understandable given that Biden wasn't mocked by the General Assembly while Trump was?
As to the lack of coverage, unless you (and every reader) are not part of the solution, we deserve what we will get. We are part of Joe's PR team. Spread the word!
I will take “business as usual” any day! Right makes Might!!!!
Indeed. And how much press will VP Harris get for her month long effort to get young people registered to vote and involved in maintaining a democracy? We can't depend on the "media" for anything now. They are not pledged to tell all the news. They are charged with making money. Period.
We need an independent non-profit publicly funded national news broadcasting system - available over the air, as a cable channel, as a streaming channel, on YouTube, TikTok and yes, even "X". Require it. (PBS has been partially purchased...too late.)
Your correct and than God we have people like Robert Hubbell and others
When the government shuts down on October 1, everyone should understand who is responsible. We should also make sure everyone knows that this is what Republican governance looks like. For those who think the government is in their way, the shutdown will be a preview of the chaos that a Republican presidency would deliver, and a review of the one they seem to have forgotten. The Defendant had 2 shutdowns in his single term.
Good point!
Democratic messaging is so important, unfortunately MSM is not on the same page..
Dems have sucked at messaging for years. And republicans are going to blame it on the democrats and their base will believe it.
Dems have sucked at messaging for years. And republicans are going to blame it on the democrats and their base will believe it.
Thank you, Robert, for being the voice of reason, steadfastness, and sanity. You are greatly appreciated.
Once again, Mr. Hubbell sounds a clarion call for all believers in American democracy--saying how vital it is that everyone, in all parts of the country, work at every level to assure the continuation of our long-established system of democratic governance. But he wisely cautions his readers not to view the possibility of Trump’s re-election as a death knell for America’s democracy. I agree that the chance of a Trump return to office is steadily diminishing. As awful as such a prospect would be, we shouldn’t excessively fear neither its likelihood of happening nor its consequences in the off chance that it does. Donald Trump has injected a virulent poison into American politics, but the majority of voters have generated an antidote to it. The MAGA crowd has resorted to ever more extreme attitudes and actions, spelling their defeat in 2024 and their ultimate expulsion from the American body politic. This is true so long as the decent majority of Americans remain vigilant to the dangers these extremists present.
I just learned of this group on Nicole Wallace's show yesterday. This is good stuff and another group to help in the defense of democracy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTUfe7ZRNQI
"Operation Saving Democracy"--a great ad! Share it widely!
Go to: operationsavingdemocracy.org to sign up. This is a DPAC that is BIPARTISAN in its mission to block Trump from regaining the White House in 2024. They definitely are looking for donations, but I just signed up first to see what I receive from them before donating. I'll report back soon -- Sheila
It isn't that Trump might be president again (mind-boggling) It's that Putin will prevail if so, and Ukraine will be toast. Trump will undo the positive strides of NATO, shore up the present SCOTUS' malfeasance, play golf with coniving Saudi Arabia, et al. With apologies to Robert who is always patient with my doom scrolling, there will be a significant lurch toward fascism here and elsewhere. That's what is meant by "the end of Democracy."
I've been one of those people who have said - "Our democracy will not survive......" I'm not going to say it anymore. Thank you.
Biden's age should be recognized as an asset. He has proved to be a better man and a better leader than he was 34 years ago. Let's not defend his age, let's flaunt it.
As another reader pointed out, the exciting win in NH by Democrat Hal Rafter didn't flip the NH House but did bring it VERY close to a tie (we're now at 198R:197D, with two independents, another special election coming up that is likely to go to the Dems., and 2 other newly vacated seats.) I'd like to add to the comments at the end of Robert's newsletter that, in addition to the Giving Circle and PostcardsToVoters, local grass roots organizations had a lot to do with Hal's win - knocking on doors, sending postcards and making phone calls. This kind of joint effort by local volunteers with boots on the ground and activists from around the country is a winning combination and will carry us through 2024 and beyond!!
I have been battling the flu for the past 3-1/2 weeks. Today's Edition is a perfect read for me about the state of our democracy. Many thanks, Robert!
Hope you feel better soon!
Ohhh Lynette, sorry to hear this news. Hope you stay bundled up, use Vicks, chicken soup, etc. 💞
Concerning messaging, turn the negative “Democracy will be over” into a positive one by saying “A vote for Biden is a vote for Democracy”.
Concerning the duties of a congressman, I just started reading Jon Meacham’s biography of Lincoln, And There Was Light. Meaham in describing Lincoln noted the role of conscience in defining a congressman’s duty to his constituents:
“The eighteenth-century statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke had thought much on this question. “Your representative,” Burke remarked, “owes you not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.””
As Biden keeps reminding voters he is president of all Americans not just those who put him in office. Congressmen too should view his/her district in the same light. In these harrowing times I can only think how craven are members of the Republican Party. They so easily deny the existence of a conscience and should be defeated for every office, every where.
"As Biden keeps reminding voters he is president of all Americans not just those who put him in office. Congressmen too should view his/her district in the same light." ✅✅✅
Some time back, Robert Reich wrote that when he asked his near post-Gen-Z students what generation they are, the students answered, “We are the last generation.” I mention this because I believe Robert Hubbell has done great service in partially helping both to explain the source of this perception and also to offer some of the remedy.
I needed your advice today. Yesterday I attended a book group of 6 retired intelligent people. We somehow got onto the topic of Joe Biden. One of the women, a retired schoolteacher, said she knew many Democrats who didn’t like Biden or Trump and would either not vote or would vote for a third-party candidate. This blew me away! And of course led to a heated discussion. She had no idea what Biden has accomplished and I was very happy to educate her. My question to you, Robert, is how does one remain calm and cool instead of hot and passionate in the face of conversations like this one?
That's a tough question, and the answer depends on the situation. if you are dealing with someone who is operating in good faith, I think empathy is a good tactic. Try to understand what brought them to a situation where they are so misinformed? Have they struggled with challenges that have prevented them from engaging? Are they in a family that supports Trump and so they "absorb" the MAGA culture?
if they are not operating in good faith, don't bother. Walk away and save your breath.
If your passions led to a “ heated discussion” that helped a friend recognize how much Biden and his team have done, great! There is nothing wrong with passionate conversations IF you are offering good information without a personal attack on a friend or colleague while leaving room to hear from others. We need more passion, not less while engaging in civil discourse with care absent hostility. Go forward and speak truth. In the end, truth will shine if a person is an open and honest friend. Sometimes, these risks are far less damaging than we anticipate when withholding information and differing ideas.