You do understand, Robert, modest as you are, that you are a serious blessing also, to the many of us who rely upon you to keep us focussed and productive, with clarity. You are having an enviably good time.
Robert stands as a beacon of hope and sanity in these troubling times. Not to belittle his observations about the insidiousness of Black voter suppression in Mississippi and other southern states, but we're facing rampant voter suppression against Democrats everywhere, and we must fight it with the resolve of the Civil Rights leaders of the past.
Robert, you and Jill rock. Thank you for you and the followers you met with. I needed to read this column twice . The second time was after I was gut punched by this morning‘s New York Times. This paper has turned into a chaos machine. The blaring headline of the new Biden/Trump poll and Maureen Dowd’s Biden nightmare slam have totally sunk any remaining respect I ever had for that organ. I am not going to ditch my subscription, but rather use it as fuel to continue stoking my anger and determination. If you read pre-Civil War history, you know that abolitionists got no respect for years. How did that work out for cynics and skeptics?
We need to bombard the columnists and journalists hard with letters/emails from Paying Subscribers. I just hit that ego fueled ignoramus, Aaron Blake for his vapid “Analysis “ of the Michigan primary. I also pasted Rick Wilson’s “Trump Must Withdraw” to give him a taste of reality.
Chaos machine is perfect! As Chaos Machines looks to gain members (readers in this case). Money over morality, ethics, and respect. Having a difficult time deciding to keep my on-line subscription to the nyt (no loner deserves capital letters).
I was especially troubled and angered by the NYT article describing that poll. Basically no numbers in the Sunday paper. That kind of selective spoonfeeding is unprofessional journalism of a high order.
I second that emotion! Also, Robert, when I got to "If you are still reading, thank you for sticking with me during a rambling reflection on our travels," I smiled because I felt like you had just reached out and personally taken my hand as a member of this very real community, part of the national grassroots communities network that is more powerful than any force for ending democracy. Hallelujah!!!!
If you’re inclined to continue your reflection through the weekend, and if you haven’t already viewed Jill’s video blog of ‘Day 8: The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis,’ and that of ‘Day 10: The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum,’ well seems to me both are powerful and sobering at once. And portraits of “Democracy in Action,” on those very days, during those very visits.
And Robert and Jill, if I may, “thank you for being a blessing in our lives and for all that you are doing to preserve democracy.”
Robert, thank you for yesterday’s meeting in Jackson. It was an inspiring conversation. What struck me most was your thoughts on the “consultant class” and their dismissal of the critical work done on the margins. I was highly active in campaigns in my twenties, primarily between 1980 and 1992. I volunteered and, at times, held part-time paid positions with various Democratic candidates. Then life got in the way. When I returned to politics, volunteering for Obama in 2007-2008, I saw how political consultants had changed the game. The theory that you only fight when you can win has become pervasive in the Democratic Party. Yet you reject that, and you're right to do so even though my political mind sometimes can't see it.
What you do here is essential. What this community does is important, and no one can rightly say otherwise. All the best things in American history started on the margins, making something out of nothing produce the sweetest victories, even if losses precede them. Thank you again for this visit and everything you do.
Dean, I too, am thankful for meeting Robert, Jill, you, and the other fine people in attendance yesterday! Your experience and summary are so well stated and appreciated! Robert and Jill’s story of how Todays Edition started with a daily email to their 4 daughters following Trump’s 2016 election, and has swelled to 60,000 on Substack, show how big things start from small beginnings. He and Jill are so inspiring, and I was humbled and thankful to have been in their presence. Ty Pickins is an impressive Candidate; we will all do our best to support him. And, as he said he would do, Robert has already gotten the ball rolling for Ty!
To your point Dean, some Republicans never bought that "consultant class" nonsense. We might not like the guys I mention below but you have to admire their persistence. Sometimes, you lose but you win something else in the way of name recognition and the building of a base.
Nixon (won the GOP nomination, but lost the general election in 1960; won 1968)
Reagan (lost the GOP nomination in 1976; won the general in 1980)
Bush (lost the GOP nomination in 1980; won the general in 1988)
Robert and these hard working Mississippi Democrats are on to something.
Dean, your comment, "Democrats try to be too smart for their own good," deserves some thought and analysis as well as assent. It is widely known that the Democratic Party has earned the loyalty of the "college-educated" voter (though I think this advantage is overstated....Look at all the Republicans educated at the best schools.
As a PhD in English who spent my undergraduate years in the hotbed of discussion and thought at the University of Chicago in the late '60s, an environment I continue to revere, and a guy who's spent my life in school working and teaching at colleges and universities, I honor smarts, knowledge, and learning.
However, sometimes I think the educated are tempted by ennui, world-weariness, and dislike and even contempt for the "common" person, to think that the only thing that matters is "winning" an argument, not an election, and usually that argument is between two people of like mind.
We are tempted by:
1) Wanting to have the last word, e.g. "I knew Biden was never going to overcome his low polls"
2) Absolutism: "If Biden doesn't agree with me on every point he is clearly an idiot and doesn't deserve MY support." Corollary: "I'm obviously the smartest guy in the room. But let me prove it to you."
3) Superiority: "Both Trump and Biden are 'idiots'." This was actually said to me by one of the smartest men I know.
4) Passivity coupled to a an anti-American bias: "It doesn't make any difference. America is going down the tubes."
5) A disbelief in democracy and the powers of persuasion. "Republicans are 'deplorable,' i.e. stupid and will never change their minds."
6) Expert Idolatry: "Let's get an expert," i.e. someone who went to the same schools we did or better yet, the schools we wanted to go to, to tell us what is what.
7) Geographic bias: "Who cares about Mississippi or Iowa? Those people are all - stupid/racist/religious zealots, who don't know the difference between Queens and the Bronx, and don't read the New York Times.
We have to fight against these qualities in educated Democrats. I've shared many with some dear friends a few samples of Today's Edition, which have energized me to action, but in most cases I've received the email equivalent of a polite yawn. What you and Robert and the rest of this community do is hard work, frustrating, and at times infuriating, but we need to keep at it. Courage. And thanks for your comment and even more for your work.
You composed a brilliant summary. Thank you very much.
Only one cavil – your use of the word “educated” You are far from alone in that; however, the accurate word is *credentialed*. There often is a huge difference between possessing academic credentials and being a genuinely educated person.
You are correct, Michael. I have known and know many "credentialed" persons who are far from educated or educable. When people rail against Republican know-nothingism, they often forget that the Republican judges, legislators, and donors driving some of the stupidest ideas in the world are graduates of elite institutions. I often point that out when Charlie Kirk and his ilk attack "higher ed" -- a very large tent, for creating liberals. One doesn't have to go to Germany in 1933 to see that higher credentialing is no guarantee of clear thinking, curiosity, moral spirit, or a generous and gracious heart. Thanks for reading my post and commenting.
There is a quote from a woman entrepreneur I have posted next to my desk in my studio that reads, “You have to be prepared to be bad at something before you get good at it.”
I strongly agree that “we” - however we define ourselves, Democrats, progressives, humanitarians, faith believers, etc. - cannot give up on our basic obligation to support each other in our journey toward justice, politically, economically and in every other way. In short, the DNC and others fail us when funds and organization are focused solely on “swing state” politics. “No voter left behind” should be our mantra.
I agree! It is almost impossible to describe the emotional and educational impact of the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We stayed at a B&B run by a woman who had experienced the march from Selma to Montgomery as a teenager. Her personal account and insights led to an even deeper understanding of why we all must continue to work for social justice
Bryan Stevenson is an incredible advocate and role model. And I had the opportunity to meet Rev. James Lawson (he gave the eulogy for John Lewis) in Oct 2019. He spoke at a small gathering, and shared his working with MLK and Mandela. Dr. Lawson participated in the first lunch counter sit-ins. We had an acquaintance in common and were able to chat for awhile. These leaders before us modeled the way for the work we need to do now.
Sen Cindy Hyde Smith and Governor Tate Reeves. Both benefit from the gerrymandered efforts to keep fairness in Mississippi politics as close to the 1870s as possible. One thing: with less gerrymandering and fairer elections, Mississippi has nowhere to go but up. They can do it if they come out from under the GOP yoke. https://wallethub.com/edu/e/most-educated-states/31075
“The way around Mike Johnson” is, I suspect, getting the few non-MAGA, Republican Congresspeople to vote with Democrats on a few key bills, or vote “present”, or not be present at all.
One might think there are enough Representatives who are retiring that a few of them could vote against the Party Line on a few key bills.
Why has this not been so? Two guesses:
• Fear of physical intimidation against themselves and family;
• Fear that they will become pariahs in the communities to which they will return upon leaving Congress.
Robert and Jill, it is inspiring to read about your journey. I visited the museum in TN with my then 4-year old. We boarded a bus inside the museum with a statue of Rosa Parks sitting in the front-most passenger seat. It was a powerful experience and a painful one to explain to a 4-year old.
A Reco for advancing the political voice of BIPOC, women and young political candidates, visit GalPalProductions.com, a woman/lgbtq-owned production company dedicated to elevating underrepresented voices.
I’m continuing my solo grassroots campaign encouraging peeps to wear Biden Shirts on Every grocery run. I see a valuable distinction between my online posts and my in-person activism, namely civility. Online, people are cruel. In person, kindness prevails. Don’t be discouraged by online rhetoric because I’ve come to believe that THAT anonymous rancor is not representative of who people really are. A gentle request for kindness in my online posts has had promising results. It is unfortunate though that algorithms reward posts that trigger an outpouring of anger. Once calm prevails… my TikTok posts seem to fizzle into the ether.
Another way to help with the BIPOC vote is to support Reclaim Our Vote. I am currently writing postcards with them (https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote). The current campaign is to write to BIPOC Voters in Cobb County for the GA Primary. There is still time tio get involved; the postcards will be mailed between Apr 22 and May 9.
They will also have a campaign soon for the VA primary and then other states including NC for the general election. NOTE: There is a brief video training and you must use their postcards.
I wrote with them last year for the VA legislative races and the candidate I wrote for won his race.
Thanks for continuing to be a strong champion of liberty and equality even when you're on vacation! And kudos for standing up and promoting Ty Pinkins, who is a great choice for a congressional seat. If by some miracle he succeeds it will mark a giant step forward for the oppressed people of Mississippi and indeed for the nation at large. I have a Quaker friend who often reminds me that God works through people--people like you, Ty Pinkins, and all the other folks in your orbit of influence.
After reading the headline today "Voters Doubt Biden's Leadership and Favor Trump", I wrote the following comment to that article. I'm trying so hard to remain optimistic, but when one of the major newspapers in the country seems to become more like Fox everyday, I feel defeated. I guess we just need to work harder. I feel we are up against strong headwinds.
Here's my comment:
If voters prefer a candidate who says the following:
(Trump's statement on the border this week)
"People who don't speak languages. We have languages coming in to our country, nobody that speaks those languages. They're truly foreign languages. Nobody speaks them.",
then we are in bigger trouble than I thought.
There are grass roots works all over the country working day and night to educate voters on the existential threat of Donald J. Trump. Why doesn't the Times devote front page coverage of these heroes?
Why doesn't the Times devote front page coverage of the former Prime Minister of Australia speaking for every leader in the Western world who fear a Trump presidency. He just said that when Trump is with Putin he's like a 12 year old enamored by the high school football hero. That is no strong man to me.
Educate us, rather than report on polls of the horse race.
Agreed! Also wish the NY Times would inform its readers of President Biden’s numerous historic successes - many of them bipartisan when everyone said it couldn’t be done. Instead they endlessly report on his age, the “coming recession” (that never happened), and his polls. Meanwhile most Americans have no idea what he’s accomplished in three years against all odds. Perhaps having a wise, experienced leader who cares about the American people and knows how to get things done has actually been a good thing!
Among other things, much of what Biden has “accomplished” has barely gotten past the gestational stage. His accomplishments will not be fully appreciated until they are being put into practice. Then – and as they are being put into practice – the Democratic Party and pundits must *take ownership* and make the accomplishments evident to ordinary Americans: they won’t publicize themselves.
Thank you Robert for your support of grassroots groups. One gentleman drove all the way from Cedar Rapids, IA to attend your gathering hosted by our postcard group in Platteville WI. He was interested in starting similar group in Cedar Rapids. Sue and I met him half-way between our towns on Thursday. We had a great conversation and were able to give him a number of resources, and advice on how to get started. We plan to stay in touch. When you plant a seed in fertile soil, something grows!
While we wait to expand the Court, why not take on the task of revising the procedural "rules" in the House and Senate to eliminate the ongoing ability of one man in each chamber to stymie progress, subvert democracy and do the bidding for others whose interests contradict those of the majority of Americans. Mike Johnson from the 4th District in Louisiana with a total population of 760,000 or 2 tenths of 1 percent of our population and who ran uncontested is holding our country hostage to the whims and wishes of Donald Trump. That needs fixing..yesterday!
I thoroughly enjoyed your comments about your Mississippi River travels and meetings with readers along the way. For those of us who live in states like Mississippi (Ky here) engaged in long-game work to move Ky forward, it helps buoy my spirits to hear about candidates like Ty! Our General Assembly is currently in session with over 1543 bills and resolutions making their way through the committees and chambers. As a bill tracker and one who issues calls to action, I am aghast and disheartened at the number of bills being passed that are based on MAGA ideology. Our activist groups in Louisville are continuing to get more involved in the state and local legislative processes but it is a daunting task when the state legislature (Republican supermajority in both chambers) continues to usurp power from our Democratic Governor, Andy Beshear. With the news of Sen McConnell stepping down from Republican leadership, of course we now have a new piece of Republican legislation that will change and tilt the process of how a vacancy to the U.S. Senate would be selected. We will persevere and continue to build our base throughout KY and encourage and support new Democratic candidates to run for office. Your hopeful message helps sustain those of us working for change.
If you and Jill decide to do another river trip, come on down the Ohio River to Louisville KY, birthplace of Muhammad Ali, and be my guests in a blue dot in a Red Sea!
Thanks for the reminder to encourage and support the lonely work of progressives in the states you visited. As well emphasizing the importance of always fielding candidates even when the short term chances may be poor.
Have you heard of Forgotten Democrats (https://forgottendemocrats.org/)? I heard about it on one of Fred Wellman's "On Democracy" podcasts. And speaking of that podcast, here is a link to my favorite episode:
Crystal Quade lays out what we should all be doing in red states to take the long game and gain traction rather than accepting defeat before we even get started!
Continuing to highlight “the fight” in red states is much appreciated. I’m in Texas. It’s hard to believe that we really are going backwards in time in several ways. Please don’t give up on us.
I’m not seeing specific ways to help in CD-22. Can someone point me in the right direction?
You do understand, Robert, modest as you are, that you are a serious blessing also, to the many of us who rely upon you to keep us focussed and productive, with clarity. You are having an enviably good time.
Robert stands as a beacon of hope and sanity in these troubling times. Not to belittle his observations about the insidiousness of Black voter suppression in Mississippi and other southern states, but we're facing rampant voter suppression against Democrats everywhere, and we must fight it with the resolve of the Civil Rights leaders of the past.
The resolve of the Civil Rights leaders is the model we all must exercise.
Agreed.
Well said. As my dear Mum would say "Spoken like a Gentleman and a Scholar".👍👍🎯
I can pretend to be both.
Modesty is a rare commodity these days!
Robert, you and Jill rock. Thank you for you and the followers you met with. I needed to read this column twice . The second time was after I was gut punched by this morning‘s New York Times. This paper has turned into a chaos machine. The blaring headline of the new Biden/Trump poll and Maureen Dowd’s Biden nightmare slam have totally sunk any remaining respect I ever had for that organ. I am not going to ditch my subscription, but rather use it as fuel to continue stoking my anger and determination. If you read pre-Civil War history, you know that abolitionists got no respect for years. How did that work out for cynics and skeptics?
We need to bombard the columnists and journalists hard with letters/emails from Paying Subscribers. I just hit that ego fueled ignoramus, Aaron Blake for his vapid “Analysis “ of the Michigan primary. I also pasted Rick Wilson’s “Trump Must Withdraw” to give him a taste of reality.
Well put John!
Chaos machine is perfect! As Chaos Machines looks to gain members (readers in this case). Money over morality, ethics, and respect. Having a difficult time deciding to keep my on-line subscription to the nyt (no loner deserves capital letters).
I was especially troubled and angered by the NYT article describing that poll. Basically no numbers in the Sunday paper. That kind of selective spoonfeeding is unprofessional journalism of a high order.
I second that emotion! Also, Robert, when I got to "If you are still reading, thank you for sticking with me during a rambling reflection on our travels," I smiled because I felt like you had just reached out and personally taken my hand as a member of this very real community, part of the national grassroots communities network that is more powerful than any force for ending democracy. Hallelujah!!!!
If you’re inclined to continue your reflection through the weekend, and if you haven’t already viewed Jill’s video blog of ‘Day 8: The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis,’ and that of ‘Day 10: The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum,’ well seems to me both are powerful and sobering at once. And portraits of “Democracy in Action,” on those very days, during those very visits.
And Robert and Jill, if I may, “thank you for being a blessing in our lives and for all that you are doing to preserve democracy.”
Robert, thank you for yesterday’s meeting in Jackson. It was an inspiring conversation. What struck me most was your thoughts on the “consultant class” and their dismissal of the critical work done on the margins. I was highly active in campaigns in my twenties, primarily between 1980 and 1992. I volunteered and, at times, held part-time paid positions with various Democratic candidates. Then life got in the way. When I returned to politics, volunteering for Obama in 2007-2008, I saw how political consultants had changed the game. The theory that you only fight when you can win has become pervasive in the Democratic Party. Yet you reject that, and you're right to do so even though my political mind sometimes can't see it.
What you do here is essential. What this community does is important, and no one can rightly say otherwise. All the best things in American history started on the margins, making something out of nothing produce the sweetest victories, even if losses precede them. Thank you again for this visit and everything you do.
Dean, I too, am thankful for meeting Robert, Jill, you, and the other fine people in attendance yesterday! Your experience and summary are so well stated and appreciated! Robert and Jill’s story of how Todays Edition started with a daily email to their 4 daughters following Trump’s 2016 election, and has swelled to 60,000 on Substack, show how big things start from small beginnings. He and Jill are so inspiring, and I was humbled and thankful to have been in their presence. Ty Pickins is an impressive Candidate; we will all do our best to support him. And, as he said he would do, Robert has already gotten the ball rolling for Ty!
It was great to meet you, Lonnie!
My honor, Sir!
It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Dean! Thank you for everything you are doing to help preserve democracy in Mississippi.
To your point Dean, some Republicans never bought that "consultant class" nonsense. We might not like the guys I mention below but you have to admire their persistence. Sometimes, you lose but you win something else in the way of name recognition and the building of a base.
Nixon (won the GOP nomination, but lost the general election in 1960; won 1968)
Reagan (lost the GOP nomination in 1976; won the general in 1980)
Bush (lost the GOP nomination in 1980; won the general in 1988)
Robert and these hard working Mississippi Democrats are on to something.
Robert brought up that point. Republicans have always played the long game. Sometimes, I think Democrats try to be too smart for their own good.
Dean, your comment, "Democrats try to be too smart for their own good," deserves some thought and analysis as well as assent. It is widely known that the Democratic Party has earned the loyalty of the "college-educated" voter (though I think this advantage is overstated....Look at all the Republicans educated at the best schools.
As a PhD in English who spent my undergraduate years in the hotbed of discussion and thought at the University of Chicago in the late '60s, an environment I continue to revere, and a guy who's spent my life in school working and teaching at colleges and universities, I honor smarts, knowledge, and learning.
However, sometimes I think the educated are tempted by ennui, world-weariness, and dislike and even contempt for the "common" person, to think that the only thing that matters is "winning" an argument, not an election, and usually that argument is between two people of like mind.
We are tempted by:
1) Wanting to have the last word, e.g. "I knew Biden was never going to overcome his low polls"
2) Absolutism: "If Biden doesn't agree with me on every point he is clearly an idiot and doesn't deserve MY support." Corollary: "I'm obviously the smartest guy in the room. But let me prove it to you."
3) Superiority: "Both Trump and Biden are 'idiots'." This was actually said to me by one of the smartest men I know.
4) Passivity coupled to a an anti-American bias: "It doesn't make any difference. America is going down the tubes."
5) A disbelief in democracy and the powers of persuasion. "Republicans are 'deplorable,' i.e. stupid and will never change their minds."
6) Expert Idolatry: "Let's get an expert," i.e. someone who went to the same schools we did or better yet, the schools we wanted to go to, to tell us what is what.
7) Geographic bias: "Who cares about Mississippi or Iowa? Those people are all - stupid/racist/religious zealots, who don't know the difference between Queens and the Bronx, and don't read the New York Times.
We have to fight against these qualities in educated Democrats. I've shared many with some dear friends a few samples of Today's Edition, which have energized me to action, but in most cases I've received the email equivalent of a polite yawn. What you and Robert and the rest of this community do is hard work, frustrating, and at times infuriating, but we need to keep at it. Courage. And thanks for your comment and even more for your work.
Patrick –
You composed a brilliant summary. Thank you very much.
Only one cavil – your use of the word “educated” You are far from alone in that; however, the accurate word is *credentialed*. There often is a huge difference between possessing academic credentials and being a genuinely educated person.
You are correct, Michael. I have known and know many "credentialed" persons who are far from educated or educable. When people rail against Republican know-nothingism, they often forget that the Republican judges, legislators, and donors driving some of the stupidest ideas in the world are graduates of elite institutions. I often point that out when Charlie Kirk and his ilk attack "higher ed" -- a very large tent, for creating liberals. One doesn't have to go to Germany in 1933 to see that higher credentialing is no guarantee of clear thinking, curiosity, moral spirit, or a generous and gracious heart. Thanks for reading my post and commenting.
There is a quote from a woman entrepreneur I have posted next to my desk in my studio that reads, “You have to be prepared to be bad at something before you get good at it.”
“ The theory that you only fight when you can win has become pervasive in the Democratic Party. ”
Its pure laziness.
I strongly agree that “we” - however we define ourselves, Democrats, progressives, humanitarians, faith believers, etc. - cannot give up on our basic obligation to support each other in our journey toward justice, politically, economically and in every other way. In short, the DNC and others fail us when funds and organization are focused solely on “swing state” politics. “No voter left behind” should be our mantra.
John, I’m going to borrow your phrase!
Thank you - and welcome to it. Of course, I have adapted George W. Bush’s slogan about school children: no child left behind.
Love love love NO VOTER LEFT BEHIND!!
This should be our Dem motto / tag line!!
💙💙💙💙
I will be on a Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama this upcoming week.
The Legacy Museum at The Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama,
along with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice
(commonly referred to as the "Lynching Museum")
are the most impactful sites for education and reflection I have ever experienced.
Bryan Stevenson is the founder of EJI and a tireless social justice hero.
Black History is American History.
I agree! It is almost impossible to describe the emotional and educational impact of the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We stayed at a B&B run by a woman who had experienced the march from Selma to Montgomery as a teenager. Her personal account and insights led to an even deeper understanding of why we all must continue to work for social justice
Bryan Stevenson is an incredible advocate and role model. And I had the opportunity to meet Rev. James Lawson (he gave the eulogy for John Lewis) in Oct 2019. He spoke at a small gathering, and shared his working with MLK and Mandela. Dr. Lawson participated in the first lunch counter sit-ins. We had an acquaintance in common and were able to chat for awhile. These leaders before us modeled the way for the work we need to do now.
Looking forward to hearing about your Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama, Dr. Beverly!
💙
Sen Cindy Hyde Smith and Governor Tate Reeves. Both benefit from the gerrymandered efforts to keep fairness in Mississippi politics as close to the 1870s as possible. One thing: with less gerrymandering and fairer elections, Mississippi has nowhere to go but up. They can do it if they come out from under the GOP yoke. https://wallethub.com/edu/e/most-educated-states/31075
We all need to get out from under the GOP yoke. Let’s start by finding a way around Mike Johnson.
“The way around Mike Johnson” is, I suspect, getting the few non-MAGA, Republican Congresspeople to vote with Democrats on a few key bills, or vote “present”, or not be present at all.
One might think there are enough Representatives who are retiring that a few of them could vote against the Party Line on a few key bills.
Why has this not been so? Two guesses:
• Fear of physical intimidation against themselves and family;
• Fear that they will become pariahs in the communities to which they will return upon leaving Congress.
What can be done to combat it effectively?
Robert and Jill, it is inspiring to read about your journey. I visited the museum in TN with my then 4-year old. We boarded a bus inside the museum with a statue of Rosa Parks sitting in the front-most passenger seat. It was a powerful experience and a painful one to explain to a 4-year old.
A Reco for advancing the political voice of BIPOC, women and young political candidates, visit GalPalProductions.com, a woman/lgbtq-owned production company dedicated to elevating underrepresented voices.
I’m continuing my solo grassroots campaign encouraging peeps to wear Biden Shirts on Every grocery run. I see a valuable distinction between my online posts and my in-person activism, namely civility. Online, people are cruel. In person, kindness prevails. Don’t be discouraged by online rhetoric because I’ve come to believe that THAT anonymous rancor is not representative of who people really are. A gentle request for kindness in my online posts has had promising results. It is unfortunate though that algorithms reward posts that trigger an outpouring of anger. Once calm prevails… my TikTok posts seem to fizzle into the ether.
Happy weekend to all. Safe travels Robert.
We are seeing Biden and Democratic T-shirts at our Reader meetings, thanks and part to you!
So good to hear!
Another way to help with the BIPOC vote is to support Reclaim Our Vote. I am currently writing postcards with them (https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote). The current campaign is to write to BIPOC Voters in Cobb County for the GA Primary. There is still time tio get involved; the postcards will be mailed between Apr 22 and May 9.
They will also have a campaign soon for the VA primary and then other states including NC for the general election. NOTE: There is a brief video training and you must use their postcards.
I wrote with them last year for the VA legislative races and the candidate I wrote for won his race.
Thank you for letting us know about Ty; just donated.
Thank you!
Me too!
Same
Same here! Great candidate!
I did too, and was proud to do it. What an inspiring candidate!
Thanks for continuing to be a strong champion of liberty and equality even when you're on vacation! And kudos for standing up and promoting Ty Pinkins, who is a great choice for a congressional seat. If by some miracle he succeeds it will mark a giant step forward for the oppressed people of Mississippi and indeed for the nation at large. I have a Quaker friend who often reminds me that God works through people--people like you, Ty Pinkins, and all the other folks in your orbit of influence.
After reading the headline today "Voters Doubt Biden's Leadership and Favor Trump", I wrote the following comment to that article. I'm trying so hard to remain optimistic, but when one of the major newspapers in the country seems to become more like Fox everyday, I feel defeated. I guess we just need to work harder. I feel we are up against strong headwinds.
Here's my comment:
If voters prefer a candidate who says the following:
(Trump's statement on the border this week)
"People who don't speak languages. We have languages coming in to our country, nobody that speaks those languages. They're truly foreign languages. Nobody speaks them.",
then we are in bigger trouble than I thought.
There are grass roots works all over the country working day and night to educate voters on the existential threat of Donald J. Trump. Why doesn't the Times devote front page coverage of these heroes?
Why doesn't the Times devote front page coverage of the former Prime Minister of Australia speaking for every leader in the Western world who fear a Trump presidency. He just said that when Trump is with Putin he's like a 12 year old enamored by the high school football hero. That is no strong man to me.
Educate us, rather than report on polls of the horse race.
Agreed! Also wish the NY Times would inform its readers of President Biden’s numerous historic successes - many of them bipartisan when everyone said it couldn’t be done. Instead they endlessly report on his age, the “coming recession” (that never happened), and his polls. Meanwhile most Americans have no idea what he’s accomplished in three years against all odds. Perhaps having a wise, experienced leader who cares about the American people and knows how to get things done has actually been a good thing!
Among other things, much of what Biden has “accomplished” has barely gotten past the gestational stage. His accomplishments will not be fully appreciated until they are being put into practice. Then – and as they are being put into practice – the Democratic Party and pundits must *take ownership* and make the accomplishments evident to ordinary Americans: they won’t publicize themselves.
👍👍👍👍
Thank you Robert for your support of grassroots groups. One gentleman drove all the way from Cedar Rapids, IA to attend your gathering hosted by our postcard group in Platteville WI. He was interested in starting similar group in Cedar Rapids. Sue and I met him half-way between our towns on Thursday. We had a great conversation and were able to give him a number of resources, and advice on how to get started. We plan to stay in touch. When you plant a seed in fertile soil, something grows!
Inspirational!
While we wait to expand the Court, why not take on the task of revising the procedural "rules" in the House and Senate to eliminate the ongoing ability of one man in each chamber to stymie progress, subvert democracy and do the bidding for others whose interests contradict those of the majority of Americans. Mike Johnson from the 4th District in Louisiana with a total population of 760,000 or 2 tenths of 1 percent of our population and who ran uncontested is holding our country hostage to the whims and wishes of Donald Trump. That needs fixing..yesterday!
I thoroughly enjoyed your comments about your Mississippi River travels and meetings with readers along the way. For those of us who live in states like Mississippi (Ky here) engaged in long-game work to move Ky forward, it helps buoy my spirits to hear about candidates like Ty! Our General Assembly is currently in session with over 1543 bills and resolutions making their way through the committees and chambers. As a bill tracker and one who issues calls to action, I am aghast and disheartened at the number of bills being passed that are based on MAGA ideology. Our activist groups in Louisville are continuing to get more involved in the state and local legislative processes but it is a daunting task when the state legislature (Republican supermajority in both chambers) continues to usurp power from our Democratic Governor, Andy Beshear. With the news of Sen McConnell stepping down from Republican leadership, of course we now have a new piece of Republican legislation that will change and tilt the process of how a vacancy to the U.S. Senate would be selected. We will persevere and continue to build our base throughout KY and encourage and support new Democratic candidates to run for office. Your hopeful message helps sustain those of us working for change.
If you and Jill decide to do another river trip, come on down the Ohio River to Louisville KY, birthplace of Muhammad Ali, and be my guests in a blue dot in a Red Sea!
Thanks for the reminder to encourage and support the lonely work of progressives in the states you visited. As well emphasizing the importance of always fielding candidates even when the short term chances may be poor.
Have you heard of Forgotten Democrats (https://forgottendemocrats.org/)? I heard about it on one of Fred Wellman's "On Democracy" podcasts. And speaking of that podcast, here is a link to my favorite episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxMTuI7Zz_I&list=PL36GQAccexbwfbZk_lhXI_-1-rRwHZ7ea&index=34&t=2658s
Crystal Quade lays out what we should all be doing in red states to take the long game and gain traction rather than accepting defeat before we even get started!
I know that the two of you will be embarrassed to see this, but you are true heroes.
Continuing to highlight “the fight” in red states is much appreciated. I’m in Texas. It’s hard to believe that we really are going backwards in time in several ways. Please don’t give up on us.
I’m not seeing specific ways to help in CD-22. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Win Races in CA—TEXT or CALL!
https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/chop-wood-carry-water-31-6be?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Thank you.