First of all, thank you for describing the presser questions and the “reporters” asking them the way you did. My husband and I were livid watching it as well as reading the story headlines on cnn.com afterwards. Secondly, thanks also for letting folks know how bad it is here in Florida. Not only has the governor put this ridiculous election security force into effect, he has created and submitted his own redistricting maps. This has never been done before. We are heading towards authoritarian rule unless we stop him from being re-elected. Please consider joining FieldTeam 6 to help register voters in Florida. We are one of their 9 target states.
The Press did disgrace itself yesterday. Thank you for mentioning Rubin’s fine column. Like every other reader of Today’s Edition, I am so grateful for your positive and practical attitude. I think the time has come to think about voter registration, as you have already mentioned this week. Our influence on the internal machinations of Congress is limited, but we can change scenarios at the polls, whatever dark plans Desantis and his cohort of Death Eaters devise.
Thank you for mentioning the importance of voter registration efforts. Unfortunately here in Texas we have discovered our Texas Secretary of State office has suddenly become a sustainability supporter refusing to cut down a sufficient supply of trees to have enough paper to meet the demand for registration forms.
Really? One might think this is an SNL Weekend Update skit but no! This is a real thing as KUT news has reported.
This from Texas KUT news:
“The Texas Secretary of State’s office is having more trouble than usual getting enough voter registration cards to groups who help Texans register to vote.”
“Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, said supply chain issues have made it harder and more expensive to get paper, which means the Secretary of State's office will be giving out fewer voter registration forms to groups ahead of elections this year.”
“‘We are limited in what we can supply this year, because of the paper shortage and the cost constraints due to the price of paper and the supply of paper,’ he said.”
This challenge of insufficient paper supply to meet the demand for registration forms was discovered by progressive activists (I am one of them) who were attempting to use MLK Day celebrations to conduct voter registration activities as Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDRs).
Texas as usual. My sister is a refugee from Austin (is that an oxymoron?). Is it possible to go outside the usual supply channels and have donor Texas Democrats fund any difference in cost?
Fortunately it is possible to use the official PDF form on the Texas SOS website and print our own to use for Voter Registration drives. Surprisingly we seem to have no significant problems in obtaining sufficient paper and ink for the printers.
Robert, Though I am deeply grateful for your perceptive discussion and analysis of the past 24 hours, if I may, I wish to clarify two points. First, the Senate rule change that was proposed last night was not a carve-out; it was a call to resuscitate a version of the talking filibuster that could be used only for this one bill and would have allowed each Senator two hours of debate time, one hundred hours for each side to try and bring the other around to his or viewpoint, before preceding to an up or down majority vote. Fifty-two Senators voted against this rule change, restricted to this one bill, choosing, instead, to retain the current rule that allows a Senator simply to dial in a filibuster just on the motion to proceed to debate.
Second, though I despite it, voter suppression, as you stated, is an obstacle that, with great effort and collective action, we, likely, can overcome. To the contrary, the voter nullification and election subversion measures are deeply troubling, absent superseding safeguards. Considering the midterm elections are nearing, I strongly urge that we decouple our thinking as it relates to these two very distinct anti-democratic undertakings.
Dave, Make no mistake, Republicans, along with Manchin and Sinema, will get behind reforming the Electoral Vote Count so they can appear to care about protecting the vote. Without federal safeguards to block state election rule changes aimed at obstructing how votes are cast, how they’re counted, how they’re certified, who can be in charge, and the like, the Congressional Electoral Vote Count, a ritual prior to 2020 that honored our longstanding peaceful transfer of power, will not come close to representing the will of the majority. Instead, it will resemble the ceremonials we find in illiberal democracies, whose so-called elections are mere facades.
Hi, Barbara. Can you explain a little directly which two anti-democratic undertakings we should decouple. I am not certain which two you are referring to above.
Hi Robert, The two undertakings to which I am referring are 1) election rule changes aimed at obstructing how votes are cast (voter suppression measures) and 2) election rule changes aimed at manipulating how votes are counted, who can be in charge, and the like (voter nullification measures). Like you, I view voter suppression measures as obstacles we can, with great effort and commitment, overcome. However, the same cannot be said of voter nullification and election subversion measures that I regard, along with millions of others, as obstacles around which no amount of organizing can compete. Still, among the many I’ve met, who rightfully are most troubled by the latter, not one ever would consider relenting. The stakes simply won’t allow anyone to quit. That said, what’s important here is fully to understand what we’re up against. Please let me know if I have not adequately clarified.
Some of the most comforting words that I hear these days: "Talk to you tomorrow." Thank you for that reassurance, Robert. And you can be sure that I and thousands of others will be listening!
I am grateful each day for your daily dose of the virtual Xanax your newsletter provides to ease my sense of panic and sound advice and action steps to respond to the latest outrages of life in America in these times. Thank you.
What are Republicans for? I love the double entendre -- what they are for as in advocacy, and what they are for in purpose. Compost in my garden is for growing vegetables. What are Republicans for? Destroying everything good in order to enrich themselves.
Today is typical of what concerned readers like myself woke up to and is very exhausting. We are disappointed in the voter rights bill defeat and honestly not surprised and concerned as Angus King has stated I’m afraid we’re making a mistake that will harm the country for decades.” We are elated in the Supreme Court decision regarding the Trump Administration’s records in the National Archives and very pleased with Biden’s press conference performance even against a press corp that at times seemed more interested in sound bites over substance. But my take away from all of this is to keep Democracy alive and well we need to win locally, on Main Street and focus on state and local government elections, local school boards and most importantly local issues that impact communities. We need local people solving local issues and we need to communicate our messages in local media. Taking Biden’s message to the communities and asking “ What do Republicans stand for.” We add what have they done for you lately.
"African-Americans are voting at the same percentage as Americans"-Mitch McConnell. Just wow. As for the actual electoral turnout, the best retribution is a MASSIVE turnout, in the primaries and on Election Day itself-up and down the ballot. As for the reactionary press, a nice healthy boycott is in order.
I had the same reaction when I saw McConnell's quote. Of course, he will say that it was taken out of context and he did not mean that African-Americans are not Americans. Hah! Mitch, we know what you really think. As Maya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them..."
So he doesn’t think African Americans are Americans. I hope that statement is replayed ad nauseam on the airwaves and used in every political commercial there is. Lincoln Project, are you listening?
Just a little help for any Texans who might be reading this - if you applied for a mail-in ballot and are not certain if your application was thrown out for a ridiculous new "technicality," go to this link to find out: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/BallotTrackerApp/#/login
I totally agree that the fake electors fandango is going to bring down the shaky house of cards if none of the other many federal violations do. And there are plenty to pick from. These many investigations are growing in importance for a variety of reasons but certainly not the least of them is greater employment opportunities for investigators, attorneys, journalists, and certainly, prison personal as the convictions rack up and the prisons begin bulging with Trump convicts. Then let’s not forget the food vending contractors that will need to be hired to feed these awful prisoners. It just so happens that in my book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums*,” chapter 12, ‘Nixon Verses Trump,” I have compared Trump to Nixon but I have given Nixon much greater credibility as a serious politician and ability to analyze and conduct the nation’s business even as a paranoid schizophrenic. Whereas Trump operated from a wholly different set of abnorms.
*The book, btw, may be found on all platforms including Amazon.
Thank you so much for Thursday’s newsletter. I needed to be reminded of what Joe Biden has accomplished, and I copied that paragraph and sent to at least 10 other people. Hope others are doing that, too. Let’s keep fighting!
Robert, as good news as the 8-1 US Supreme Court decision was, I have a question: how is it that Clarence Thomas does not need to recuse himself from a case like that, based on the fact that his wife is a partisan activist working, in essence, on behalf of the appellant? Thomas has long established himself as a political hack, whose mere presence on that bench has degraded the Court's legitimacy, but was there any doubt how he would decide this case? The same could probably be said for all of the conservative justices but I don't believe any of them had the same personal connection to the case.
Dear Mr. Hubbell: I read you everyday to start in a positive way. How can I at 71 help the democracy. I want to take an add out in the New York Times saying to the media stop going for ratings and talk about the atrocities the Republicans are doing instead of making Biden responsible for what they did or their previous leader. I want to do more than read your articles. My wife is in several grassroot organizations and you two have actually communicated. How will I know when to send you money for a new subscription. I can send money for helping out. I am disabled so I have some limits. I used to teach the Acting of Shakespeare for 42 years. I think you said in one article "We burn daylight" It was Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor. My best, John Basil
First of all, thank you for describing the presser questions and the “reporters” asking them the way you did. My husband and I were livid watching it as well as reading the story headlines on cnn.com afterwards. Secondly, thanks also for letting folks know how bad it is here in Florida. Not only has the governor put this ridiculous election security force into effect, he has created and submitted his own redistricting maps. This has never been done before. We are heading towards authoritarian rule unless we stop him from being re-elected. Please consider joining FieldTeam 6 to help register voters in Florida. We are one of their 9 target states.
Hi, Annette. I will plug Field Team 6 again re Florida. Stay strong! We need faithful servants of democracy if Florida now more than ever!
The Press did disgrace itself yesterday. Thank you for mentioning Rubin’s fine column. Like every other reader of Today’s Edition, I am so grateful for your positive and practical attitude. I think the time has come to think about voter registration, as you have already mentioned this week. Our influence on the internal machinations of Congress is limited, but we can change scenarios at the polls, whatever dark plans Desantis and his cohort of Death Eaters devise.
Thank you for mentioning the importance of voter registration efforts. Unfortunately here in Texas we have discovered our Texas Secretary of State office has suddenly become a sustainability supporter refusing to cut down a sufficient supply of trees to have enough paper to meet the demand for registration forms.
Really? One might think this is an SNL Weekend Update skit but no! This is a real thing as KUT news has reported.
This from Texas KUT news:
“The Texas Secretary of State’s office is having more trouble than usual getting enough voter registration cards to groups who help Texans register to vote.”
“Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, said supply chain issues have made it harder and more expensive to get paper, which means the Secretary of State's office will be giving out fewer voter registration forms to groups ahead of elections this year.”
“‘We are limited in what we can supply this year, because of the paper shortage and the cost constraints due to the price of paper and the supply of paper,’ he said.”
🤦♂️
https://www.kut.org/politics/2022-01-18/texas-says-supply-chain-issues-have-limited-the-number-of-voter-registration-forms-it-can-give-out?_amp=true
This challenge of insufficient paper supply to meet the demand for registration forms was discovered by progressive activists (I am one of them) who were attempting to use MLK Day celebrations to conduct voter registration activities as Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDRs).
Hi, Bruce. Thanks for flagging this story. I will highlight. And thanks for being a volunteer registration worker on Martin Luther King Jr Day!
Texas as usual. My sister is a refugee from Austin (is that an oxymoron?). Is it possible to go outside the usual supply channels and have donor Texas Democrats fund any difference in cost?
Fortunately it is possible to use the official PDF form on the Texas SOS website and print our own to use for Voter Registration drives. Surprisingly we seem to have no significant problems in obtaining sufficient paper and ink for the printers.
How can I stymie your efforts? Let me count the ways. Unbelievable
!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Robert, for excellent reporting on all things that matter to me and many others.
Robert, Though I am deeply grateful for your perceptive discussion and analysis of the past 24 hours, if I may, I wish to clarify two points. First, the Senate rule change that was proposed last night was not a carve-out; it was a call to resuscitate a version of the talking filibuster that could be used only for this one bill and would have allowed each Senator two hours of debate time, one hundred hours for each side to try and bring the other around to his or viewpoint, before preceding to an up or down majority vote. Fifty-two Senators voted against this rule change, restricted to this one bill, choosing, instead, to retain the current rule that allows a Senator simply to dial in a filibuster just on the motion to proceed to debate.
Second, though I despite it, voter suppression, as you stated, is an obstacle that, with great effort and collective action, we, likely, can overcome. To the contrary, the voter nullification and election subversion measures are deeply troubling, absent superseding safeguards. Considering the midterm elections are nearing, I strongly urge that we decouple our thinking as it relates to these two very distinct anti-democratic undertakings.
And, to that end, we need to get behind the bipartisan effort to update and clarify the Electoral Count Act.
Dave, Make no mistake, Republicans, along with Manchin and Sinema, will get behind reforming the Electoral Vote Count so they can appear to care about protecting the vote. Without federal safeguards to block state election rule changes aimed at obstructing how votes are cast, how they’re counted, how they’re certified, who can be in charge, and the like, the Congressional Electoral Vote Count, a ritual prior to 2020 that honored our longstanding peaceful transfer of power, will not come close to representing the will of the majority. Instead, it will resemble the ceremonials we find in illiberal democracies, whose so-called elections are mere facades.
Hi, Barbara. Can you explain a little directly which two anti-democratic undertakings we should decouple. I am not certain which two you are referring to above.
Hi Robert, The two undertakings to which I am referring are 1) election rule changes aimed at obstructing how votes are cast (voter suppression measures) and 2) election rule changes aimed at manipulating how votes are counted, who can be in charge, and the like (voter nullification measures). Like you, I view voter suppression measures as obstacles we can, with great effort and commitment, overcome. However, the same cannot be said of voter nullification and election subversion measures that I regard, along with millions of others, as obstacles around which no amount of organizing can compete. Still, among the many I’ve met, who rightfully are most troubled by the latter, not one ever would consider relenting. The stakes simply won’t allow anyone to quit. That said, what’s important here is fully to understand what we’re up against. Please let me know if I have not adequately clarified.
Some of the most comforting words that I hear these days: "Talk to you tomorrow." Thank you for that reassurance, Robert. And you can be sure that I and thousands of others will be listening!
Marcia Braun
Miami Springs, Florida
I am grateful each day for your daily dose of the virtual Xanax your newsletter provides to ease my sense of panic and sound advice and action steps to respond to the latest outrages of life in America in these times. Thank you.
What are Republicans for? I love the double entendre -- what they are for as in advocacy, and what they are for in purpose. Compost in my garden is for growing vegetables. What are Republicans for? Destroying everything good in order to enrich themselves.
Today is typical of what concerned readers like myself woke up to and is very exhausting. We are disappointed in the voter rights bill defeat and honestly not surprised and concerned as Angus King has stated I’m afraid we’re making a mistake that will harm the country for decades.” We are elated in the Supreme Court decision regarding the Trump Administration’s records in the National Archives and very pleased with Biden’s press conference performance even against a press corp that at times seemed more interested in sound bites over substance. But my take away from all of this is to keep Democracy alive and well we need to win locally, on Main Street and focus on state and local government elections, local school boards and most importantly local issues that impact communities. We need local people solving local issues and we need to communicate our messages in local media. Taking Biden’s message to the communities and asking “ What do Republicans stand for.” We add what have they done for you lately.
"African-Americans are voting at the same percentage as Americans"-Mitch McConnell. Just wow. As for the actual electoral turnout, the best retribution is a MASSIVE turnout, in the primaries and on Election Day itself-up and down the ballot. As for the reactionary press, a nice healthy boycott is in order.
I had the same reaction when I saw McConnell's quote. Of course, he will say that it was taken out of context and he did not mean that African-Americans are not Americans. Hah! Mitch, we know what you really think. As Maya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them..."
So he doesn’t think African Americans are Americans. I hope that statement is replayed ad nauseam on the airwaves and used in every political commercial there is. Lincoln Project, are you listening?
Trending again today on Twitter: #MoscowMitch He's getting clobbered.
Just a little help for any Texans who might be reading this - if you applied for a mail-in ballot and are not certain if your application was thrown out for a ridiculous new "technicality," go to this link to find out: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/BallotTrackerApp/#/login
I totally agree that the fake electors fandango is going to bring down the shaky house of cards if none of the other many federal violations do. And there are plenty to pick from. These many investigations are growing in importance for a variety of reasons but certainly not the least of them is greater employment opportunities for investigators, attorneys, journalists, and certainly, prison personal as the convictions rack up and the prisons begin bulging with Trump convicts. Then let’s not forget the food vending contractors that will need to be hired to feed these awful prisoners. It just so happens that in my book, “Donald’s Vanity Tantrums*,” chapter 12, ‘Nixon Verses Trump,” I have compared Trump to Nixon but I have given Nixon much greater credibility as a serious politician and ability to analyze and conduct the nation’s business even as a paranoid schizophrenic. Whereas Trump operated from a wholly different set of abnorms.
*The book, btw, may be found on all platforms including Amazon.
Thank you so much for Thursday’s newsletter. I needed to be reminded of what Joe Biden has accomplished, and I copied that paragraph and sent to at least 10 other people. Hope others are doing that, too. Let’s keep fighting!
I like the double entendre of your title. What are Republicans for? Yeah, what policies are they for, and what purpose do they serve in our country?
Robert, as good news as the 8-1 US Supreme Court decision was, I have a question: how is it that Clarence Thomas does not need to recuse himself from a case like that, based on the fact that his wife is a partisan activist working, in essence, on behalf of the appellant? Thomas has long established himself as a political hack, whose mere presence on that bench has degraded the Court's legitimacy, but was there any doubt how he would decide this case? The same could probably be said for all of the conservative justices but I don't believe any of them had the same personal connection to the case.
Dear Mr. Hubbell: I read you everyday to start in a positive way. How can I at 71 help the democracy. I want to take an add out in the New York Times saying to the media stop going for ratings and talk about the atrocities the Republicans are doing instead of making Biden responsible for what they did or their previous leader. I want to do more than read your articles. My wife is in several grassroot organizations and you two have actually communicated. How will I know when to send you money for a new subscription. I can send money for helping out. I am disabled so I have some limits. I used to teach the Acting of Shakespeare for 42 years. I think you said in one article "We burn daylight" It was Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor. My best, John Basil