Sometimes I pull covers over my head, metaphorically, like I did for real as a little girl in a frightening boarding school. So, I am ignoring the hurricane devastation, the endless manipulations of authoritarians such as Putin, possibly Bolsonaro, and certainly Trump. (Just why do those guys go through such twist and turns of "legality" when we all know they are depraved?) Instead, for just one day, I will say Happy October! It is a month of color, The Great Pumpkin, and crisp nights here in Vermont. Since I no longer celebrate Halloween, I will say instead Blessed Dia de los Muertos, when we celebrate the memories of our ancestors, for better or for worse, since without them we would not have a chance to make a better world.
I absolutely love Vermont. The nights this time of year there are definitely crisp, but make for wonderful evenings at home with a good book. The natural beauty of Vermont is, to me, a little slice of heaven on Earth.
Thank you, Hope! I will follow you for this next couple of days - an uplifting of spirits, not depending on outcomes but rather on moments of peace and connection with mother nature. I'm sorry that you had frightening experiences in boarding school. And I'm grateful for your presence here.
First, enjoy the starry night sky at your cabin, Rob. Goodness knows you've earned it...and it literally and figuratively transcends all of the things -- however urgent -- that we address here.
Second, I host get-out-the-Democratic vote letter writing parties at least once a month and am concerned about dwindling participation. This is no time to take our foot off the gas. I implore everyone to lean in and exhort your friends to do similarly from here until the election!
Finally, as Putin issues vague nuclear threats, however empty they may be, I am so profoundly grateful that we have a seasoned, sober-minded statesman in the oval office office rather than someone obsessed with nicknames like "Rocket Man" and sound bites like "My button is bigger than yours."
"am concerned about dwindling participation." A couple of thoughts off the top of my addled head.... There are a LOT of letter writing parties happening, so sometimes it's hard to choose from all the emails from various organizations. Also, there's still covid lurking out there and some of us are still very careful about engagement in unfamiliar circumstances, even with the latest booster coursing through our veins. All this to say that I think there are plenty of lead-footers on the gas writing letters, postcards, emails, texts, phone-banking, canvassing, whatever. Still plenty of nerve-wracking schmutz going on out there, but I do believe there's a quiet, unseen army of enough of us to make sure democracy will keep on keeping' on.
I help organize postcard writing to get out the vote in swing states. These hand-written personalized postcards are very effective. And it's a very easy activism to do. I call it "Activism For Introverts." If you would like to get started in your area, you can go to the website: PostcardsToVoters.org
I absolutely love the phrase "Activism for Introverts", describes me to a T. Did phone calls for LWV in WI in 2020 and was appalled by some of the reactions, only encouraging them to vote - not who to vote for.
This cycle I am now a resident of AZ and am writing postcards for Northeast Arizona Native Democrats, a project of the Navajo County Democrats. I really hope these reminders to vote make a difference in the big picture and AZ governance returns to a somewhat "normal" state.
I like that--"Activism for Introverts"! I find it very therapeutic to send a beautifully written postcard out to people who just might need a reminder to vote. It's satisfying.
Let's stop the Republicans in their tracks. I'm thirty postcards away from my 500 postcard goal for Field Team 6. I've got 50 postcards waiting to be written for Mark Kelly through Grandmothers for a Brighter Future. Let's keep our foot on the gas right up to the election. This is no time to lighten up.
We do the letter writing, too. Have also noticed the reduced number of volunteers. I think it is burnout. Everyone worked hard in 2018 and again in 2020. Thought we could take a rest. But Trump has continued the threats to the country. Hard to get everyone back at the same level
For the Robert B. Hubbell newsletter community, if links work:
Writing Vote Forward letters to Florida voters, Political letters (or Social letters for underserved communities) could be a way to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian: votefwd.org .
These letters encourage turnout, turnout, turnout for the Florida elections on November 8th and could support former Florida Governor, 2022 Democratic candidate for Governor Charlie Crist, who managed severe hurricane recovery operations previously.
His campaign also offers Postcards for Charlie Crist.
I have volunteered to write 20 letters in Ohio for the first time. Vote Forward is a competent and organized group. The instructions can at first seem overwhelming, but just re-read and follow one thing at a time.
Yeah, once I figured out the whole “download and print” think, it all worked well! I like the format of the letters and with the recipient’s name and address on the bottom of the letter the rest is pretty easy....stuff and stamp the envelope!
I write for Vote Forward too. I did 200 letters in 2020 -- about to approach 100 now. This also a great letter writing campaign to have letter writing parties. This has the added benefit of giving one a chance to talk and rant with other like-minded folks.
Good idea…I’m thinking of enlisting help when the neighbors get back this month for that last push. they won’t want to write but they can stuff envelopes, put stamps on, fun stickers (and keep the margaritas going!)
I'm writing postcards with Field Team 6 which I learned about through Seniors Taking Action (which I learned about through Robert Hubble). I've found them to be very well-organized and the husband of one of the organizers is an artist who designed the really darling postcards which feature a donkey carrying a "Register" banner. Anyone receiving one of these cards will be charmed. I will also be writing postcards for Grandmothers for a Brighter Future from now until the election. Vote Forward sounds great as well. Thanks for the recommendation.
Adorable, fantastic. My household has so many donated Forever stamps, if all stamps are used up, I hope to write postcards, too. Your Grandmothers postcards must be lovely to write. Thank you for them to save our Democracy! 🙂
Yes, they are, and you can find out more at https://grandmothersforabrighterfuture.com/. I just learned that they are looking for more postcard writers if you're interested in joining us.
Peter G. If you are a Vote Forward member, there is a new more political, more direct and powerful guidance for personal messages from Swing Left training.
Several good points and we need to let the folks in Florida and other states know that the federal government and the Biden Administration has their back
No ignorance at all! Democrats Abroad is the umbrella DA. DA Spain is Democrats Abroad Spain. If you know of anyone living abroad please encourage them to becoming involved in their country/city.
Thanks so much for clarifying. No one in Spain, but possibly — double maybe — one French-American good acquaintance from here may be in France. She wrote five letters in 2021.
I think you are so right. The Blue Wave groups across the country became exhausted once Joe Biden became President, and with the terrorist attack on the Capitol followed by daily right wing fanaticism, many just can't muster the energy to be involved. But, they will vote.
For what it is worth, I just filed a formal complaint against Judge Cannon with the Eleventh Circuit Court. If you are interested, their address is www.ca11.uscourts.gov. Type “complaint” into the search box, then follow instructions for Complaint of Judicial Misconduct. Note that complaints about decisions are dismissed. So, I emphasized that Judge Cannon had abused her judicial power to favor her benefactor, Trump.
Thank you, Robert, for providing information, analysis and hope!
This is an excellent idea. "You may complain about actions taken by a judge outside their official role as a judge if “the conduct is reasonably likely to have a prejudicial effect on the administration of the business of the courts, including a substantial and widespread lowering of public confidence in the courts among reasonable people.” The form is easy to fill out.
Thank you to all of you for all the encouragement.
It looked to me that you had to send it in by mail. I got the address to send it to when I first sent it to the wrong place. The address is Attn: Clerk of the Court, US Court of Appeals, Eleventh District, 56 Forsyth St., N.W. Atlanta’s, Georgia 30303.
Write “Complaint of Misconduct” on the envelope, but NOT the judge’s name.
I’m happy you are also interested in doing this. I see it as a small voice of protest against serious corruption.
I suspect the Judge #LooseCannon will be off the bench, if not disbarred, in the not-too-distant future. But the Trump GOP will need a pliant Florida Attorney General in 2026 (please, God, let the GOP collapse be reborn as a real Conservative Party rather than an authoritarian fascist cult before then!) I suspect her utterly lawless rulings have been Cannon’s resume submission to Trump.
I seriously doubt the GOP will change until most of the current members in Congress are voted out. Even then, the machinery that began with Gingrich will still be in place, and it may take some time before the Republican Party becomes a group that wants to govern, not simply seize power by any and all means available.
On Putin's nuclear threats, they are simply signs of his utter desperation, not evidence that he's insane enough to follow through with them - he's trying to intimidate the world. And he's failing. Most military experts take his threats seriously, but not literally. The hard military fact is that Russia using a nuclear weapon in the Ukraine war would not fundamentally change nor improve the military position of Russia.
By doing so, he would incur the wrath and condemnation of every government on earth, even those who have struggled to remain neutral (such as China), and practically ensure the direct military involvement of NATO and the United States. We would likely not undertake a nuclear response, but we would absolutely have to respond militarily. I suspect that Russia's Black Sea fleet would be on the bottom within a week, just to begin with.
Using a nuclear weapon would not ensure victory, in fact, it would greatly accelerate Russia's humiliation and likely mark the end of the Russian Federation as a political entity. There is always a very small chance of such a tragedy based on the simple fact that the weapons exist, but there is no chance Putin would actually order it. What I suspect we will actually see in coming months is Russia trying everything to stalemate Ukrainian gains on the battlefield until the rainy season makes movement difficult and winter comes.
The fake annexation elections are one aspect of that effort. Putin is buying time to try to consolidate support within his junta. He knows he's lost this war. I fully expect that this war ends in one of two ways: either with Putin's sudden demise under unknown circumstances, or Putin finding someone to lead his junta who will protect his person, freedom, and stolen fortune, the way Putin protected Yeltsin in his own rise to power.
All elections are important, but the upcoming 2022 elections are especially important. If Republicans win majorities in *either* the House or the Senate, they can hamstring the Biden Administration “bigly”. Down-ballot Republican victories can give Republicans control of election *machinery*, thus tamper with freedom of voting, fairness, etc.
The Democratic Party “organizations” have been oblivious to these dangers, instead focusing on marquee election contests. How did they beckme so incompetent?
I recently attended a training sponsored by Indivisible.org, from their Truth Brigade project. You can go to Indivisible.org and find Truth Brigade…it’s a fascinating and important project to help people fight back against disinformation using simple, non combative language. They are asking folks to choose a specific topic you care about from a handful they are focusing on, and they provide a template for how to do posts on the topic on Twitter, Facebook, whatever Social Media you use, or even in conversations with people you know.
One really important thing I learned at the online training is that it’s critical NOT to engage with disinformation that you see online…don’t retweet it with a reply, don’t put a thumbs down, nothing at all. I didn’t quite realize that ANY kind of response, even one which is an attempt to let people know how dangerous the disinformation is, that includes the disinformation, amplifies it by spreading it.
It occurred to me that a number of folks I respect and follow on Twitter, for example, will post a tweet by some heinous GOP person, and then they post their reply. But Indivisible is saying that even doing that is NOT good…so I learned something important. Do not engage at all w disinformation you see online.
If you want to reply to it, paraphrase what you heard but don’t retweet the post. That was very helpful. Also, it’s an easy project to get involved in so you might want to check it out at Indivisible.org
And IF you post any kind of answer re disinformation, use the hashtag #TruthBrigade.
I’m so glad! They are a great organization with active groups across the country. I found their Truth Brigade project very compelling, so glad you found it useful!
I know everyone is tired. I’m tired too. But we can do this for the next 40 days. Then we take a short break and gear up again. I am amazed at all the postcard groups , voter registration groups, text bankers, phone bankers. Have you ever seen this level of enthusiasm? This is what gives me hope.
If tired Floridian DeathSantis/Hurricane survivors can rally for the next 40 days to save democracy, then so, too, can the rest of us!
We can work smart and donate smart. The States Project is one smart way to help protect our democracy by supporting good candidates in tippable state legislatures. If you haven't already, read why states matter:
As always, your letters were fantastic this week, Robert. Thank you for the great work, and for the chance to have us sound off on our thoughts and concerns here in the comments section.
We’ve been lucky to have Biden’s leadership as well as two years of majority rule in both houses of Congress, even though the senate side has had numerous (or more specifically, two) frustrations. When things are going well, people won’t think you’ve done anything at all. These two years with Biden in office we’ve seen a president that tries to treat people fairly while his opponents have heckled him during his State of the Union address, including while talking about his deceased veteran son, and worked tirelessly to drag the nation backward and blame the regression on him. GOP hardline politicians also tried to take credit for the funding they voted against that Biden gave to numerous red states in his infrastructure bill. And now as Florida has been devastated by a terrible hurricane, Biden has promised every bit of necessary funding. All this while the governor of Florida has stated repeatedly that he hates government overreach and says blue states don’t deserve funding when their states need help, and as of just last week wasted $12 million dollars to be nasty to his Democratic opponents. And yet they say Biden is so mean and divisive.
We should be so grateful to have someone in office that cares about EVERY state and citizen, and not his own ego like the former guy. Tonight I’ll be sitting in gratitude that we’ve had a good run these two years with someone that cares and a government that has tried to be of service to its citizens, not a force for revenge. No government always does the right thing, but we can be proud that so much resistance was overcome in the legislative branch. Let’s keep up the good fight in the weeks ahead, remember what we believe in, and all the good we can still do.
I am in Michigan. We are writing postcards to encourage turn-out among Democratic voters who need a little "nudge" to get them to vote. We are The Michigan Postcard Project. We will continue writing until Mid October. If you live in Michigan, and would like to help, you can still request post-cards at : https://forms.gle/8GUbpb6eH4FWhNDJ7
Wow, Jennifer 4,300 is a lot of postcards. I do as you do and write 25 a day that way there is no writer’s cramp. I started doing this during Covid and found that I liked having a project to keep me politically involved. I am now working on 100 going out to California voters. Keep up the good work. I’m sure this makes a difference.
I should add that the complaint form about Judge Cannon should be sent to: Attn: Clerk of Court, US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 56 Forsyth Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. The envelope must say “Complaint of Misconduct,” but NOT have the judge’s name
on the envelope. You have to attest that the facts in the complaint are true, under penalty of perjury.
Joan, What facts did you allege in your letter? My observations are not necessarily legal facts, but are outrageous nevertheless to those of us watching her. Her bias is neon pink and flashing.
If you would like a copy of my letter of complaint of misconduct, please email me at joan.savarese@att.net. Remember, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just winging it.
I’m on the road right now and will answer more fully later.
I said Judge Cannon refused to admit into the record the amici Curiae of several Republican former officials with experience in dealing with matters of sensitive information, government entities and questions of privilege. I copied into my complaint the meat of their brief, which declared trump’s arguments to be “manifestly frivolous.”
I said Judge Cannon made it clear that her ruling was not based on law, but was crafted to favor trump.
For those of you living in California, Commit to Democracy is making a final push to Get Out The Vote to hold the House and increase the number of Democrats in the Senate.
We need to prevent Kevin McCarthy from becoming the Speaker of the House (EEK!) and reduce the power of Senator Manchin and Senator Sinema so the dynamite duo no longer blow up Biden's and Democrats' progressive agenda to improve the lives of ALL Americans (except the ones going to jail for sedition and stealing top secret government documents!!!).
Here is the link to join the effort. I just signed up to send 100 postcards! You can too!!!
Many Kremlin-watchers are calling Putin's annexation speech "unhinged," and it certainly was. It was mainly a concoction of delusional history and a reading out of a list of resentments against the West, especially the United States. As one well-connected Moscow source noted to Shaun Walker: “Nobody knows what happens next, it’s clear there is no grand strategy. If one thing doesn’t work, we will try something else, and nobody knows where it will lead. Decisions are taken in the head of one man.” The joker in the deck is that the Ukrainians may be on the verge of another breakthrough around Lyman (Donetsk region). If Russian troops are routed again, it could make Putin even more desperate and dangerous.
Here are some conclusions I drew from the article:
(1) Putin is already well past some of the red lines that he had already implied would provoke the use of nuclear weapons, and yet he hasn't done anything except bluster.
(2) The only nuclear weapons readily available for immediate launch are strategic and intermediate range.
(3) Tactical weapons, which would likely be Putin's weapon of choice, are in storage facilities and are partially disassembled. Their deployment could be detected, and perhaps countered, at several points before they were used.
(4) Washington policymakers have a plan to deal with Putin should he do the unthinkable, and it probably involves heavy conventional strikes on Russian forces.
(5) A good reason for keeping embassies in Moscow and Washington is to have more points of contact with the Russian government. During the Cuban missile crisis, back channel contacts were crucial to overcoming misunderstandings that could have led to all-out war.
(6) Russian commanders are well aware of the risks of first use of nuclear weapons, and might well resist an order to do so.
(7) If Putin uses a nuclear weapon on a military target in Ukraine, general war might be avoided. If he uses a second, it probably cannot be.
I pulled this from Schlosser's article; it gives me some reassurance that we're in good hands with Biden's team (horrifying to think of where we'd be if Biden hadn't won the presidency):
"Deputy staff members at the NSC played the same war game and came up with a different response. Colin Kahl, who at the time was an adviser to Vice President Biden, argued that retaliating with a nuclear weapon would be a huge mistake, sacrificing the moral high ground. Kahl thought it would be far more effective to respond with a conventional attack and turn world opinion against Russia for violating the nuclear taboo. The others agreed, and Avril Haines, a deputy national security adviser, suggested making T-shirts with the slogan deputies should run the world. Haines is now President Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, and Kahl is the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy."
Yes. But her actions are now irrelevant to the heart of the investigation and prosecution of Trump. So they likely will allow her to keep burying her reputation under a pile of utter incompetence and corruption.
Sometimes I pull covers over my head, metaphorically, like I did for real as a little girl in a frightening boarding school. So, I am ignoring the hurricane devastation, the endless manipulations of authoritarians such as Putin, possibly Bolsonaro, and certainly Trump. (Just why do those guys go through such twist and turns of "legality" when we all know they are depraved?) Instead, for just one day, I will say Happy October! It is a month of color, The Great Pumpkin, and crisp nights here in Vermont. Since I no longer celebrate Halloween, I will say instead Blessed Dia de los Muertos, when we celebrate the memories of our ancestors, for better or for worse, since without them we would not have a chance to make a better world.
I absolutely love Vermont. The nights this time of year there are definitely crisp, but make for wonderful evenings at home with a good book. The natural beauty of Vermont is, to me, a little slice of heaven on Earth.
Thank you, Hope! I will follow you for this next couple of days - an uplifting of spirits, not depending on outcomes but rather on moments of peace and connection with mother nature. I'm sorry that you had frightening experiences in boarding school. And I'm grateful for your presence here.
"heart" Thank you, Chaplain Terry. I am grateful for your presence, too. May you be well.
You’ve spoken to my heart. 🙏🏻
What a beautiful comment. Thank you for that.
First, enjoy the starry night sky at your cabin, Rob. Goodness knows you've earned it...and it literally and figuratively transcends all of the things -- however urgent -- that we address here.
Second, I host get-out-the-Democratic vote letter writing parties at least once a month and am concerned about dwindling participation. This is no time to take our foot off the gas. I implore everyone to lean in and exhort your friends to do similarly from here until the election!
Finally, as Putin issues vague nuclear threats, however empty they may be, I am so profoundly grateful that we have a seasoned, sober-minded statesman in the oval office office rather than someone obsessed with nicknames like "Rocket Man" and sound bites like "My button is bigger than yours."
"am concerned about dwindling participation." A couple of thoughts off the top of my addled head.... There are a LOT of letter writing parties happening, so sometimes it's hard to choose from all the emails from various organizations. Also, there's still covid lurking out there and some of us are still very careful about engagement in unfamiliar circumstances, even with the latest booster coursing through our veins. All this to say that I think there are plenty of lead-footers on the gas writing letters, postcards, emails, texts, phone-banking, canvassing, whatever. Still plenty of nerve-wracking schmutz going on out there, but I do believe there's a quiet, unseen army of enough of us to make sure democracy will keep on keeping' on.
I do email mktg for a living. It is the best way to reach people.
Agree. I started writing for Postcards to Voters a few years ago.
I have the same feelings and I hope we are right. A friend reminded me that there are also MAGA zealots out here so we need to keep pushing.
I tend to agree with you. There are plenty of decent people who can see through the Fox News garbage and who don't want to be bullied.
I help organize postcard writing to get out the vote in swing states. These hand-written personalized postcards are very effective. And it's a very easy activism to do. I call it "Activism For Introverts." If you would like to get started in your area, you can go to the website: PostcardsToVoters.org
I absolutely love the phrase "Activism for Introverts", describes me to a T. Did phone calls for LWV in WI in 2020 and was appalled by some of the reactions, only encouraging them to vote - not who to vote for.
This cycle I am now a resident of AZ and am writing postcards for Northeast Arizona Native Democrats, a project of the Navajo County Democrats. I really hope these reminders to vote make a difference in the big picture and AZ governance returns to a somewhat "normal" state.
Writing postcards works for me too.
I like that--"Activism for Introverts"! I find it very therapeutic to send a beautifully written postcard out to people who just might need a reminder to vote. It's satisfying.
Let's stop the Republicans in their tracks. I'm thirty postcards away from my 500 postcard goal for Field Team 6. I've got 50 postcards waiting to be written for Mark Kelly through Grandmothers for a Brighter Future. Let's keep our foot on the gas right up to the election. This is no time to lighten up.
We do the letter writing, too. Have also noticed the reduced number of volunteers. I think it is burnout. Everyone worked hard in 2018 and again in 2020. Thought we could take a rest. But Trump has continued the threats to the country. Hard to get everyone back at the same level
Pat Ferguson,
For the Robert B. Hubbell newsletter community, if links work:
Writing Vote Forward letters to Florida voters, Political letters (or Social letters for underserved communities) could be a way to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian: votefwd.org .
These letters encourage turnout, turnout, turnout for the Florida elections on November 8th and could support former Florida Governor, 2022 Democratic candidate for Governor Charlie Crist, who managed severe hurricane recovery operations previously.
His campaign also offers Postcards for Charlie Crist.
secure.ngpvan.com/RfHtsGECJEa7VtccmwrRwg2
The How to Write Vote Forward Letters page gives full instructions.
I have volunteered to write 20 letters in Ohio for the first time. Vote Forward is a competent and organized group. The instructions can at first seem overwhelming, but just re-read and follow one thing at a time.
Yeah, once I figured out the whole “download and print” think, it all worked well! I like the format of the letters and with the recipient’s name and address on the bottom of the letter the rest is pretty easy....stuff and stamp the envelope!
I'm glad to hear you were challenged by the download and print thing at first. I was as well, but now it's become almost second nature.
I write for Vote Forward too. I did 200 letters in 2020 -- about to approach 100 now. This also a great letter writing campaign to have letter writing parties. This has the added benefit of giving one a chance to talk and rant with other like-minded folks.
Good idea…I’m thinking of enlisting help when the neighbors get back this month for that last push. they won’t want to write but they can stuff envelopes, put stamps on, fun stickers (and keep the margaritas going!)
And then another 20? 😉
Will try.
Hit the "like" icon, but it wouldn't take. Maybe will show up later.
Sometimes a “Like” or “Reply” seems frozen at a previous Like” or Reply,” if this makes any sense.
Indeed, seconded, — 20 is always a good action.🙂
Can't recommend Vote Forward highly enough!
I'm writing postcards with Field Team 6 which I learned about through Seniors Taking Action (which I learned about through Robert Hubble). I've found them to be very well-organized and the husband of one of the organizers is an artist who designed the really darling postcards which feature a donkey carrying a "Register" banner. Anyone receiving one of these cards will be charmed. I will also be writing postcards for Grandmothers for a Brighter Future from now until the election. Vote Forward sounds great as well. Thanks for the recommendation.
Adorable, fantastic. My household has so many donated Forever stamps, if all stamps are used up, I hope to write postcards, too. Your Grandmothers postcards must be lovely to write. Thank you for them to save our Democracy! 🙂
Hi Nancy,
Yes, they are, and you can find out more at https://grandmothersforabrighterfuture.com/. I just learned that they are looking for more postcard writers if you're interested in joining us.
Cheers. Susan
Me too. im focused on Texas. You only need two short sentences on why you vote. Easy, fast, and based on their research, effective.
Peter G. If you are a Vote Forward member, there is a new more political, more direct and powerful guidance for personal messages from Swing Left training.
Beth B,
Thank you!
I’m glad you also support Vote Forward.
In solidarity, fingers crossed.
Several good points and we need to let the folks in Florida and other states know that the federal government and the Biden Administration has their back
My DA Spain group is meeting on Tuesday and we will be trying to form a group here.
Hello, Galilee Walker Wells,
Please kindly forgive my ignorance. What does DA Spain refer to?
No ignorance at all! Democrats Abroad is the umbrella DA. DA Spain is Democrats Abroad Spain. If you know of anyone living abroad please encourage them to becoming involved in their country/city.
Thanks so much for clarifying. No one in Spain, but possibly — double maybe — one French-American good acquaintance from here may be in France. She wrote five letters in 2021.
Pat Ferguson,
PostScript: The links work!
I think you are so right. The Blue Wave groups across the country became exhausted once Joe Biden became President, and with the terrorist attack on the Capitol followed by daily right wing fanaticism, many just can't muster the energy to be involved. But, they will vote.
Even if everyone isn't back on board, at least we still are and we have to just keep pushing forward because the right-wing zealots are relentless.
For what it is worth, I just filed a formal complaint against Judge Cannon with the Eleventh Circuit Court. If you are interested, their address is www.ca11.uscourts.gov. Type “complaint” into the search box, then follow instructions for Complaint of Judicial Misconduct. Note that complaints about decisions are dismissed. So, I emphasized that Judge Cannon had abused her judicial power to favor her benefactor, Trump.
Thank you, Robert, for providing information, analysis and hope!
A more joyful moment today, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson investiture onto the Supreme Court https://www.npr.org/2022/09/30/1126126910/supreme-court-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson-investiture .
Even though I believe the abhorrent decisions won’t change, I believe Justice Jackson could change the atmosphere of this rogue court.
Thanks for the information. I will check it out.
Thank you always, Robert Hubbell, for your support and inspiration.
This is an excellent idea. "You may complain about actions taken by a judge outside their official role as a judge if “the conduct is reasonably likely to have a prejudicial effect on the administration of the business of the courts, including a substantial and widespread lowering of public confidence in the courts among reasonable people.” The form is easy to fill out.
Thank you to all of you for all the encouragement.
Actually, I thought the form was easy to fill out.. but I can find no way to attach my complaint...hopefully Joan can enlighten?
Hi, Caroline,
It looked to me that you had to send it in by mail. I got the address to send it to when I first sent it to the wrong place. The address is Attn: Clerk of the Court, US Court of Appeals, Eleventh District, 56 Forsyth St., N.W. Atlanta’s, Georgia 30303.
Write “Complaint of Misconduct” on the envelope, but NOT the judge’s name.
I’m happy you are also interested in doing this. I see it as a small voice of protest against serious corruption.
Thanks Joan.. and I totally agree.it’s a great idea. I was expecting to do it on line as I’m out of the country!!
What might help encourage more people is to post all the details like which court, case number ( which I couldn’t find) etc..
I did it
I suspect the Judge #LooseCannon will be off the bench, if not disbarred, in the not-too-distant future. But the Trump GOP will need a pliant Florida Attorney General in 2026 (please, God, let the GOP collapse be reborn as a real Conservative Party rather than an authoritarian fascist cult before then!) I suspect her utterly lawless rulings have been Cannon’s resume submission to Trump.
I seriously doubt the GOP will change until most of the current members in Congress are voted out. Even then, the machinery that began with Gingrich will still be in place, and it may take some time before the Republican Party becomes a group that wants to govern, not simply seize power by any and all means available.
I’d love to hear more about why and how you think she’ll e disbarred.
Won’t whether Judge Cannon is disbarred depend on the outcome of November 8th?
Perish the thought, if the R-MAGA-McCarthy cult wins the House, she will stay. Major ouch.
Democratic State Legislatures and Secretaries of State are crucial to win, for the November 8th election.
Can Aileen Canon be impeached?
Yes.
Light that fire! Lucky you and lucky Jill
But not convicted. There aren’t enough Republicans who support the rule of law and are willing to cross Trump in the Senate.
Good to know.
On Putin's nuclear threats, they are simply signs of his utter desperation, not evidence that he's insane enough to follow through with them - he's trying to intimidate the world. And he's failing. Most military experts take his threats seriously, but not literally. The hard military fact is that Russia using a nuclear weapon in the Ukraine war would not fundamentally change nor improve the military position of Russia.
By doing so, he would incur the wrath and condemnation of every government on earth, even those who have struggled to remain neutral (such as China), and practically ensure the direct military involvement of NATO and the United States. We would likely not undertake a nuclear response, but we would absolutely have to respond militarily. I suspect that Russia's Black Sea fleet would be on the bottom within a week, just to begin with.
Using a nuclear weapon would not ensure victory, in fact, it would greatly accelerate Russia's humiliation and likely mark the end of the Russian Federation as a political entity. There is always a very small chance of such a tragedy based on the simple fact that the weapons exist, but there is no chance Putin would actually order it. What I suspect we will actually see in coming months is Russia trying everything to stalemate Ukrainian gains on the battlefield until the rainy season makes movement difficult and winter comes.
The fake annexation elections are one aspect of that effort. Putin is buying time to try to consolidate support within his junta. He knows he's lost this war. I fully expect that this war ends in one of two ways: either with Putin's sudden demise under unknown circumstances, or Putin finding someone to lead his junta who will protect his person, freedom, and stolen fortune, the way Putin protected Yeltsin in his own rise to power.
Someone remarked this is the most important election ever. I think ALL ELECTIONS from now on will be the most important unfortunately!
Yeah, ya gotta keep workin' at this democracy thing.
Agreed, & because so many young voters can be tapped, here's two ways to help turn out GenZ voters:
Text or Phone bank:
https://mobilize.us/s/aJOvRr/o
16 year olds can pre-register in 15 different states to vote in 2024!: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/preregistration-for-young-voters.aspx
NextGen is soooooo easy and quick.
All elections are important, but the upcoming 2022 elections are especially important. If Republicans win majorities in *either* the House or the Senate, they can hamstring the Biden Administration “bigly”. Down-ballot Republican victories can give Republicans control of election *machinery*, thus tamper with freedom of voting, fairness, etc.
The Democratic Party “organizations” have been oblivious to these dangers, instead focusing on marquee election contests. How did they beckme so incompetent?
I recently attended a training sponsored by Indivisible.org, from their Truth Brigade project. You can go to Indivisible.org and find Truth Brigade…it’s a fascinating and important project to help people fight back against disinformation using simple, non combative language. They are asking folks to choose a specific topic you care about from a handful they are focusing on, and they provide a template for how to do posts on the topic on Twitter, Facebook, whatever Social Media you use, or even in conversations with people you know.
One really important thing I learned at the online training is that it’s critical NOT to engage with disinformation that you see online…don’t retweet it with a reply, don’t put a thumbs down, nothing at all. I didn’t quite realize that ANY kind of response, even one which is an attempt to let people know how dangerous the disinformation is, that includes the disinformation, amplifies it by spreading it.
It occurred to me that a number of folks I respect and follow on Twitter, for example, will post a tweet by some heinous GOP person, and then they post their reply. But Indivisible is saying that even doing that is NOT good…so I learned something important. Do not engage at all w disinformation you see online.
If you want to reply to it, paraphrase what you heard but don’t retweet the post. That was very helpful. Also, it’s an easy project to get involved in so you might want to check it out at Indivisible.org
And IF you post any kind of answer re disinformation, use the hashtag #TruthBrigade.
Wow! I just went to the Indivisible website. What a treasure trove of helpful information! Thanks for this recommendation.
Seconded:):)
I’m so glad! They are a great organization with active groups across the country. I found their Truth Brigade project very compelling, so glad you found it useful!
Thank you Nancy. This is wonderful.
You’re so welcome! Glad you found it relevant and useful…
I know everyone is tired. I’m tired too. But we can do this for the next 40 days. Then we take a short break and gear up again. I am amazed at all the postcard groups , voter registration groups, text bankers, phone bankers. Have you ever seen this level of enthusiasm? This is what gives me hope.
If tired Floridian DeathSantis/Hurricane survivors can rally for the next 40 days to save democracy, then so, too, can the rest of us!
We can work smart and donate smart. The States Project is one smart way to help protect our democracy by supporting good candidates in tippable state legislatures. If you haven't already, read why states matter:
https://statesproject.org/why-states-matter/
You can easily join our Tending to Democracy Giving Circle:
https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/1XQhnyD/Tending-to-Democracy
Thank you to all who have responded to date!
As always, your letters were fantastic this week, Robert. Thank you for the great work, and for the chance to have us sound off on our thoughts and concerns here in the comments section.
We’ve been lucky to have Biden’s leadership as well as two years of majority rule in both houses of Congress, even though the senate side has had numerous (or more specifically, two) frustrations. When things are going well, people won’t think you’ve done anything at all. These two years with Biden in office we’ve seen a president that tries to treat people fairly while his opponents have heckled him during his State of the Union address, including while talking about his deceased veteran son, and worked tirelessly to drag the nation backward and blame the regression on him. GOP hardline politicians also tried to take credit for the funding they voted against that Biden gave to numerous red states in his infrastructure bill. And now as Florida has been devastated by a terrible hurricane, Biden has promised every bit of necessary funding. All this while the governor of Florida has stated repeatedly that he hates government overreach and says blue states don’t deserve funding when their states need help, and as of just last week wasted $12 million dollars to be nasty to his Democratic opponents. And yet they say Biden is so mean and divisive.
We should be so grateful to have someone in office that cares about EVERY state and citizen, and not his own ego like the former guy. Tonight I’ll be sitting in gratitude that we’ve had a good run these two years with someone that cares and a government that has tried to be of service to its citizens, not a force for revenge. No government always does the right thing, but we can be proud that so much resistance was overcome in the legislative branch. Let’s keep up the good fight in the weeks ahead, remember what we believe in, and all the good we can still do.
I am in Michigan. We are writing postcards to encourage turn-out among Democratic voters who need a little "nudge" to get them to vote. We are The Michigan Postcard Project. We will continue writing until Mid October. If you live in Michigan, and would like to help, you can still request post-cards at : https://forms.gle/8GUbpb6eH4FWhNDJ7
I'll sign up tomorrow! Thank you for the link ... Go Blue (in all meanings)
Your local League of Women Voters produces nonpartisan voters guides. Check it out
I have done a couple thousand postcards to voters. It is easy to do and at 80 years old it is my way of staying political active.
Wow, Jennifer 4,300 is a lot of postcards. I do as you do and write 25 a day that way there is no writer’s cramp. I started doing this during Covid and found that I liked having a project to keep me politically involved. I am now working on 100 going out to California voters. Keep up the good work. I’m sure this makes a difference.
I should add that the complaint form about Judge Cannon should be sent to: Attn: Clerk of Court, US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 56 Forsyth Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. The envelope must say “Complaint of Misconduct,” but NOT have the judge’s name
on the envelope. You have to attest that the facts in the complaint are true, under penalty of perjury.
Maybe it’s useless, but it made me feel better.
Joan, What facts did you allege in your letter? My observations are not necessarily legal facts, but are outrageous nevertheless to those of us watching her. Her bias is neon pink and flashing.
Hi MLMinET,
If you would like a copy of my letter of complaint of misconduct, please email me at joan.savarese@att.net. Remember, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just winging it.
I'm gratified that you and others liked the idea.
I’m on the road right now and will answer more fully later.
I said Judge Cannon refused to admit into the record the amici Curiae of several Republican former officials with experience in dealing with matters of sensitive information, government entities and questions of privilege. I copied into my complaint the meat of their brief, which declared trump’s arguments to be “manifestly frivolous.”
I said Judge Cannon made it clear that her ruling was not based on law, but was crafted to favor trump.
For those of you living in California, Commit to Democracy is making a final push to Get Out The Vote to hold the House and increase the number of Democrats in the Senate.
We need to prevent Kevin McCarthy from becoming the Speaker of the House (EEK!) and reduce the power of Senator Manchin and Senator Sinema so the dynamite duo no longer blow up Biden's and Democrats' progressive agenda to improve the lives of ALL Americans (except the ones going to jail for sedition and stealing top secret government documents!!!).
Here is the link to join the effort. I just signed up to send 100 postcards! You can too!!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdadlOh6Gg8Y_6e3XQOAGRg_JOJD9v_otB8PlIY482JtCfwcw/viewform
Many Kremlin-watchers are calling Putin's annexation speech "unhinged," and it certainly was. It was mainly a concoction of delusional history and a reading out of a list of resentments against the West, especially the United States. As one well-connected Moscow source noted to Shaun Walker: “Nobody knows what happens next, it’s clear there is no grand strategy. If one thing doesn’t work, we will try something else, and nobody knows where it will lead. Decisions are taken in the head of one man.” The joker in the deck is that the Ukrainians may be on the verge of another breakthrough around Lyman (Donetsk region). If Russian troops are routed again, it could make Putin even more desperate and dangerous.
On the nuclear issue, perhaps it might be useful to revisit an article by "Command and Control" author Eric Schlosser in the Atlantic, which the editors reran today. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/06/russia-ukraine-nuclear-weapon-us-response/661315/?fbclid=IwAR1fGqDy0llTCaRKz3s388J8mBb6P3UWuEPbpUmxV19jChUL-NaJy92vLlE
Here are some conclusions I drew from the article:
(1) Putin is already well past some of the red lines that he had already implied would provoke the use of nuclear weapons, and yet he hasn't done anything except bluster.
(2) The only nuclear weapons readily available for immediate launch are strategic and intermediate range.
(3) Tactical weapons, which would likely be Putin's weapon of choice, are in storage facilities and are partially disassembled. Their deployment could be detected, and perhaps countered, at several points before they were used.
(4) Washington policymakers have a plan to deal with Putin should he do the unthinkable, and it probably involves heavy conventional strikes on Russian forces.
(5) A good reason for keeping embassies in Moscow and Washington is to have more points of contact with the Russian government. During the Cuban missile crisis, back channel contacts were crucial to overcoming misunderstandings that could have led to all-out war.
(6) Russian commanders are well aware of the risks of first use of nuclear weapons, and might well resist an order to do so.
(7) If Putin uses a nuclear weapon on a military target in Ukraine, general war might be avoided. If he uses a second, it probably cannot be.
Pleasant dreams.
Command and Control was a great book. I will check out the article.
I pulled this from Schlosser's article; it gives me some reassurance that we're in good hands with Biden's team (horrifying to think of where we'd be if Biden hadn't won the presidency):
"Deputy staff members at the NSC played the same war game and came up with a different response. Colin Kahl, who at the time was an adviser to Vice President Biden, argued that retaliating with a nuclear weapon would be a huge mistake, sacrificing the moral high ground. Kahl thought it would be far more effective to respond with a conventional attack and turn world opinion against Russia for violating the nuclear taboo. The others agreed, and Avril Haines, a deputy national security adviser, suggested making T-shirts with the slogan deputies should run the world. Haines is now President Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, and Kahl is the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy."
Can the DOJ ask the district court to overrule Judge Cannon's decision?
Yes, but very unlikely. This matter falls into realm of case management. The 11th cir won’t want to get involved
Yes. But her actions are now irrelevant to the heart of the investigation and prosecution of Trump. So they likely will allow her to keep burying her reputation under a pile of utter incompetence and corruption.