Thank you Robert for listing about the postcards for the Mississippi Supreme Court Runoff Election and our Zoom this morning! Below are more details about the race and how to get script etc. If people could “like” this, it’ll keep the message at the top so more volunteers might see it, to get more postcards out to remind Democrats in MS to vote next week! Thank you!
We have just today (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) to write and mail for this MS Runoff Election. The postcards are in support of the incumbent, Justice Jim Kitchens. Jim's opponent, Jenifer Branning, is currently a (MAGA) Republican State Senator. As one of the most conservative members of the State Senate, she voted against changing the state flag to remove Confederate Battle emblem, voted against expanding Medicaid to working poor, and for increasing minimum sentences for crime. She also authored a bill to allow businesses to deny services to LGBTQ. Let's help Justice Kitchens keep his seat.
So great! As of yesterday at 2pm, PTV volunteers had taken 39,150 addresses. Basically in 24 hours. We were all part of making that happen. THANK YOU! Go Justice Kitchens!
It came to my attention that an organization , https://weareworthfightingfor.org has formed chapters across the U.S. to resist, set up roadblocks etc. to protect our Democracy. The chapter in our town here in Freeland WA anticipated 30 attendees at their first meeting. Over 100 showed up and learned the various ways to take action. They appear to be very well organized and informed and offer several avenues of participation. Unfortunately I didn't know about the first meeting but intend to be at the second one in another couple of weeks after hearing the rave reviews of the first. Check out the website above and see what you think! Time to put some banana peels on the path!!
Of course I am starting up my efforts again (just joined the Meck Dems call at 4 pm and have been writing my federal legislators every day) - but my question is -- what's up with the Democrats in Congress - especially the Senate??!!! They have TWO months to get some things done - to shift the narrative to "no, it. wasn't a mandate" -- to rally us. Instead - CRICKETS!! What the
Agree completely. I am getting my marching orders and inspiration from Robert and several other Substack favorites AND from The Bulwark and Bill Kristol and others who have given up WAY more than Schumer and others have.
Isn’t Congress Article I. C’mon, Hakeem and Chuck! This is NOT impressive!
Like others here, your newsletter renewed my faith and hope. The media continues to misinform, the T people continue to lie,but the votes are still being cured and tallied and it is by no means a landslide or a mandate. I love the 1/3 of eligible voters stat! Talk about perspective...now if it just wasn't for that pesky electoral college.
I listened to the Laurence Tribe piece, but it does not leave me feeling sanguine. Yes, states can file law suits in front of forum shopped judges in Circuits that respect the law. Can those legal challenges move quickly enough to counter the Trump strategy of mounting an outrage to the Constitution and to his Oath of office every single day. Are there any other powers that states might muster? Tribe suggests that persons around Trump might push back against his most notorious desires. Really?! He is surrounded now by total loyalists. He has a blueprint, Project 2025, ready to be unfurled at day one. He has a list of cabinet and agency nominees ready to go in week 2. There are and will not be any Kelly, McMaster, Mattis, Bolton, or McGahans around to curb his impulses. Should John Thune and his GOP Senate caucus agree to allow recess appointments, the entire system of checks and balances (this being the fail-safe constitutional "architecture" Prof. Tribe alludes to) will crumble. Once Trump has forced them to bend the knee, how does that toothpaste get retubed? How can we imagine this bunch of moral cowards standing up to Trump at this late moment when they twice failed to hold him to account for blatant violations of his Oath of Office? It scares me to think about it with the GOP Senate filled with crazies such as Cruz, Scott, and Hawley, zombies such as Collins, and trannies (transactional hypocrites) such as Graham and Rubio.
On a related topic, allow me to insert a query I plan to post on all my favorite stacks as the opportunity arises: I lay awake at night dreading that on day one Trump will pardon all the 1000+ Jan. 6 rioters including the top leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Such a move would destroy whatever semblance of rule of law remains after SCOTUS’ decision in Trump v. US and the appointment of Matt Gaetz, or some other equally non-serious loyalist, to lead DOJ. It would also give freedom to the generals in Trump’s private militias and embolden every right wing freak and lone wolf killer out in the weeds of the internet.
I seek answers from the authors and readers of these on-line conversations: What can we citizens/voters do to pushback against this horrible abuse of office and of the oath to protect the constitution and faithfully execute (maintain) the law? What can anyone, Congress, states, elected officials, bureaucrats, do? I have some ideas, but many of them require embracing forms of nihilism, violence and lawbreaking. I am searching for answers based in reality. Is there any feasible thing we might do that would make DJT and his handlers take notice and apply the brakes?
Thank you for this update. It's good to know the gap between red & blue popular vote numbers continues to narrow and any Republican claim on a mandate is steadily weakening. The column also generated some very good comments and discussions about where to go from here. There was one paragraph in your column that really caught my attention, part of which was --- ". . . commentators frequently referred to 'the end of democracy' if Trump won. That phraseology was meant to evoke the urgent threat posed by a second Trump presidency. But it should not have been understood to suggest that democracy would literally end if Trump won." --- I found that last sentence confusing and bothersome. Sorry to bring it up, but what came to mind was "Defund the Police." Due to imprecise language, that very poorly thought-out slogan has done more harm than good. All I'm trying to say is, going forward, our messaging (be it book or bumper-sticker) needs to be as clear as we can make it.
Hello, Robert. Your mention today of Postcards to Voters and the importance of the runoff campaign in Mississippi motivated a friend and me to write postcards for Jim Kitchens' Supreme Court seat. Your influence is vast and powerful.
"The House currently has 218 GOP seats and 212 Democratic seats—with five seats to be called. Democrats currently lead in two of the five still contested races, suggesting that Democrats will have at least 215 votes—with the possibility of 216."
If set correctly and allowed to heal properly, a broken bone heals stronger at the break than the unaffected tissue adjacent. I prefer to look at the possibilities within any "problem". Heads up. Shoulders back. The worse things to lose are hope, faith, direction, intention, and good will. Velocity and mass will accrue.
Hello! Question—I worry over drumpf being essentially a puppet for Putin, Musk, Vance, etc. To what extent can one realistically consider Putin f!*king with our elections here on out? I think of members of our Supreme Court hanging out with Russians. I can’t even recall where I read about that now. We didn’t expect all of the ballot tossing, ballot bribing and poll threats that happened in this election. Should we be equally concerned about unelected billionaires and dictators?
I have posted on most of the substack folks sites that I subscribe to about how distorted and incorrect the map has been regarding the election; you are the first to explain the gross discrepancy!
I will forward your letter to my friends as it will certainly make them feel better.
Roxanne Gray in the NYTimes on Sunday was very interesting. She was talking about the ugly withdrawal from Afghanistan. It was my understanding that many of the people in the Pentagon spent their days thinking about possible military engagements and what we would do and were constantly up dating them as conditions and individuals changed. So they had to have a serious plan for the withdrawal from Kabul. They had to ! Joe Biden did not make this plan up in his head the day before although the buck stops at his desk. And everyone blamed Joe Biden for the poor planning and the suicide bomber ! That is the mind set we are up against. Writing post cards will not cure that nor will phone banking. They have to tell us where they are coming from. Or else we will be perfectly justified in thinking that they would throw their wives and daughters under the bus for 5 cents off per gallon of gas.
Thank you for this, Robert…BTW I have deactivated my X account and joined Bluesky which I’m enjoying. BTW Over the weekend as we approached our freeway, two trucks pulled up next to us with huge Trump flags. When I looked in my rearview mirror I saw a convoy of these trucks. There was a lot of shouting and horn honking. Pure intimidation! Not going to fall for it!
“Don’t allow yourself to be lied to by bad actors who seek to use the “red mirage” to create the illusion that Trump has a mandate to trample the rule of law or ignore the Constitution. “ —
Even if the “red mirage” were genuine – not a mirage at al – there could be *no* mandate to trample the rule of law or ignore the Constitution. Those were not ballot questions.
Thank you Robert for listing about the postcards for the Mississippi Supreme Court Runoff Election and our Zoom this morning! Below are more details about the race and how to get script etc. If people could “like” this, it’ll keep the message at the top so more volunteers might see it, to get more postcards out to remind Democrats in MS to vote next week! Thank you!
Postcards To Voters approved writers can get addresses and script via Web Abby by going to Abby.postcardstovoters.org, or use Slack Abby or Email Abby or email the RR Team. All options are available on the PTV linktree ( https://linktr.ee/postcardstovoters ) New writers can get started by sending an email to Postcards@TonytheDemocrat.org.
We have just today (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) to write and mail for this MS Runoff Election. The postcards are in support of the incumbent, Justice Jim Kitchens. Jim's opponent, Jenifer Branning, is currently a (MAGA) Republican State Senator. As one of the most conservative members of the State Senate, she voted against changing the state flag to remove Confederate Battle emblem, voted against expanding Medicaid to working poor, and for increasing minimum sentences for crime. She also authored a bill to allow businesses to deny services to LGBTQ. Let's help Justice Kitchens keep his seat.
mailed 30 postcards this morning!
Thank you, Sarah, since I'm already an approved writer, I can can get addresses right away. I will do that!
So great! As of yesterday at 2pm, PTV volunteers had taken 39,150 addresses. Basically in 24 hours. We were all part of making that happen. THANK YOU! Go Justice Kitchens!
I have my addresses from PTV also. Grateful.
Thank you so much for writing. The postcards, Giving Circles and Robert give me real hope.
I'm working on my list of addresses! 🤗
Fantastic!!!!!!!
It came to my attention that an organization , https://weareworthfightingfor.org has formed chapters across the U.S. to resist, set up roadblocks etc. to protect our Democracy. The chapter in our town here in Freeland WA anticipated 30 attendees at their first meeting. Over 100 showed up and learned the various ways to take action. They appear to be very well organized and informed and offer several avenues of participation. Unfortunately I didn't know about the first meeting but intend to be at the second one in another couple of weeks after hearing the rave reviews of the first. Check out the website above and see what you think! Time to put some banana peels on the path!!
Love the moonbeam capture. This made me think of a Bing Crosby song that will be my anthem for the next 4 years: 🎶OH Would you like to swing on a star
carry moonbeams home in a jar
and be better off than you are
or would you rather be a mule…🎵 https://www.google.com/search?q=Would+you+like+to+swing+on+a+star+carry+moonbeams+home+in+a+jar+words+lyrics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:43f3e360,vid:PB89Mh6gpvw,st:0
Blue Sky is exploding with new accounts. Every time I check there’s one or two million more accounts. My BlueSky handle is: @TomDemcast.bsky.social
I followed all the accounts that Robert mentioned. Many of these accounts have hundreds of thousands of followers already.
Check out this DemCast Digital Drumbeat substack article with some ideas on how to easily follow fellow progressives, Democrat MOC’s progressive organizations and more: https://www.digitaldrumbeat.com/p/bluesky-is-exploding-what-role-will?r=1lwl10&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web While you’re at it why don’t you go to https://www.digitaldrumbeat.com/ and subscribe to The Digital Drumbeat?
Let’s make Blue Sky the new “Town Square!”
Of course I am starting up my efforts again (just joined the Meck Dems call at 4 pm and have been writing my federal legislators every day) - but my question is -- what's up with the Democrats in Congress - especially the Senate??!!! They have TWO months to get some things done - to shift the narrative to "no, it. wasn't a mandate" -- to rally us. Instead - CRICKETS!! What the
h--l?????
Agree completely. I am getting my marching orders and inspiration from Robert and several other Substack favorites AND from The Bulwark and Bill Kristol and others who have given up WAY more than Schumer and others have.
Isn’t Congress Article I. C’mon, Hakeem and Chuck! This is NOT impressive!
Like others here, your newsletter renewed my faith and hope. The media continues to misinform, the T people continue to lie,but the votes are still being cured and tallied and it is by no means a landslide or a mandate. I love the 1/3 of eligible voters stat! Talk about perspective...now if it just wasn't for that pesky electoral college.
I listened to the Laurence Tribe piece, but it does not leave me feeling sanguine. Yes, states can file law suits in front of forum shopped judges in Circuits that respect the law. Can those legal challenges move quickly enough to counter the Trump strategy of mounting an outrage to the Constitution and to his Oath of office every single day. Are there any other powers that states might muster? Tribe suggests that persons around Trump might push back against his most notorious desires. Really?! He is surrounded now by total loyalists. He has a blueprint, Project 2025, ready to be unfurled at day one. He has a list of cabinet and agency nominees ready to go in week 2. There are and will not be any Kelly, McMaster, Mattis, Bolton, or McGahans around to curb his impulses. Should John Thune and his GOP Senate caucus agree to allow recess appointments, the entire system of checks and balances (this being the fail-safe constitutional "architecture" Prof. Tribe alludes to) will crumble. Once Trump has forced them to bend the knee, how does that toothpaste get retubed? How can we imagine this bunch of moral cowards standing up to Trump at this late moment when they twice failed to hold him to account for blatant violations of his Oath of Office? It scares me to think about it with the GOP Senate filled with crazies such as Cruz, Scott, and Hawley, zombies such as Collins, and trannies (transactional hypocrites) such as Graham and Rubio.
On a related topic, allow me to insert a query I plan to post on all my favorite stacks as the opportunity arises: I lay awake at night dreading that on day one Trump will pardon all the 1000+ Jan. 6 rioters including the top leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Such a move would destroy whatever semblance of rule of law remains after SCOTUS’ decision in Trump v. US and the appointment of Matt Gaetz, or some other equally non-serious loyalist, to lead DOJ. It would also give freedom to the generals in Trump’s private militias and embolden every right wing freak and lone wolf killer out in the weeds of the internet.
I seek answers from the authors and readers of these on-line conversations: What can we citizens/voters do to pushback against this horrible abuse of office and of the oath to protect the constitution and faithfully execute (maintain) the law? What can anyone, Congress, states, elected officials, bureaucrats, do? I have some ideas, but many of them require embracing forms of nihilism, violence and lawbreaking. I am searching for answers based in reality. Is there any feasible thing we might do that would make DJT and his handlers take notice and apply the brakes?
Thank you for this update. It's good to know the gap between red & blue popular vote numbers continues to narrow and any Republican claim on a mandate is steadily weakening. The column also generated some very good comments and discussions about where to go from here. There was one paragraph in your column that really caught my attention, part of which was --- ". . . commentators frequently referred to 'the end of democracy' if Trump won. That phraseology was meant to evoke the urgent threat posed by a second Trump presidency. But it should not have been understood to suggest that democracy would literally end if Trump won." --- I found that last sentence confusing and bothersome. Sorry to bring it up, but what came to mind was "Defund the Police." Due to imprecise language, that very poorly thought-out slogan has done more harm than good. All I'm trying to say is, going forward, our messaging (be it book or bumper-sticker) needs to be as clear as we can make it.
Hello, Robert. Your mention today of Postcards to Voters and the importance of the runoff campaign in Mississippi motivated a friend and me to write postcards for Jim Kitchens' Supreme Court seat. Your influence is vast and powerful.
"The House currently has 218 GOP seats and 212 Democratic seats—with five seats to be called. Democrats currently lead in two of the five still contested races, suggesting that Democrats will have at least 215 votes—with the possibility of 216."
Does this compute? I don't get it. Help!
If set correctly and allowed to heal properly, a broken bone heals stronger at the break than the unaffected tissue adjacent. I prefer to look at the possibilities within any "problem". Heads up. Shoulders back. The worse things to lose are hope, faith, direction, intention, and good will. Velocity and mass will accrue.
Hello! Question—I worry over drumpf being essentially a puppet for Putin, Musk, Vance, etc. To what extent can one realistically consider Putin f!*king with our elections here on out? I think of members of our Supreme Court hanging out with Russians. I can’t even recall where I read about that now. We didn’t expect all of the ballot tossing, ballot bribing and poll threats that happened in this election. Should we be equally concerned about unelected billionaires and dictators?
Thank you!
I have posted on most of the substack folks sites that I subscribe to about how distorted and incorrect the map has been regarding the election; you are the first to explain the gross discrepancy!
I will forward your letter to my friends as it will certainly make them feel better.
Thank you again,
Jan Wesson
Dripping Springs, Tx.
Roxanne Gray in the NYTimes on Sunday was very interesting. She was talking about the ugly withdrawal from Afghanistan. It was my understanding that many of the people in the Pentagon spent their days thinking about possible military engagements and what we would do and were constantly up dating them as conditions and individuals changed. So they had to have a serious plan for the withdrawal from Kabul. They had to ! Joe Biden did not make this plan up in his head the day before although the buck stops at his desk. And everyone blamed Joe Biden for the poor planning and the suicide bomber ! That is the mind set we are up against. Writing post cards will not cure that nor will phone banking. They have to tell us where they are coming from. Or else we will be perfectly justified in thinking that they would throw their wives and daughters under the bus for 5 cents off per gallon of gas.
Thank you for this, Robert…BTW I have deactivated my X account and joined Bluesky which I’m enjoying. BTW Over the weekend as we approached our freeway, two trucks pulled up next to us with huge Trump flags. When I looked in my rearview mirror I saw a convoy of these trucks. There was a lot of shouting and horn honking. Pure intimidation! Not going to fall for it!
“Don’t allow yourself to be lied to by bad actors who seek to use the “red mirage” to create the illusion that Trump has a mandate to trample the rule of law or ignore the Constitution. “ —
Even if the “red mirage” were genuine – not a mirage at al – there could be *no* mandate to trample the rule of law or ignore the Constitution. Those were not ballot questions.