"It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Super Grassrooter!" And, "Who was that masked Texter, Phone Banker, Postcarder...? It's the Not-So-Lone Stealth and Nimble Ninja!"
Being under-estimated by the pollsters, etc., suits this undercover agent for democracy just fine, Robert!
You make an important point Lynell. I think it's an advantage that pollsters and the media remain unaware of the many grassroots efforts that Democrats are engaged in. Let them continue to be "surprised" at election results. I also prefer the other side not get wind of this and start a grassroots movement of their own, though I really don't know if their numbers would allow them to become successful?
It seems some of the activist energy has been dissipated on the other side. While they may still have a lot of votes, it takes commitment and a willingness to organize with others to become an activist.
And, following my analogy, systemic feeding of the plant will feed the poison to the fruit it bears. In humans then, their fruit, children, will be contaminated with the poison as well. Maybe some will develop immunity. Maybe not! Only through our devastated public education system, can we find the greatest hope in keeping America afloat. I worked in the system thirty plus years. I saw this coming when Jeb Bush arrived here as Governor.
Yes, Lynn! I'm not a gambler, mind you, but while on a wild and crazy vacation, I became acquainted with a one-armed bandit (slot machine) that took a liking to me. I kept winning until someone with an evil eye noticed. I stopped winning after that. The moral of the story is: may an evil eye R never take ahold of a grass with roots.
Somehow, I am now on an email list purchased by the Relpublicans asking if I can join a grass roots movement. Probably started in early January. Don't know how successful they will be. It was a totally blind solicitation, no clue what list I might be on to trigger, perhaps a newspaper subscription (I have many).
It gives us all a lot of space to get even stronger the more dismissive the press and company becomes. And a lot of us older folks have children and grandchildren we’re inspiring to take action as well.
And me; the longer we go unnoticed and unremarked, especially by Republican consultants, candidates and running dogs in the media, the more effective we'll be.
You might tell Speaker Mike that he needs some Rooter action also, if you know what I mean. <jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com> Get on him. "Dear Speaker Johnson, .....
So far he has not acknowledged the message I sent by email two days ago, but hopefully if he gets enough messages something will sink in. On the other hand, he answers every message I sent him on Telegram, so far four over the last two days. I wrote to him after the mass shooting yesterday encouraging him to be an agent of change. He at least acknowledges that it is "disheartening" to witness this tragedy again but said again I can have complete trust in him. I asked him not to say that anymore. It's not helpful. He's not God. And his House in chaos. (To me, and I didn't say this to him, it's a window into the MAGA mindset of blind trust while the base understands little. "You can trust me; I know best." So they do.) I know people are hesitant about Telegram. But he is actually answering those messages. Hopefully he does read gmail at some point as well.
I have no idea if he will read or respond to anything via email, but I just politely said that he needs to stop listening to puppet master Trump and get to work on business that’s important for the American people. I told him the impeachment sham will only make Republicans look like idiots, and that they could expect a blue wave in November due to their negligence in not passing legislation that benefits us and our allies. I signed my name and location in Colorado. I feel like we’re living on a hamster wheel and I’m pretty tired of it.
I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made calls for Tom Suozzi, as many of my friends did, but the efforts of the REAL patriotic Americans prevailed. He won handily over Ms. Pilip because even your Republican citizens saw what you all are spending your time and energy on in the House. Impeaching Secy. Mayorkas does nothing to improve their lives. Implementing the border bill that includes almost all that you asked for does. Giving in to Trump may be the most short-sighted or Traitorous thing your party is doing. Our National Security is on the line with your abandonment of Ukraine and your tacit support of the dictator Vladimir Putin.
I invite you to do the right thing and your job, stand up to Mr. Trump, and put the foreign aid bill up for a vote. You know that most of the money is spent here, replacing what we send to Ukraine, don't you? Businesses all over this great land will be the ones who profit by standing up for democracy. Trump's base probably doesn't even know that. Why don't you let them know? You might be surprised at the results, including being seen as a strong hero rather than a weak Trump toadie.
Yes sorry Susan. I was up way too late last night and wrote that in a hurry.
Thank you for keeping an eye on things. A few hours ago Speaker Mike responded to my email of last night and gave me his Telgram address. I think it bothers him to get our comments on his personal email and he has to respond to get you to not use it, but having to at least scan over wht you wrote to get to the reply button.You are so evil, heh heh heh. that's the Telegram you gave out, right? https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
Checked the time and AAAAAHHH, it was after 2:30 AM. I managed to get up at 6:30, but might need a nap later. Us old geezers gotta take it easy.
As I hit Post, the t-Rump texted me again, pleading for me to answer te questions on the MAGA Poll he sent me a few days ago. I do the Stop thing and it won't say no more texts. Should I open and take the damn thing?
You want it? rwing.us/4T2CgG. You could give serious throw off answers.
Yes sorry Susan. I was up way too late last night and wrote that in a hurry.
Thank you for keeping an eye on things. A few hours ago Speaker Mike responded to my email of last night and gave me his Telgram address. I think it bothers him to get our comments on his personal email and he has to respond to get you to not use it, but having to at least scan over wht you wrote to get to the reply button.You are so evil, heh heh heh. that's the Telegram you gave out, right? https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
Yes. That's it. So far he has responded to all four messages I have sent him on Telegram. He has not answered the email. I sent him a link to an article I challenged him to read. I'm encouraged to know that he answered you if only to redirect (or maybe a staff person is redirecting?). The more of us pestering him, the better. Telegram was easy to download and use.
Great, I'll have to try it. I'm sending the links to friends who wrote massive post cards for Suozzi. They will hit him hard too and tell more of their friends.
Hello, fellow Stealth and Nimble Ninja! It is very weird, though, how pollsters will twist even a great victory to a loss! What is underway here? I truly don't get it!
I fear that it will deter some voters from voting if they feel it is hopeless to vote. However, you are correct, Lynell! We are WINNING elections! And it seems the level of voters receiving postcards, phone calls, and door-knockers is enough to counteract the narrative. We just have to keep it up!
I write the weekly newsletter for a local New York City Democratic Club (The Four Freedoms Democratic Club). We can say and we were part of a movement that made 2 million phone calls, knocked on 150 thousand doors, and wrote hundreds of thousands of postcards. What was particularly remarkable about the grassroots effort, of which we were a part, is that there was no intraparty fighting. We know that Tom Suozzi is a moderate to conservative Democrat -- more conservative than most of the members of our Club. We, along with the other grassroots groups that supported Tom Suozzi, knew what was at stake in this race. And we know the value of the Democratic Party's diversity of views. We relish Tom Suozzi's victory, both for itself and as a precursor to Democratic victories throughout the country, including Joe Biden's victory, in November.
Yes! I think that the broad and diverse coalition that Suozzi was able to successfully rally is what lead to his victory. Judging from the email campaign messages that I received, he and his team are smart and acted strategically. Can't wait to see him in the House. Thank you, too. for your efforts, FFDC !
"President Biden has made his position clear on the killing and injuring of innocent people celebrating a Super Bowl victory. Donald Trump has remained silent. That fact, standing alone, tells us all we need to know about the differences between the two candidates."
On another note, I credit Jessica Craven for her newsletters with action items to let us all work towards saving democracy, and especially most recently, for Tom Suozzi's victory in NY, drawing in those of us on the other coast to help.
Jessica Craven has helped me look at the ignoring by pundits and media of the impact of activists in a positive light. From yesterday: "I find it endlessly confusing and astonishing that the political punditry won’t acknowledge the existence, let alone the power, of the so-called Resistance. But never mind. We can—and will—use our invisibility to our advantage; we always have."
Every time I say I'm done writing for a particular campaign, I wake up the next day & ask what if they lose by 5 votes? Surely, I can write 5 more postcards. So I do. :-)
As a "highly engaged, partisan older voter," I am delighted to be recognized by the desperate, almost marginalized Nate Cohen. I intend to stay highly engaged, partisan and even older through my last postcard, phone battery and keyboard -- or the defeat of the last babbling MAGA candidate, whichever comes last.
That would be a great way to honor that venerable movement and its founder, Maggie Kuhn. But I hasten to add that it is not just old folks- it has always been multi-generational. And so are the grassroots folks working for democracy now. That's it's strength. Proud to have been a part of it at its founding and proud to still be involved in grassroots electioneering now- over 50 years later.
Yeah I'm confused as to why the media keeps operating off the assumption that people don't care or aren't going to turn out when the last few years have shown that's not the case?
And the major reason the MSM belittles the work of the thousands of volunteers who dedicated so many hours to help ensure a Democratic victory on Tuesday is that those volunteers WEREN'T standing there wringing their hands in media-generated despair. They were ignoring both the media and the despair by getting things done. I salute everyone of them and urge the remaining hand-wringers to follow the path that the volunteers cleared. You'll feel better and you'll be getting good things done.
"Recent events have put that fact into high relief after a period of complacency."
Let us hope we never again fall into that complacency. We lulled ourselves into such a state after believing in the "Progress" we made as a Nation from the Sixties through the Seventies, while the Confederate progeny organized quietly, underground, waiting for their next opportunity, as well as those of the US Nazis also.
The Koch and Welch funded John Birch Society of the Fifties and on, kept the rabble roused and then the Murdoch $ in the Reagan admin brought us their ultimate propaganda machine,. Perhaps we should have listened to the Black Panthers and the Weather Underground. They were very clear that the enemy we see today was very active, while we progressives rested on out laurels.
When the cristyun white supremacists jumped up screaming Trump Trump Trump!!, I knew we had let our guard down and were in for a serious fight. I had not given them much of a thought for fifty years.
I know Biden reminds us not to think of other Americans as "Enemy", but I do believe they see us as such.
Exactly so! It could be said spending time on twitter is a waste, but it shows a measure of the way MAGA thinks. Many clearly view Democrats/liberals as an enemy to be destroyed; I've seen this on some Substack comments elsewhere, also, and frankly, it's horrifying. The shock of trump winning in '16 morphed into a greater shock of realizing the number of people in this country who really believed his lies. I'm also alarmed by the number of liberal Democrats leaning towards 3rd party candidates or don't see clearly what the loss of their taken for granted democracy will look like in their everyday lives. They don't get it and complacency is to blame; throw lack of critical thinking in there too.
America persevered through a revolution, a civil war, and a devastating world war - I think this battle for our future and soul carries equal weight.
The 2016 campaign was the eye opener. T-Rump gave the worst of the worst permssion to say it out loud and they crawled out from wherever they were hiding en mass. I have always known who they were, but never thought they were one third of our country. I have known white supremacist meth dealing bikers who say "WE call them N***** to John Birch Baptist wackos since high school. fiftysome years ago. Southern Baptists are the breeding ground. JBS daughters would ask me and my brother, at school, why our mother was a communist, and later after we heard the announcement of the shooting of JFK, they were dancing around laughing hysterically. They are typical. I (WE) should have known just watcing the news on TV of the screeming hatered of the crowds blocking school entrances in the South. Their offspring are the MAGA now and we should have been forwarned by our own eyes.
I could go on and on, and sometimes I do. Andrew Johnson pardened all but a few Confederates. They have been been biding their time for "The South Will Rise Again", indoctrinating their progeny througt the Southern Baptist Church ever since.
Heather Cox Richardson gives the background of this progression. I still, as we all do, need to read her How the South Won the Civil War.
As Joyce Vance says, "We are all in this together".
Reading 'How the South Won the Civil War' is on my to do list. If someone had told me pre 2016 I'd be reading a non-fiction history book, I'd have laughed in your face! I do see across the message boards a renewed interest in the mechanics/HX of democracies vs fascism - maybe there's hope!
Yes, the list is too long to get it all in the comment section without Copy and Paste whole books. Listen to Rachel Maddow's "Ultra" and read her "Prequell". The documentation of all the rightwing and Nazi movement in this country is all there, pulled from the National Archive.
Very thoughtful, minihistory of what has been going on. Trump is not the creator of Trumpism. Donald would never want to work that hard or that systematically. Others, some unwittingly, some very wittingly as Ransom Rideout says, contributed to a ripe mass of resentment, hatred, fear, and desire for retribution that Donald had the craven salesman's instinct to exploit. The extraordinary moment when America chose as our leader a Black man galvanized many and furthered the hatred of "urban elites." Remember Trump was born in Birthism, which when that was shown to be clearly a lie, Trump bobbed and weaved, but he never dropped it. We are also being fed a line that Trump is a champion of rural America or the working class or the non-college educated people who support him. The MAGA movement is not being driven by minimum wage workers in Osceola, Iowa. It is being driven by rich, Ivy League educated, men and women who with multigenerational inherited wealth are doing everything they can to create an autocracy in America. Mike Johnson is not bowing to the will of his constituents as much as the moneyed class that enables him and others to manipulate those voters. The Republican Party once hated the Commies and saw Communist perfidy everywhere, including in the arts and entertainment. The GOP has found a new boogie man "the libtard," which includes "Marxists", though they rarely know or articulate what that means, People of Color, and Democrats. As Michael Steele noted last evening on MSNBC, Republicans don't care about immigration, defense, or anything else. They just want to "own the libtards." Trump is the perfect leader for a party with the maturity, sensitivity, sense of discipline and honor and attention span and memory of 11-year-old bullies on the playground. We can outstudy them, outthink them, and maybe even outraise them in the money game, while they are busy fuming and insulting people.
I think it's long past time to archive our comments in a file on our computers. I was just trying to remember where I could find something I wrote weeks ago that would be appropriate to update and post last night. You should too, Patrick, as what you contribute should not be lost. Collaboration might be in order. I could write a few long paragraphs in response to you now, but I know you know. I stayed up WAY too late last night.
I'll just leave it at Trump is the new face of the olligarch class, as Hitler was in the twenties.
Not sure you got my response. I assume this was a question because I am identified as "retired college/university president." I was president at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana from 2006 to 2013. The I went to Millikin University for what was supposed to be an interim presidency and wound up staying seven year, retiring in 2020. Before Wabash, which is one of the four men's college's remaining in the country, I was professor of English, Associate Dean and later Dean of Faculty for 18 years at Saint Mary's College, a premier women's college, in South Bend, Indiana.
“Indivisible just announced their response to the Republicans’ Project 2025: it’s Project 2024: Majority Over MAGA, a nationwide program to build a new Democratic trifecta, reelect President Biden, and mobilize a majority against the anti-democracy, anti-abortion politics of MAGA. You can read the summary of their plan here, but you can and should also attend their big strategy call tomorrow, February 15, at 5:00 PM PT / 8PM ET.”
The NYT failed to carry Biden’s perfect plea for gun control on its front page after the shooting in KC. Biden said “Today’s events should move us, shock us, shame us into acting. What are we waiting for? What else do we need to see? How many more families need to be torn apart?
It is time to act. That’s where I stand. And I ask the country to stand with me.”
Instead the shooting was covered on page 17 without mentioning what Biden said. The NYT is shameful in its lack of concern for the American families who suffer at the hands of gun toting idiots.
Email format at NYT is <first.last@nytimes.com>. Send those emails to the writers directly and give them polite hell. To the editorial staff in general, it is <editorial@nytimes.com>
An example of one of mine is :
Dear Sirs and Madams,
Who's side are you on? Democracy or tyranny? You have done everything you could to demean Joe Biden over the past three years. You acknowledged receiving the Robert Hubble Substack I forwarded to you on Feb. 5, but have not responded. I know you are busy, but this one by Jeff Tiedrich is speaking to YOU. Does the First Amendment mean anything to you anymore? Are you comfortable with the threat to the free press? You have to stop carrying water for Putin and advocate for our Constitution and the American people. The threat is real. It is your responsibility to keep our nation informed of this danger. The absolute political smear of the Hur report? Do you accept without question all the speculative lies within it and those of the Trump cohorts? The story that you missed was that our president was on the phone to many world leaders, as well as leaders of the US military, constantly since the Hamas attack on October 7, within the previous twenty-four hours and he made time to meet with special counsel Hur while juggling world affairs so fast that anyone else's head would spin, but not our president. You missed that story and published hit pieces on your front page instead.
Speaking for the Grassroots Movement, thank you, thank you, thank you. We hope the Democratic Party, on all levels, welcomes us into the campaign the same way the Suozzi campaign did. It's a recipe for victory. The Grassroots Collaboration Project has put together a Directory of Grassroots groups which can be identified by state and contains contact information by which such organizations can coordinate. We need to be efficient and effective and that necessitates collaboration.
Want in invitation to list your pro-democracy grassroots group in the Grassroots Directory? Just complete this form: https://forms.gle/Ahkc7txjaxsERh4eA
Robert, I just saw this in Jennifer Rubin's column today. What do you think of it?
Q: "Does the media want Trump to win?
Dennis
12:28 p.m.
I have long believed that the media is foolish and was being played by the GOP. The media's coverage of the Hur report has led me to believe the media wants former president Donald Trump to win. Do you agree? Thanks.
A:
Jennifer Rubin
Opinion Columnist
Three things are going on that wind up giving Trump an advantage. First, the media want drama, conflict and uncertainty about the race. The pressure for ratings, clicks and subscribers is intense. Hence, hysterical headlines and multiple stories splattering a single front page with no perspective, no sense of what is important and what is not. Second, they desperately want to show they are just as tough on President Biden as they were on Trump. Because Biden is nothing like Trump and has none of his pathologies, the media become hyper-critical of everything, even economic performance that is excellent. You get the snide questions and snotty questions from a press corps desperate to show they are "tough." Worst of all, they want to create a false equivalence — both to maintain a dramatic horse race (see first point) and to maintain the pose of neutrality. They therefore shy from reporting what is in front of them — e.g., Trump is incoherent and unhinged, Biden has a mastery of policy that Trump cannot begin to grasp. We're impartial! We don't have a horse in the race! They wind up normalizing Trump, excusing and ignoring unacceptable behavior and treating this like just anoter race. It is a disaster for our democracy and a major failure of their mandate to tell the truth."
Rubin is one of the only WaPo writers who is based in reality. I'll have to send her a thank you email. Great work of yours here too, Robert. I hope you are well recovered.
I made a modest contribution to Tom Suozzi some months ago and subsequently received a swarm of requests from other Democrats running for office across the country. I was annoyed by this until last night when I received a thank you email from Suozzi thanking me for being part of his victory. My very small part really did help make a difference. I’ll try to welcome those emails now and donate when I can. Sure feels good!
Hey neighbor, writer, editor, my wife in an artist, graphic designer and serious highly regarded Iyengar Certified yoga teacher. Maybe catch you at Millie's some late morning breakfast time.
I am outraged that the house is taking a two-week recess! What a chicken shit. (Mike Johnson) That's called "taking the ball and going home." How do we get loud that this is a GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF DUTY?
One more thing Victoria, If you do want to send him an email, It might be most effective to send it to his PERSONAL gmail account first. That is why he got back so fast. It bothers him and even to tell you to use Telegram, which he can ignore, he will at least have to glance at your note first. Sorry for all the out of order comments. Good luck if you try. All of his contacts use that email and he will have a hard time dropping it and getting the thousands who,use it to change over. Am I evil? Heh Heh...
Hit him HARD Victoria. <jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com> . I hit him with a zinger last night about the no vote foriegn aid, national security issue. goota hit him often and his personal email was garned from his staff by a reader of Lucien Truscott.
Damn, checking my inbox, Speaker Johnson just responded to my email of last night and says to use Telegram. Mike Johnson put the link in.
Gotta put in a new comment, too much space. The copy of what I sent him last night :
Dear Speaker Johnson
I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made calls for Tom Suozzi, as many of my friends did, but the efforts of the REAL patriotic Americans prevailed. He won handily over Ms. Pilip because even your Republican citizens saw what you all are spending your time and energy on in the House. Impeaching Secy. Mayorkas does nothing to improve their lives. Implementing the border bill that includes almost all that you asked for does. Giving in to Trump may be the most short-sighted or Traitorous thing your party is doing. Our National Security is on the line with your abandonment of Ukraine and your tacit support of the dictator Vladimir Putin.
I invite you to do the right thing and your job, stand up to Mr. Trump, and put the foreign aid bill up for a vote. You know that most of the money is spent here, replacing what we send to Ukraine, don't you? Businesses all over this great land will be the ones who profit by standing up for democracy. Trump's base probably doesn't even know that. Why don't you let them know? You might be surprised at the results, including being seen as a strong hero rather than a weak Trump toadie.
Clarence Thomas. How can any reasonable person, to say nothing of his fellow Justices, not know that Thomas has a clear conflict of interest whenever any J/6 related decisions must be made? How in heavens name can Roberts sit next to a guy whose WIFE was in the room with Trump and actively advocating for election denial all through November, December and January following the election unequivocally won by Trump's opponent?
Swbv. Its simple, Roberts knows that no authority exists to hold him to account, thusly, addressing Honorable Tom is un-necessary as his goal to keep the Gang of Six in solidarity is paramount
It's even simpler - Roberts is in on it. He authored the Citizen's United decision, iirc, which opened the doors even more widely to fascism. He gets portrayed as some kind of independent conservative, but he's just another partisan hack with an agenda that isn't far away from CT's wife.
Just a comment about guns: even if every family that owned assault weapons lost a family member to a shooting tragedy, I am not sure it would make any difference.
When talking to voters in Fl ,where the “grooming” of children is supposedly a thing, I like to point out the true “grooming” involves the marketing of AR-15’s to children. An Independent voter, concerned about those 😱deadly drag show story hours, actually laughed in my face.She didn’t believe me…
“The 'JR-15' Rifle for Kids Is Back, Without Baby Skulls In Marketing This Time
Wee1 Tactical has toned down its marketing for the JR-15 rifle designed to be used by children.”
I made a comment on Facebook saying that we are no longer able to gather in large groups anymore because of safety issues and got pummeled by haters.I still stand by my statement.
"It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Super Grassrooter!" And, "Who was that masked Texter, Phone Banker, Postcarder...? It's the Not-So-Lone Stealth and Nimble Ninja!"
Being under-estimated by the pollsters, etc., suits this undercover agent for democracy just fine, Robert!
You make an important point Lynell. I think it's an advantage that pollsters and the media remain unaware of the many grassroots efforts that Democrats are engaged in. Let them continue to be "surprised" at election results. I also prefer the other side not get wind of this and start a grassroots movement of their own, though I really don't know if their numbers would allow them to become successful?
It seems some of the activist energy has been dissipated on the other side. While they may still have a lot of votes, it takes commitment and a willingness to organize with others to become an activist.
Their roots are routed through Russia now. Puttin has poisoned them beyond any hope.
That is scary!
We gardeners call that "systemic feeding". The principle of which can be applied to any living organism.
And, following my analogy, systemic feeding of the plant will feed the poison to the fruit it bears. In humans then, their fruit, children, will be contaminated with the poison as well. Maybe some will develop immunity. Maybe not! Only through our devastated public education system, can we find the greatest hope in keeping America afloat. I worked in the system thirty plus years. I saw this coming when Jeb Bush arrived here as Governor.
It should be. Remember the t-shirts popping up at MAGA events already years ago stating "Better Russian than Democrat"? They meant it.
Yes, Lynn! I'm not a gambler, mind you, but while on a wild and crazy vacation, I became acquainted with a one-armed bandit (slot machine) that took a liking to me. I kept winning until someone with an evil eye noticed. I stopped winning after that. The moral of the story is: may an evil eye R never take ahold of a grass with roots.
Somehow, I am now on an email list purchased by the Relpublicans asking if I can join a grass roots movement. Probably started in early January. Don't know how successful they will be. It was a totally blind solicitation, no clue what list I might be on to trigger, perhaps a newspaper subscription (I have many).
Yes, this “ highly engaged, partisan older voter “ will accept these words as a compliment and will continue to carry on!
It gives us all a lot of space to get even stronger the more dismissive the press and company becomes. And a lot of us older folks have children and grandchildren we’re inspiring to take action as well.
And me; the longer we go unnoticed and unremarked, especially by Republican consultants, candidates and running dogs in the media, the more effective we'll be.
Go get'm Lynell!
You might tell Speaker Mike that he needs some Rooter action also, if you know what I mean. <jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com> Get on him. "Dear Speaker Johnson, .....
I believe the full address has some numbers in it: jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com
Thanks, Susan, just sent him a letter now.
So far he has not acknowledged the message I sent by email two days ago, but hopefully if he gets enough messages something will sink in. On the other hand, he answers every message I sent him on Telegram, so far four over the last two days. I wrote to him after the mass shooting yesterday encouraging him to be an agent of change. He at least acknowledges that it is "disheartening" to witness this tragedy again but said again I can have complete trust in him. I asked him not to say that anymore. It's not helpful. He's not God. And his House in chaos. (To me, and I didn't say this to him, it's a window into the MAGA mindset of blind trust while the base understands little. "You can trust me; I know best." So they do.) I know people are hesitant about Telegram. But he is actually answering those messages. Hopefully he does read gmail at some point as well.
I have no idea if he will read or respond to anything via email, but I just politely said that he needs to stop listening to puppet master Trump and get to work on business that’s important for the American people. I told him the impeachment sham will only make Republicans look like idiots, and that they could expect a blue wave in November due to their negligence in not passing legislation that benefits us and our allies. I signed my name and location in Colorado. I feel like we’re living on a hamster wheel and I’m pretty tired of it.
He got back to me this morning asking me to use his Telegram acct. He will have to open your email at gmail at least to tell you that.
James Micheal Johnson
5:47 AM (5 hours ago)
Text me on telegram
Using this link
https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
This is what I sent him. Susan corrected my oversight four hours ago.
Feb 14, 2024, 10:29 PM (12 hours ago)
to jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com
Dear Speaker Johnson
I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made calls for Tom Suozzi, as many of my friends did, but the efforts of the REAL patriotic Americans prevailed. He won handily over Ms. Pilip because even your Republican citizens saw what you all are spending your time and energy on in the House. Impeaching Secy. Mayorkas does nothing to improve their lives. Implementing the border bill that includes almost all that you asked for does. Giving in to Trump may be the most short-sighted or Traitorous thing your party is doing. Our National Security is on the line with your abandonment of Ukraine and your tacit support of the dictator Vladimir Putin.
I invite you to do the right thing and your job, stand up to Mr. Trump, and put the foreign aid bill up for a vote. You know that most of the money is spent here, replacing what we send to Ukraine, don't you? Businesses all over this great land will be the ones who profit by standing up for democracy. Trump's base probably doesn't even know that. Why don't you let them know? You might be surprised at the results, including being seen as a strong hero rather than a weak Trump toadie.
Your choice, sir.
Ransom W. Rideout Jr.
Altadena, CA
Yes sorry Susan. I was up way too late last night and wrote that in a hurry.
Thank you for keeping an eye on things. A few hours ago Speaker Mike responded to my email of last night and gave me his Telgram address. I think it bothers him to get our comments on his personal email and he has to respond to get you to not use it, but having to at least scan over wht you wrote to get to the reply button.You are so evil, heh heh heh. that's the Telegram you gave out, right? https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
This is what he sent me.
James Micheal Johnson
5:47 AM (5 hours ago)
to me
Text me on telegram
Using this link
https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
Thank you Susan, I just corrected it. Up too late last night and long threads get confusing.
It sounded like you had a long day yesterday.
Checked the time and AAAAAHHH, it was after 2:30 AM. I managed to get up at 6:30, but might need a nap later. Us old geezers gotta take it easy.
As I hit Post, the t-Rump texted me again, pleading for me to answer te questions on the MAGA Poll he sent me a few days ago. I do the Stop thing and it won't say no more texts. Should I open and take the damn thing?
You want it? rwing.us/4T2CgG. You could give serious throw off answers.
Yes sorry Susan. I was up way too late last night and wrote that in a hurry.
Thank you for keeping an eye on things. A few hours ago Speaker Mike responded to my email of last night and gave me his Telgram address. I think it bothers him to get our comments on his personal email and he has to respond to get you to not use it, but having to at least scan over wht you wrote to get to the reply button.You are so evil, heh heh heh. that's the Telegram you gave out, right? https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
This is what he sent me.
Oops, wrong reply button Janet.
Yes. That's it. So far he has responded to all four messages I have sent him on Telegram. He has not answered the email. I sent him a link to an article I challenged him to read. I'm encouraged to know that he answered you if only to redirect (or maybe a staff person is redirecting?). The more of us pestering him, the better. Telegram was easy to download and use.
Great, I'll have to try it. I'm sending the links to friends who wrote massive post cards for Suozzi. They will hit him hard too and tell more of their friends.
Hello, fellow Stealth and Nimble Ninja! It is very weird, though, how pollsters will twist even a great victory to a loss! What is underway here? I truly don't get it!
Ahh, Kathleen, but if we are winning elections who cares if pollsters employ their "but" twists!
I fear that it will deter some voters from voting if they feel it is hopeless to vote. However, you are correct, Lynell! We are WINNING elections! And it seems the level of voters receiving postcards, phone calls, and door-knockers is enough to counteract the narrative. We just have to keep it up!
I write the weekly newsletter for a local New York City Democratic Club (The Four Freedoms Democratic Club). We can say and we were part of a movement that made 2 million phone calls, knocked on 150 thousand doors, and wrote hundreds of thousands of postcards. What was particularly remarkable about the grassroots effort, of which we were a part, is that there was no intraparty fighting. We know that Tom Suozzi is a moderate to conservative Democrat -- more conservative than most of the members of our Club. We, along with the other grassroots groups that supported Tom Suozzi, knew what was at stake in this race. And we know the value of the Democratic Party's diversity of views. We relish Tom Suozzi's victory, both for itself and as a precursor to Democratic victories throughout the country, including Joe Biden's victory, in November.
Yes! I think that the broad and diverse coalition that Suozzi was able to successfully rally is what lead to his victory. Judging from the email campaign messages that I received, he and his team are smart and acted strategically. Can't wait to see him in the House. Thank you, too. for your efforts, FFDC !
It’s better than the alternative
Yes! Very very good. Simon Rosenberg gave all you folks major kudos.
That's the spirit!
Another meme-worthy comment, tragic as it is:
"President Biden has made his position clear on the killing and injuring of innocent people celebrating a Super Bowl victory. Donald Trump has remained silent. That fact, standing alone, tells us all we need to know about the differences between the two candidates."
On another note, I credit Jessica Craven for her newsletters with action items to let us all work towards saving democracy, and especially most recently, for Tom Suozzi's victory in NY, drawing in those of us on the other coast to help.
Jessica Craven has helped me look at the ignoring by pundits and media of the impact of activists in a positive light. From yesterday: "I find it endlessly confusing and astonishing that the political punditry won’t acknowledge the existence, let alone the power, of the so-called Resistance. But never mind. We can—and will—use our invisibility to our advantage; we always have."
They recognize it but will not acknowledge it because it validates the fact they are on the wrong side of what Americans want.
Agree, JJ. Through postcarding, I feel more connected than ever to this great, big, beautiful country of ours!
I imagine the recipient of every postcard I write as the potential tipping point in that race. The feeling of action and optimism keeps me going
Every time I say I'm done writing for a particular campaign, I wake up the next day & ask what if they lose by 5 votes? Surely, I can write 5 more postcards. So I do. :-)
Same here!
it's awesome!
Yes, it is awesome, Kathleen!
Jessica is the best.
What was the Trump quote in Iowa? “Get over it”???
As a "highly engaged, partisan older voter," I am delighted to be recognized by the desperate, almost marginalized Nate Cohen. I intend to stay highly engaged, partisan and even older through my last postcard, phone battery and keyboard -- or the defeat of the last babbling MAGA candidate, whichever comes last.
Very fine letter today!
I’m thinking we should create a bumper sticker for all of us who are “highly engaged, partisan, older voters”…………..the Gray Panthers rule!
That would be a great way to honor that venerable movement and its founder, Maggie Kuhn. But I hasten to add that it is not just old folks- it has always been multi-generational. And so are the grassroots folks working for democracy now. That's it's strength. Proud to have been a part of it at its founding and proud to still be involved in grassroots electioneering now- over 50 years later.
Yeah I'm confused as to why the media keeps operating off the assumption that people don't care or aren't going to turn out when the last few years have shown that's not the case?
You and I both!
Come join seniorstakingaction.org and be active with us.
I already do postcards for Swing Left West Valley - in the Los Angeles area - but I'm happy to join another organization that does this work! Thanks.
Me too! Also, we are getting even smarter as we age!
it's www.seniorstakingaction.org
Right I should know that. My mistake
Link blocked.
www.seniorstakingaction.org
(senior moment, I suppose?!)
Thanks Betty my mistake
And the major reason the MSM belittles the work of the thousands of volunteers who dedicated so many hours to help ensure a Democratic victory on Tuesday is that those volunteers WEREN'T standing there wringing their hands in media-generated despair. They were ignoring both the media and the despair by getting things done. I salute everyone of them and urge the remaining hand-wringers to follow the path that the volunteers cleared. You'll feel better and you'll be getting good things done.
"Recent events have put that fact into high relief after a period of complacency."
Let us hope we never again fall into that complacency. We lulled ourselves into such a state after believing in the "Progress" we made as a Nation from the Sixties through the Seventies, while the Confederate progeny organized quietly, underground, waiting for their next opportunity, as well as those of the US Nazis also.
The Koch and Welch funded John Birch Society of the Fifties and on, kept the rabble roused and then the Murdoch $ in the Reagan admin brought us their ultimate propaganda machine,. Perhaps we should have listened to the Black Panthers and the Weather Underground. They were very clear that the enemy we see today was very active, while we progressives rested on out laurels.
When the cristyun white supremacists jumped up screaming Trump Trump Trump!!, I knew we had let our guard down and were in for a serious fight. I had not given them much of a thought for fifty years.
I know Biden reminds us not to think of other Americans as "Enemy", but I do believe they see us as such.
Exactly so! It could be said spending time on twitter is a waste, but it shows a measure of the way MAGA thinks. Many clearly view Democrats/liberals as an enemy to be destroyed; I've seen this on some Substack comments elsewhere, also, and frankly, it's horrifying. The shock of trump winning in '16 morphed into a greater shock of realizing the number of people in this country who really believed his lies. I'm also alarmed by the number of liberal Democrats leaning towards 3rd party candidates or don't see clearly what the loss of their taken for granted democracy will look like in their everyday lives. They don't get it and complacency is to blame; throw lack of critical thinking in there too.
America persevered through a revolution, a civil war, and a devastating world war - I think this battle for our future and soul carries equal weight.
The 2016 campaign was the eye opener. T-Rump gave the worst of the worst permssion to say it out loud and they crawled out from wherever they were hiding en mass. I have always known who they were, but never thought they were one third of our country. I have known white supremacist meth dealing bikers who say "WE call them N***** to John Birch Baptist wackos since high school. fiftysome years ago. Southern Baptists are the breeding ground. JBS daughters would ask me and my brother, at school, why our mother was a communist, and later after we heard the announcement of the shooting of JFK, they were dancing around laughing hysterically. They are typical. I (WE) should have known just watcing the news on TV of the screeming hatered of the crowds blocking school entrances in the South. Their offspring are the MAGA now and we should have been forwarned by our own eyes.
I could go on and on, and sometimes I do. Andrew Johnson pardened all but a few Confederates. They have been been biding their time for "The South Will Rise Again", indoctrinating their progeny througt the Southern Baptist Church ever since.
Heather Cox Richardson gives the background of this progression. I still, as we all do, need to read her How the South Won the Civil War.
As Joyce Vance says, "We are all in this together".
Reading 'How the South Won the Civil War' is on my to do list. If someone had told me pre 2016 I'd be reading a non-fiction history book, I'd have laughed in your face! I do see across the message boards a renewed interest in the mechanics/HX of democracies vs fascism - maybe there's hope!
Lettuce Prey
Don't forget The Heritage Foundation and The Alliance Defending Freedom. They are both terrible organizations that want to harm our democracy.
Yes, the list is too long to get it all in the comment section without Copy and Paste whole books. Listen to Rachel Maddow's "Ultra" and read her "Prequell". The documentation of all the rightwing and Nazi movement in this country is all there, pulled from the National Archive.
Very thoughtful, minihistory of what has been going on. Trump is not the creator of Trumpism. Donald would never want to work that hard or that systematically. Others, some unwittingly, some very wittingly as Ransom Rideout says, contributed to a ripe mass of resentment, hatred, fear, and desire for retribution that Donald had the craven salesman's instinct to exploit. The extraordinary moment when America chose as our leader a Black man galvanized many and furthered the hatred of "urban elites." Remember Trump was born in Birthism, which when that was shown to be clearly a lie, Trump bobbed and weaved, but he never dropped it. We are also being fed a line that Trump is a champion of rural America or the working class or the non-college educated people who support him. The MAGA movement is not being driven by minimum wage workers in Osceola, Iowa. It is being driven by rich, Ivy League educated, men and women who with multigenerational inherited wealth are doing everything they can to create an autocracy in America. Mike Johnson is not bowing to the will of his constituents as much as the moneyed class that enables him and others to manipulate those voters. The Republican Party once hated the Commies and saw Communist perfidy everywhere, including in the arts and entertainment. The GOP has found a new boogie man "the libtard," which includes "Marxists", though they rarely know or articulate what that means, People of Color, and Democrats. As Michael Steele noted last evening on MSNBC, Republicans don't care about immigration, defense, or anything else. They just want to "own the libtards." Trump is the perfect leader for a party with the maturity, sensitivity, sense of discipline and honor and attention span and memory of 11-year-old bullies on the playground. We can outstudy them, outthink them, and maybe even outraise them in the money game, while they are busy fuming and insulting people.
I think it's long past time to archive our comments in a file on our computers. I was just trying to remember where I could find something I wrote weeks ago that would be appropriate to update and post last night. You should too, Patrick, as what you contribute should not be lost. Collaboration might be in order. I could write a few long paragraphs in response to you now, but I know you know. I stayed up WAY too late last night.
I'll just leave it at Trump is the new face of the olligarch class, as Hitler was in the twenties.
Got it. Thanks.
By the way, which university?
Not sure you got my response. I assume this was a question because I am identified as "retired college/university president." I was president at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana from 2006 to 2013. The I went to Millikin University for what was supposed to be an interim presidency and wound up staying seven year, retiring in 2020. Before Wabash, which is one of the four men's college's remaining in the country, I was professor of English, Associate Dean and later Dean of Faculty for 18 years at Saint Mary's College, a premier women's college, in South Bend, Indiana.
Thank you Patrick. That explains a lot about your clarity and focussed comments, and valuable references. They are much appreciated.
“Indivisible just announced their response to the Republicans’ Project 2025: it’s Project 2024: Majority Over MAGA, a nationwide program to build a new Democratic trifecta, reelect President Biden, and mobilize a majority against the anti-democracy, anti-abortion politics of MAGA. You can read the summary of their plan here, but you can and should also attend their big strategy call tomorrow, February 15, at 5:00 PM PT / 8PM ET.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/chop-wood-carry-water-214-e67?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Ditto here for what Annette posted. I always look forwrd to what you bring up Kathy.
Thanks, Kathy. I may not be able to join the Zoom tonight. Please fill us in tomorrow if you can.
The NYT failed to carry Biden’s perfect plea for gun control on its front page after the shooting in KC. Biden said “Today’s events should move us, shock us, shame us into acting. What are we waiting for? What else do we need to see? How many more families need to be torn apart?
It is time to act. That’s where I stand. And I ask the country to stand with me.”
Instead the shooting was covered on page 17 without mentioning what Biden said. The NYT is shameful in its lack of concern for the American families who suffer at the hands of gun toting idiots.
Email format at NYT is <first.last@nytimes.com>. Send those emails to the writers directly and give them polite hell. To the editorial staff in general, it is <editorial@nytimes.com>
An example of one of mine is :
Dear Sirs and Madams,
Who's side are you on? Democracy or tyranny? You have done everything you could to demean Joe Biden over the past three years. You acknowledged receiving the Robert Hubble Substack I forwarded to you on Feb. 5, but have not responded. I know you are busy, but this one by Jeff Tiedrich is speaking to YOU. Does the First Amendment mean anything to you anymore? Are you comfortable with the threat to the free press? You have to stop carrying water for Putin and advocate for our Constitution and the American people. The threat is real. It is your responsibility to keep our nation informed of this danger. The absolute political smear of the Hur report? Do you accept without question all the speculative lies within it and those of the Trump cohorts? The story that you missed was that our president was on the phone to many world leaders, as well as leaders of the US military, constantly since the Hamas attack on October 7, within the previous twenty-four hours and he made time to meet with special counsel Hur while juggling world affairs so fast that anyone else's head would spin, but not our president. You missed that story and published hit pieces on your front page instead.
SHAME ON YOU.
Sincerely,
Ransom Rideout
Altadena, CA
A paid Subscribe .
George, your Koch RICO action sounds killer. Keep us posted. Anyway, now I'm sure you know how to get at the NYT.
Speaking for the Grassroots Movement, thank you, thank you, thank you. We hope the Democratic Party, on all levels, welcomes us into the campaign the same way the Suozzi campaign did. It's a recipe for victory. The Grassroots Collaboration Project has put together a Directory of Grassroots groups which can be identified by state and contains contact information by which such organizations can coordinate. We need to be efficient and effective and that necessitates collaboration.
Want in invitation to list your pro-democracy grassroots group in the Grassroots Directory? Just complete this form: https://forms.gle/Ahkc7txjaxsERh4eA
Robert, I just saw this in Jennifer Rubin's column today. What do you think of it?
Q: "Does the media want Trump to win?
Dennis
12:28 p.m.
I have long believed that the media is foolish and was being played by the GOP. The media's coverage of the Hur report has led me to believe the media wants former president Donald Trump to win. Do you agree? Thanks.
A:
Jennifer Rubin
Opinion Columnist
Three things are going on that wind up giving Trump an advantage. First, the media want drama, conflict and uncertainty about the race. The pressure for ratings, clicks and subscribers is intense. Hence, hysterical headlines and multiple stories splattering a single front page with no perspective, no sense of what is important and what is not. Second, they desperately want to show they are just as tough on President Biden as they were on Trump. Because Biden is nothing like Trump and has none of his pathologies, the media become hyper-critical of everything, even economic performance that is excellent. You get the snide questions and snotty questions from a press corps desperate to show they are "tough." Worst of all, they want to create a false equivalence — both to maintain a dramatic horse race (see first point) and to maintain the pose of neutrality. They therefore shy from reporting what is in front of them — e.g., Trump is incoherent and unhinged, Biden has a mastery of policy that Trump cannot begin to grasp. We're impartial! We don't have a horse in the race! They wind up normalizing Trump, excusing and ignoring unacceptable behavior and treating this like just anoter race. It is a disaster for our democracy and a major failure of their mandate to tell the truth."
Yes, I agree. Well said by Jennifer Rubin!
Rubin is one of the only WaPo writers who is based in reality. I'll have to send her a thank you email. Great work of yours here too, Robert. I hope you are well recovered.
(just corrected,sorry)
Rubin writes for WaPo
Will corect right now. Thank you Michael.
Oops, up way too late last night and have been juggling too many news outlets.
I made a modest contribution to Tom Suozzi some months ago and subsequently received a swarm of requests from other Democrats running for office across the country. I was annoyed by this until last night when I received a thank you email from Suozzi thanking me for being part of his victory. My very small part really did help make a difference. I’ll try to welcome those emails now and donate when I can. Sure feels good!
Altadena here, with friends in Sierra Madre who postcarded heavily for Suozzi.
Hey neighbor, writer, editor, my wife in an artist, graphic designer and serious highly regarded Iyengar Certified yoga teacher. Maybe catch you at Millie's some late morning breakfast time.
I am outraged that the house is taking a two-week recess! What a chicken shit. (Mike Johnson) That's called "taking the ball and going home." How do we get loud that this is a GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF DUTY?
I agree.It is a huge waste of taxpayer dollars to have emergent issues and then to turn your back on your constituents and hide away at home.
One more thing Victoria, If you do want to send him an email, It might be most effective to send it to his PERSONAL gmail account first. That is why he got back so fast. It bothers him and even to tell you to use Telegram, which he can ignore, he will at least have to glance at your note first. Sorry for all the out of order comments. Good luck if you try. All of his contacts use that email and he will have a hard time dropping it and getting the thousands who,use it to change over. Am I evil? Heh Heh...
Thanks for the info.Knowledge is power.
Hit him HARD Victoria. <jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com> . I hit him with a zinger last night about the no vote foriegn aid, national security issue. goota hit him often and his personal email was garned from his staff by a reader of Lucien Truscott.
Damn, checking my inbox, Speaker Johnson just responded to my email of last night and says to use Telegram. Mike Johnson put the link in.
James Micheal Johnson
5:47 AM (4 hours ago)
to me
Text me on telegram
Using this link
https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson
Don't forget it's e before a in micheal. I've never used Telegram before. Here is the letter I sent him last night, in next comment. :
Gotta put in a new comment, too much space. The copy of what I sent him last night :
Dear Speaker Johnson
I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made calls for Tom Suozzi, as many of my friends did, but the efforts of the REAL patriotic Americans prevailed. He won handily over Ms. Pilip because even your Republican citizens saw what you all are spending your time and energy on in the House. Impeaching Secy. Mayorkas does nothing to improve their lives. Implementing the border bill that includes almost all that you asked for does. Giving in to Trump may be the most short-sighted or Traitorous thing your party is doing. Our National Security is on the line with your abandonment of Ukraine and your tacit support of the dictator Vladimir Putin.
I invite you to do the right thing and your job, stand up to Mr. Trump, and put the foreign aid bill up for a vote. You know that most of the money is spent here, replacing what we send to Ukraine, don't you? Businesses all over this great land will be the ones who profit by standing up for democracy. Trump's base probably doesn't even know that. Why don't you let them know? You might be surprised at the results, including being seen as a strong hero rather than a weak Trump toadie.
Your choice, sir.
Ransom W. Rideout Jr.
Altadena, CA
Clarence Thomas. How can any reasonable person, to say nothing of his fellow Justices, not know that Thomas has a clear conflict of interest whenever any J/6 related decisions must be made? How in heavens name can Roberts sit next to a guy whose WIFE was in the room with Trump and actively advocating for election denial all through November, December and January following the election unequivocally won by Trump's opponent?
Swbv. Its simple, Roberts knows that no authority exists to hold him to account, thusly, addressing Honorable Tom is un-necessary as his goal to keep the Gang of Six in solidarity is paramount
I am surprised nonetheless how little noise in all media this topic gets
Both Siderism demands thou shalt not offend the offender
He is such a disappointment!
Not to Leonard Leo
Which tells you a lot about the moral underpinnings of the Federalist Society
Are you oxymoroning me? ✌️
It's even simpler - Roberts is in on it. He authored the Citizen's United decision, iirc, which opened the doors even more widely to fascism. He gets portrayed as some kind of independent conservative, but he's just another partisan hack with an agenda that isn't far away from CT's wife.
Citizens United was the beginning of the end. It opened the doors to the most base instincts of the worst of us
Just a comment about guns: even if every family that owned assault weapons lost a family member to a shooting tragedy, I am not sure it would make any difference.
When talking to voters in Fl ,where the “grooming” of children is supposedly a thing, I like to point out the true “grooming” involves the marketing of AR-15’s to children. An Independent voter, concerned about those 😱deadly drag show story hours, actually laughed in my face.She didn’t believe me…
“The 'JR-15' Rifle for Kids Is Back, Without Baby Skulls In Marketing This Time
Wee1 Tactical has toned down its marketing for the JR-15 rifle designed to be used by children.”
📣
https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7vakd/the-jr-15-rifle-for-kids-is-back-without-baby-skulls-in-marketing-this-time.
How sick are we as a country selling Jr-15 rifles?
Kathy -
I like your characterization of marketing of AR-15s to children as “grooming” them.
I second that!
Sadly, true, Jim.
I made a comment on Facebook saying that we are no longer able to gather in large groups anymore because of safety issues and got pummeled by haters.I still stand by my statement.
The NYT including polling Nate have become ridiculous.