I went two rounds of communications with Mike Johnson today. He assured me—twice—that he has things under control for an resolution for the well-being of all Americans. I assured him I did not believe his idea of a good outcome matched mine, and I did not trust someone who endorsed Donald Trump and would continue to call him to a higher standard. I’m fed up enough to be the daily burr in his side even if he stops responding to me.
Thank you, Susan. Do you have suggestions for us who don't live in Johnson's district? I called my Dem. Rep. Dingell yesterday, and she's onboard (of course). I tried to call Johnson's DC office and got vmail. I left a message. Any other options? Thanks!
I don't live in Johnson's district. I haranged his director of operations for contact information because I thought all Americans should be able to contact the speaker. She finally gave how to contact him on Telegram, which she said is the fastest way to get an answer, and I finally downloaded the app. She also gave me his gmail. Here they are [note the peculiar spelling of "micheal" rather than "michael]" jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com
Thank you! I am so used to thinking that living in DC I have no representation.
Here's my email:
Subject: Foreign aid and your legacy
Dear Speaker Johnson
I am a volunteer who wrote postcards and made phone calls for Tom Suozzi. 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 thing your party is doing.
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? 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.
That is wonderful - the earnest tone might lead him or his aide through to the end, then the close has that same earnest, helpful tone but a bit of a bite. I'm loving it!
Thank you Chris, I actually thought very carefully about that choice because one of my "jobs" on twitter x is promoting respectful conversations w/o name calling. My decision was based on thinking that he might care how he was seen, and I was presenting two possibilities. I might have been wrong...but that's how I decided.
Dear Speaker Johnson,I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made phone 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.
Jocelyn & Ransom. I get confused once the threads get this deep, so if you were thanking me, you're welcome! And if not, glad you're going to give it a shot!
I'm right there with you CT, confused at the long threads, but not dazed yet. I used and modified your letter and I think it finally went through to Sp. Johnson. Dragging and dropping the email address from from Susan Martins Miller would not send and writing it in, I mixed up the a and e. I just now tried it again, spelled correctly and it seems to have gone through.
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.
Oh my -- Telegram has been used by ISIS terrorists to post their planning videos (source: Wikipedia). I thought it might be extremist, so I looked it up. This is the bad-actor platform our US Speaker chooses to use for messaging?! Ouch!
Telegram also kicked them off 78 channels they were using and has kicked them off more efforts to spread hate messages and violent videos--same as Facebook shuts down violent videos and hate messages (though they allow more disinformation now, unfortunately). Hate groups will try to use whatever technology they can. That doesn't mean the technology is always at fault or that it hasn't changed and become stronger in its defenses since those experiences. So in the end, I downloaded it. Once Johnson is gone, I will delete. I have no other use for it and don't like the proliferation of apps in my life. But for now, it can serve a purpose. For instance, I already sent him a direct message about yet another mass shooting. Another Valentine's day shooting, another Ash Wednesday shooting. It's time for him to stand against the culture of death.
You are welcome. It took some determination to get it. I encourage everyone who uses it to do so with the same determination but also respect. We are not using the GOP playbook.
I agree fully. I am carefully considering how to phrase things so whatever I write has the chance of working to shift his thinking. Insulting someone doesn't do that.
He wrote back. Now, we don’t know if he has staff who is really good at personalizing and speaking in his voice, but I’m thinking about my next response. Can I bounce ideas off you? My email address is my first and last name at gmail.
Thank you Susan. I keep two screens open and dragged the email you provided to the address line in a new email. I'll do some hard head scratching and send a poilitely irritating note to the MFr.
Thank you for this info Susan. I will be sharing it on my Slack channels and on Spoutible. I suggest anyone who writes to him CC their Representatives and Senators, regardless of party. It's a numbers game in D.C. and all outreach counts. In fact, one Rep told me one email/phone call/letter represents X number of constituents depending on where one lives.
Thank you so much for the links. I did not really want to sign up for Telegram (although I still pursue some folk on X) but I did write an email and will add this to my list for sending an email a day because you are so right that we are all represented and directly affected by the speaker of the House.
I held off for several weeks on downloading Telegram but in the end decided to do it. And he did respond quickly, but much is what is staff person said would happen; compared to no guarantee about email. I saw that he read my first Telegram even at 10:30 at night.
I'm call him so he won't know what I think of him. Your plan is a good one. He wouldn't know what "leadership" was if he tripped over it. He's a believer in "There go my followers, and I must run after them, for I am their leader."
Polling from Blueprint shows that nearly 7 in 10 voters voters prefer House Republicans pass the bipartisan border security deal rather than impeach Mayorkas. https://blueprint2024.com/
Good for you. Laying down for daily belly rubs from his Dear Leader is a bad look for the person 3rd in line to the Presidency. He'd be well served to remember he's serving the country and that sometimes means reaffirming to allies in NATO that we mean what we say. My fear: Trump does in fact mean what he says.
I remain mystified why millions of my fellow citizens see it and hear it from Trump and yet think that this is the way they want things to go in our country. One could be forgiven for thinking Trump is jealous of Putin and would love to emulate him.
Trump is far too insecure, lazy & weak to emulate Putin for real. He wants the power and the trappings of power without any of the work or responsibility.
Excellent. I'm convinced that the energy behind our words matters as much as if not more than the actual words. It's self-indulgent at this point to allow snark and name-calling to take over. Tom's victory is a clear example of what works - heart to heart contact from people who care to people who need to know the truth. We were told by Republicans why they are voting for Tom - because he reached out with respect and care and they knew he meant it. ❤️
Can a Dem call for his ouster? Ken Buck could but then what? Why does the Speaker have exclusive power to prevent a bill from being voted on by the full House? Has that been part of the position forever? Sorry to be so ignorant.
I was apoplectic at Mike Johnson's House of Reprehensitives' vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for doing his job while they were busy fiddling. But I must admit, Robert, that you've managed to make some lemonade with the notion that a Senate trial will likely lead to the evisceration of some of the staunchest MAGAts. Let the games begin!
I think you may be right. Schumer may allow proceedings before a committee based on deposition testimony. But since Republicans are going to hold hearings into the Hur report, Democrats may need counter-programming.
I'm not so sure, for the reasons Robert suggested. This may be an opportunity for the adults in the room to school the petulant children (apologies to actual petulant children).
Through rain, sleet and snow , New Yorkers will fight for the right choice! Congratulations to Tom Suozzi who we know, just like he did in the past, will always fight for us !! We are thrilled he won!!
I checked my phone last night around 10:00pm to see if there was news about Suozzi and just whooped!! Thank you, intrepid Long Islanders, for slogging your way to the polls!
I just want to let all your readers know that the Dems won the special election in PA, held yesterday, for the state's senate. We flipped the district and outperformed there as well. Dems now have a 1 person majority in the state Senate.
GREAT JOB EVERYONE! WE KNOW HOW TO WIN...SO LET'S KEEP DOING IT!
I posted a comment here a little bit ago and mentioned I would write my State Republican senator, Jerry Moran of Kansas. I though you should see why I wrote to him. It was because of his response to the southern border crisis in his newsletter to all constituents that follow him. His words below.
“On Wednesday, I voted against the proposed border deal. There is a national security crisis at our southern border, and it is critical we stop the flow of illegal immigration into our country. The border deal fell short of that requirement and there was no path forward for it to become law. I remain committed to pursuing policy changes that will make our nation safer and secure our border.”
So, this is your take on the deal that your esteemed colleague, James Lankford, of OK worked out with Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, it fell short?
It fell short for one reason, and you know exactly what and who that reason is, DJT. Don’t play all of us in the state of Kansas for suckers and losers. You do yourself a disservice and did you notice the outcome of the special election in NY last night? Not a good look for the R’s going forward? Until all of you R’s kick the Orange Lunatic to the curb you can expect the same outcome.
In closing, I will do my best to defeat every one of you and your Republicans conspirators everywhere from now on and until I leave this earth, for the sake of my children and grandchildren and their future.
Absolutely use it. I’m not the best at this but it certainly is how I feel. I would love to say it to his face and a whole lot of his constituents as well. Have a good day.
I thought it was a great letter. It was forceful and to the point and as I read it, I could feel your passion and commitment. If I were your congressperson, I'd be a little nervous about what is going out to constituents under my name; obviously he doesn't think much of voters in his own party.
That’s one of the underlying issues that I have a very hard time wrapping my head around? How can a senator make statements like that. Is it a reflection of his stupidity or his republican voters? I guess both. So much work to do, oh well, let’s get to it.
Excellent letter, Bill. This could be a template for all of us who have Republican representatives who are not serving our best interests, but serving a disgraced former president instead (who will never be president again).
Tom Souzzi big victory in NY3 is further proof that Americans are fed up with irresponsible Republican governance in the House. Period ........ In a Republican district which spawned the delusional con artist, George Santos, Americans also showed they oppose the chaotic governance of Donald Trump returning to the White House......
Ignore the polls!! Believe in election results. Rely on these truths:
1. The majority of Americans want a functioning government that serves their interests.
2. The majority of Americans believe Joe Biden not Donald Trump will lead us to that place.
3. We, the Democratic Party are that majority. The political energy is with us not them.
4. 81 million Americans voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Millions more will vote for him in 2024.
5. We need to tirelessly keep working through Nov. A landslide election is on its way.
Does Joe Biden have the mental capacity to govern for four more years? Watch his speech from yesterday:
I totally agree with point 4. It’s hard to see any person who voted for President Biden in 2020 now switching to Trump. If correct we start with 81 million votes and move up from there.
I think the somewhat hidden under-current that the press is missing and the right certainly doesn't want to remind people of is that abortion is still very much on the minds of women voters. e.g. its very much the elephant in the room.
May be another reason why Mazi Pilip lost in the 3rd Congressional District and why Suozzi trounced her. She was vocal about her pro life position in a district that is traditionally liberal and Democratic.
Yes, I don't think its a coincidence that the right and media are simultaneously quiet on abortion issues. It may not be top of mind for most men/boys but likely can't say the same for their female partners, friends and relatives.
You are correct, but every man who is a father of a male or female should be against forced birth. If a man doesn’t want to be a grandfather because his son or daughter wasn’t careful enough when they had sex, they need to take this issue seriously. A birth impacts many more people than the mother. And for years and years. We need to keep reminding people of that. It’s not a difficult thing to grasp especially as we are all so in touch with the outcomes of children raised in a household without a father and supportive grandparents.
This issue affects everyone, for all the reasons you present! It's shocking to me that some people think the abortion issue only affects women! Of course, the majority of Supreme Court members is male - that is telling. But how many Republicans must believe that they are not affected by the inability for many women to get an abortion!
Reading a NYTime's analysis of why Suozzi won -- they attribute it to the snow storm suppressing R voters, and another article mentions Suozzi's 3 to 1 fundraising advantage. No one mentions the massive GOTV efforts, national as well as local. What makes or breaks an election is TURNOUT, not polls. Grassroots impact seems to go right under the radar of the media. There is really something big happening in the nationalization of swing state and swing district elections, and yay for that.
Tom Souzzi loudly stated that the grassroots organizations that supported him made a huge difference in his win! He thanked EVERYONE in his speech. What a great guy! I'm so glad we at Swing Left supported him with postcards. And on we go...
I am sure that will be featured prominently on the Swing Left website. I am sure it made a big difference. Jessica Craven called someone who said she'd received six (!!!) postcards.
How about from now on every time there's another prediction about Democrats,/Biden losing, from CNN, the Daily, and all the other predictors who got yesterday so wrong, we write letters saying "You were wrong about Feb.13 (and probably 2022 and 2023 in reproductive rights) so be humble, stop predicting, and get back to journalism.
I am glad you have been here so long. My daughter married a New Yorker, and when he agreed to move south for her sake, he chose Durham exactly because it is a blue dot!
I'd like to emphasize Mr. Hubbell's use of the word "judgment." When the media screams about age, do their ever take a look at "judgment? Biden has more judgment today than Trump ever had, not to mention experience, the underpinning of judgment. Control of one's utterances is a form of judgment. "Age" includes mental health, not just years alive.
““The outcome (of the race) will be a measure of how the Democratic brand can affect races all over the country,” [Larry ] Levy [of Hofstra University] said. “If Suozzi can’t withstand the damage the Democratic Party has sustained over inflation, Israel and immigration, then I’m not sure who could.” [¶]
Though no single contest . . . can claim to foretell what comes next in national politics, “Suozzi vs. Mazi” (it rhymes) comes awfully close.”
Incoming article from CNN in 3 -2 - 1 telling us how zero reliance can be put on the outcome of the election of Suozzi.
😣🤦🏽♀️🤔I really don't believe much that the NYT publishes any more. They still have some excellent investigative writers but the rest of the bunch are too lazy to go out and dig for the real story. Much easier to regurgitate "what everybody is saying".
Contrary to today's Today's, Suozzi was tough on immigration. Here's the WaPo on that issue in this race:
"But Suozzi, who left Congress to run as a more moderate primary alternative in 2022 to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), emphasized his pragmatism on the issue, calling for tougher border security and supporting the bipartisan Senate deal that Republicans ultimately torpedoed last week. Pilip echoed GOP attacks on the bill, saying that “it simply puts into law the invasion currently happening at our southern border.”
One race doesn’t mean the Democrats have found their winning message on immigration — an issue that dogs Biden more than any other — or that GOP opposition to the Senate deal is going to cost them. But Suozzi seemed to provide a road map for navigating the issue, and it suggests the party’s rightward shift on border security could mitigate the problem somewhat."
It's also worth noting that Biden scores lower support on immigration than any other issue. His approval rating on that issue has been in the low 20s percentile.
I drive between Boston and DC every year, sometimes twice a year, been doing it since the early '90s. In the '90s, I could usually make the trip with very little traffic. Now, I usually hit a lot of traffic. The latest trip, coming back to Boston after the holidays, 2 1/2 hours of stop and go. In what without traffic is a 7 hour trip.
Nat Cohn the Times chief political analyst and pollster wrote another article in today's Times understating Scozzi's victory as not really indicative of Democratic strength. I've been writing to the Times for the past month to push back on it's anti-Biden, anti-Democrat bias......
Here's what I wrote in today as a comment to their digital article:
,,.................
Not an Ordinary Special Election, and Yet a Typical Result
Mr. Cohn
Your analysis of the Scozzi victory, like earlier interim election victories for Democrats, is misguided.
Last week you described a mysterious "resistance" as the reason for these Democrat victories, kind of like the ether.
As one of the 81 million majority that elected Joe Biden, in 2020, I can clear up this mystery for you. The "resistance," is the Democratic party who are working to rid American government of the Trump/MAGA party.
As this election cycle moves forward, the Times would be wise to take into account the Democrats are the majority party in America and are acting like a responsible majority when faced with an authoritarian threat on the scale of Trump/MAGA.
The same energy that just supported Scozzi's victory is building every day to bring a bigger Biden victory in 2024 than 2020. The Times should spend more effort to get to know us better.
Hi, Merrill. Thanks so much for calling out Nate Cohn and for including the links. I was going to include something today about Cohn's obnoxious, self-rationalization for why his predictions continue to be wrong. I will write about the topic tonight and use some of your language and links. Thanks!!
I believe letters to the press may be the most effective single letters you can write. As pressure builds up and if the message gets through, every degree of change in their tilt would result in changing the messages that inform and influence thousands of potential voters. Letters to politicians might be secondary in terms of effect, but also extremely important. Thank you for providing links.
Many people believe that attempting to change MSM's fixation with Trump,/MAGA to better stories about the leading, majority, pro-democracy party in America is a fools errand. I agree with you...even slight shifts in coverage, e.g. getting Biden above the fold on phs 1,2,3 or at the top headline in digital feeds would influence thousands to vote Blue in 2024..
"Trump is instructing Republican members of Congress to convert the aid into loans."
Fer crissake, who the actual f*ck is Donald Trump - private citizen Donald Trump, quadrice-indicted criminal Donald Trump, adderol-addled "stable genius" Donald Trump - to dictate America's national security and foreign policy decisions??? WHAT is going on here?!?
He's trying to run a shadow government while having temper tantrums at his many trials and spewing his gibberish at rallies and attacking anyone and everyone on his social media platform. I don't know how much longer the daily cocktails of adderall and downers can be depended upon to keep the buffoon upright, but when he has his ultimate melt down, I hope it is fully public and televised.
Can't they just get the aid and then forgive the loan as soon as the Dems have the majority? If so it could be just a way to enable themselves to do something popular for a change and yet say they listened to the Freedom Caucus and rest of the far right (and Trump).
The tax payers are being ripped off big time by this congress and by the Trump delay tactics. The congresspeople get paid and their staff gets paid and they get a bunch of expenses covered and great benefits though they do nothing. In total it is in the double digit millions of dollars.
The judges and prosecutors are all getting paid handsomely while Trump hides behind the judges robes instead of proving he is innocent. What kind of defense is it to admit to doing the crime, but that due to a loophole you were permitted to do it. Give me a break and stop making me pay for your excuses. Get it it over with. There are other things to spend money on.
I know someone who was laid off because budget levels are stuck at 90% of 2023 levels and long-term projects are being cancelled. Mike Johnson and the Freedom caucus are hurting Americans and America.
In competitive races around the country, from school boards, local governments, and national races, Democrats are winning because the majority of voters are rejecting the Trump doctrine of hate, isolation, and racism.
For the first time in my memory of watching a Democratic victory speech, Tom Souzzi thanked the thousands of Progressive volunteers for their postcards, text messages and phone calls that had a significant impact on his victory. We are like Ants; individually we don't do much, but collectively we can move Mountains. I'm an Ant, are You?
Like: Tom Souzzi thanked the thousands of Progressive volunteers for their postcards, text messages and phone calls that had a significant impact on his victory.
How telling is it that a twice impeached lying insurrectionist is calling the shots for Rs in the House? Like an evil Yankee Doodle Rasputin, this man continues to undermine our democracy in an attempt to align himself and his party with Russia and Vladimir Putin.The world is watching all of this in abject horror. It sickens me daily. We have got to crush this at the ballot box.
I went two rounds of communications with Mike Johnson today. He assured me—twice—that he has things under control for an resolution for the well-being of all Americans. I assured him I did not believe his idea of a good outcome matched mine, and I did not trust someone who endorsed Donald Trump and would continue to call him to a higher standard. I’m fed up enough to be the daily burr in his side even if he stops responding to me.
Thank you, Susan. Do you have suggestions for us who don't live in Johnson's district? I called my Dem. Rep. Dingell yesterday, and she's onboard (of course). I tried to call Johnson's DC office and got vmail. I left a message. Any other options? Thanks!
I don't live in Johnson's district. I haranged his director of operations for contact information because I thought all Americans should be able to contact the speaker. She finally gave how to contact him on Telegram, which she said is the fastest way to get an answer, and I finally downloaded the app. She also gave me his gmail. Here they are [note the peculiar spelling of "micheal" rather than "michael]" jamesmichealjohnson983@gmail.com
https://t.me/jamesmichealjohnson (on Telegram)
Thank you! I am so used to thinking that living in DC I have no representation.
Here's my email:
Subject: Foreign aid and your legacy
Dear Speaker Johnson
I am a volunteer who wrote postcards and made phone calls for Tom Suozzi. 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 thing your party is doing.
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? 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.
That is wonderful - the earnest tone might lead him or his aide through to the end, then the close has that same earnest, helpful tone but a bit of a bite. I'm loving it!
I like your email but I would say that name calling (toadie) is never effective . Anyway , it’s what Trump always does.
Thank you Chris, I actually thought very carefully about that choice because one of my "jobs" on twitter x is promoting respectful conversations w/o name calling. My decision was based on thinking that he might care how he was seen, and I was presenting two possibilities. I might have been wrong...but that's how I decided.
Exactly. Here is how I plagiarized your letter :
Subject: Foreign aid and your legacy
Dear Speaker Johnson,I was not a volunteer who wrote postcards and made phone 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.
Fantastic, and very well said!
see note to you and Ransom below!
Perfect! I will plagiarize a bit of what you wrote, to frame mine properly. Thank you for your clarity.
Jocelyn & Ransom. I get confused once the threads get this deep, so if you were thanking me, you're welcome! And if not, glad you're going to give it a shot!
I'm right there with you CT, confused at the long threads, but not dazed yet. I used and modified your letter and I think it finally went through to Sp. Johnson. Dragging and dropping the email address from from Susan Martins Miller would not send and writing it in, I mixed up the a and e. I just now tried it again, spelled correctly and it seems to have gone through.
I'll cut and paste it here for you :
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
Oh my -- Telegram has been used by ISIS terrorists to post their planning videos (source: Wikipedia). I thought it might be extremist, so I looked it up. This is the bad-actor platform our US Speaker chooses to use for messaging?! Ouch!
Telegram also kicked them off 78 channels they were using and has kicked them off more efforts to spread hate messages and violent videos--same as Facebook shuts down violent videos and hate messages (though they allow more disinformation now, unfortunately). Hate groups will try to use whatever technology they can. That doesn't mean the technology is always at fault or that it hasn't changed and become stronger in its defenses since those experiences. So in the end, I downloaded it. Once Johnson is gone, I will delete. I have no other use for it and don't like the proliferation of apps in my life. But for now, it can serve a purpose. For instance, I already sent him a direct message about yet another mass shooting. Another Valentine's day shooting, another Ash Wednesday shooting. It's time for him to stand against the culture of death.
It's pure gold to get this email address. Thank you!
You are welcome. It took some determination to get it. I encourage everyone who uses it to do so with the same determination but also respect. We are not using the GOP playbook.
I agree fully. I am carefully considering how to phrase things so whatever I write has the chance of working to shift his thinking. Insulting someone doesn't do that.
He wrote back. Now, we don’t know if he has staff who is really good at personalizing and speaking in his voice, but I’m thinking about my next response. Can I bounce ideas off you? My email address is my first and last name at gmail.
I will write you and begin a conversation.
Thank you Susan. I keep two screens open and dragged the email you provided to the address line in a new email. I'll do some hard head scratching and send a poilitely irritating note to the MFr.
Thank you for this info Susan. I will be sharing it on my Slack channels and on Spoutible. I suggest anyone who writes to him CC their Representatives and Senators, regardless of party. It's a numbers game in D.C. and all outreach counts. In fact, one Rep told me one email/phone call/letter represents X number of constituents depending on where one lives.
Thank you so much for the links. I did not really want to sign up for Telegram (although I still pursue some folk on X) but I did write an email and will add this to my list for sending an email a day because you are so right that we are all represented and directly affected by the speaker of the House.
I held off for several weeks on downloading Telegram but in the end decided to do it. And he did respond quickly, but much is what is staff person said would happen; compared to no guarantee about email. I saw that he read my first Telegram even at 10:30 at night.
Thanks for that email address!
Good for you. This smarmy little man and his wretched caucus need to be crushed. I wouldn’t trust any of them any further than I could throw a piano.
OMG; I could never have said that better myself! … a piano!!!!!
"...well-being of all Americans?" That's rich!
Rich. And manipulative.
...and reeks of disingenuity!
Wow, that's awesome!! Thank you!
BRAVA!
My daily burr strategy is going to involve calling him out for his leadership choices rather than calling him names because he is creepy.
I'm call him so he won't know what I think of him. Your plan is a good one. He wouldn't know what "leadership" was if he tripped over it. He's a believer in "There go my followers, and I must run after them, for I am their leader."
Polling from Blueprint shows that nearly 7 in 10 voters voters prefer House Republicans pass the bipartisan border security deal rather than impeach Mayorkas. https://blueprint2024.com/
You say that as if there were some principle of majority influence at work here.
One would expect that the 17 Republicans who represent districts that Biden won in 2020 would know which side of the bread to place the butter.
I pointed that out to him.
Good for you. Laying down for daily belly rubs from his Dear Leader is a bad look for the person 3rd in line to the Presidency. He'd be well served to remember he's serving the country and that sometimes means reaffirming to allies in NATO that we mean what we say. My fear: Trump does in fact mean what he says.
We KNOW Trump means what he says...he has told us--repeatedly--who and what he really is. It's folly of the highest order to disregard what he says.
I remain mystified why millions of my fellow citizens see it and hear it from Trump and yet think that this is the way they want things to go in our country. One could be forgiven for thinking Trump is jealous of Putin and would love to emulate him.
Trump is far too insecure, lazy & weak to emulate Putin for real. He wants the power and the trappings of power without any of the work or responsibility.
Excellent. I'm convinced that the energy behind our words matters as much as if not more than the actual words. It's self-indulgent at this point to allow snark and name-calling to take over. Tom's victory is a clear example of what works - heart to heart contact from people who care to people who need to know the truth. We were told by Republicans why they are voting for Tom - because he reached out with respect and care and they knew he meant it. ❤️
Hi Terry,
It was great seeing you on the Suozzi phone bank yesterday! And all of that positive energy from Grassroots Democrats HQ was felt by all who attended.
Angela
( And creepy he is!)
Fair enough and you make a wise choice… but dang it he certainly makes for good fodder!
He is horrible for the country, but is the best thing going for the Blue candidates to win next election. We couldn’t write a better playbook.
Why aren’t the smart Republicans telling him they’ll give him a McCarthy if he doesn’t let them vote in important issues?
Because the less smart Republicans are telling him they'll give him a McCarthy if he does bring the bill to the floor.
Like “give him a McCarthy”
Can a Dem call for his ouster? Ken Buck could but then what? Why does the Speaker have exclusive power to prevent a bill from being voted on by the full House? Has that been part of the position forever? Sorry to be so ignorant.
Don't we all wish!!!!
I was apoplectic at Mike Johnson's House of Reprehensitives' vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for doing his job while they were busy fiddling. But I must admit, Robert, that you've managed to make some lemonade with the notion that a Senate trial will likely lead to the evisceration of some of the staunchest MAGAts. Let the games begin!
Anything Gym Jordan works on comes back covered in slime.
He too is another wretched, smarmy little man.
and boogers.
The Republicans are giving Democrats plenty of ammunition to use in November is properly applied.
We've gotta start using it and keep it up. Once upon a time, the GOP stood for smaller government. Now it prefers none at all.
The R's will rue the day they sham-impeached Mayorkas. They are putting themselves on trial. They will lose.
Not gonna be a trial. No way. You heard it here.
I think you may be right. Schumer may allow proceedings before a committee based on deposition testimony. But since Republicans are going to hold hearings into the Hur report, Democrats may need counter-programming.
I'm not so sure, for the reasons Robert suggested. This may be an opportunity for the adults in the room to school the petulant children (apologies to actual petulant children).
Great comment, Bob!
🍿🥤
Exactly Kathy!
Through rain, sleet and snow , New Yorkers will fight for the right choice! Congratulations to Tom Suozzi who we know, just like he did in the past, will always fight for us !! We are thrilled he won!!
I was wondering if the lengthy snow/slush storm would deter folks from voting “up the island”. Good on them for turning up, and good on Tom Suozzi!
I am from South Carolina. I am so thankful he won!! Another reason to love New York! Celebrating here!!
I checked my phone last night around 10:00pm to see if there was news about Suozzi and just whooped!! Thank you, intrepid Long Islanders, for slogging your way to the polls!
I was at a Speakers Series with a friend here in Oakland, California when I heard the news. The whole audience applauded 😊👍🎉
Love that!!
It was a beautiful moment. So glad I to have been part of it and thank you New York 🙏❤️😊🎉
Proud of you, my friend!!
I just want to let all your readers know that the Dems won the special election in PA, held yesterday, for the state's senate. We flipped the district and outperformed there as well. Dems now have a 1 person majority in the state Senate.
GREAT JOB EVERYONE! WE KNOW HOW TO WIN...SO LET'S KEEP DOING IT!
The effort will be well worth it.
Thanks, Andrea. I will cover this story tonight!
You ROCK, Andrea. Props to PA -- taking back our great democratic nation, one crucial seat at a time. Good work!!
As a former Philadelphian, I congratulate Bucks County! It's a beautiful spot, and now is perhaps turning purple, at least! Maybe blue! Who knows?
Great news👍👍👍👍
OH YES!!!!
I posted a comment here a little bit ago and mentioned I would write my State Republican senator, Jerry Moran of Kansas. I though you should see why I wrote to him. It was because of his response to the southern border crisis in his newsletter to all constituents that follow him. His words below.
“On Wednesday, I voted against the proposed border deal. There is a national security crisis at our southern border, and it is critical we stop the flow of illegal immigration into our country. The border deal fell short of that requirement and there was no path forward for it to become law. I remain committed to pursuing policy changes that will make our nation safer and secure our border.”
So, this is your take on the deal that your esteemed colleague, James Lankford, of OK worked out with Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, it fell short?
It fell short for one reason, and you know exactly what and who that reason is, DJT. Don’t play all of us in the state of Kansas for suckers and losers. You do yourself a disservice and did you notice the outcome of the special election in NY last night? Not a good look for the R’s going forward? Until all of you R’s kick the Orange Lunatic to the curb you can expect the same outcome.
In closing, I will do my best to defeat every one of you and your Republicans conspirators everywhere from now on and until I leave this earth, for the sake of my children and grandchildren and their future.
I’m not alone either.
Sincerely,
Former republican and veteran.
What a fabulous message to your senator! Hope you don’t mind if I use it to send to my own Florida Senators.
Absolutely use it. I’m not the best at this but it certainly is how I feel. I would love to say it to his face and a whole lot of his constituents as well. Have a good day.
Actually, you ARE great at this! Thank you for your service… both “then” and now!
You are well informed and thought-out, honest, straight talkin and forceful - I’d say you’re a darn good at this!
Thank you, I will keep at it.
I thought it was a great letter. It was forceful and to the point and as I read it, I could feel your passion and commitment. If I were your congressperson, I'd be a little nervous about what is going out to constituents under my name; obviously he doesn't think much of voters in his own party.
That’s one of the underlying issues that I have a very hard time wrapping my head around? How can a senator make statements like that. Is it a reflection of his stupidity or his republican voters? I guess both. So much work to do, oh well, let’s get to it.
Bill, I have loads of relatives in Kansas. They are all D's and they are vocal. I'll ask them all to contact their House rep.!
Thank you very much for your continued service to protect our country (from the daughter of a decorated WWII Army vet.)
Sheila, every voice helps! Thanks
Terrific!!
Thanks Robert, maybe I should write more often?
Well done, sir. Excellently well said!
Excellent letter, Bill. This could be a template for all of us who have Republican representatives who are not serving our best interests, but serving a disgraced former president instead (who will never be president again).
Tom Souzzi big victory in NY3 is further proof that Americans are fed up with irresponsible Republican governance in the House. Period ........ In a Republican district which spawned the delusional con artist, George Santos, Americans also showed they oppose the chaotic governance of Donald Trump returning to the White House......
Ignore the polls!! Believe in election results. Rely on these truths:
1. The majority of Americans want a functioning government that serves their interests.
2. The majority of Americans believe Joe Biden not Donald Trump will lead us to that place.
3. We, the Democratic Party are that majority. The political energy is with us not them.
4. 81 million Americans voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Millions more will vote for him in 2024.
5. We need to tirelessly keep working through Nov. A landslide election is on its way.
Does Joe Biden have the mental capacity to govern for four more years? Watch his speech from yesterday:
https://www.youtube.com/live/KEOl-ev5Zc0?si=qpIvYSgnNgSpccUp
(He should have dedicated it to Special Counsel Robert Hur.)
I totally agree with point 4. It’s hard to see any person who voted for President Biden in 2020 now switching to Trump. If correct we start with 81 million votes and move up from there.
✌️✌️✌️
I think the somewhat hidden under-current that the press is missing and the right certainly doesn't want to remind people of is that abortion is still very much on the minds of women voters. e.g. its very much the elephant in the room.
May be another reason why Mazi Pilip lost in the 3rd Congressional District and why Suozzi trounced her. She was vocal about her pro life position in a district that is traditionally liberal and Democratic.
Yes, I don't think its a coincidence that the right and media are simultaneously quiet on abortion issues. It may not be top of mind for most men/boys but likely can't say the same for their female partners, friends and relatives.
You are correct, but every man who is a father of a male or female should be against forced birth. If a man doesn’t want to be a grandfather because his son or daughter wasn’t careful enough when they had sex, they need to take this issue seriously. A birth impacts many more people than the mother. And for years and years. We need to keep reminding people of that. It’s not a difficult thing to grasp especially as we are all so in touch with the outcomes of children raised in a household without a father and supportive grandparents.
This issue affects everyone, for all the reasons you present! It's shocking to me that some people think the abortion issue only affects women! Of course, the majority of Supreme Court members is male - that is telling. But how many Republicans must believe that they are not affected by the inability for many women to get an abortion!
I’m certain of that.
Women's rights will come ROARING back this summer / fall ... we have not forgotten or forgiven and we are FORMIDABLE.
Reading a NYTime's analysis of why Suozzi won -- they attribute it to the snow storm suppressing R voters, and another article mentions Suozzi's 3 to 1 fundraising advantage. No one mentions the massive GOTV efforts, national as well as local. What makes or breaks an election is TURNOUT, not polls. Grassroots impact seems to go right under the radar of the media. There is really something big happening in the nationalization of swing state and swing district elections, and yay for that.
Plus, the PA House held Blue last night, with Bucks County (Philadelphia's only shoulder county that just hasn't flipped Blue yet) electing Dem Jim Prokopiak. That's excellent news - thanks to all who postcarded, canvassed, called, texted, and donated. https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2024/02/pennsylvania-state-house-democratic-majority-special-election-bucks-county/
Tom Souzzi loudly stated that the grassroots organizations that supported him made a huge difference in his win! He thanked EVERYONE in his speech. What a great guy! I'm so glad we at Swing Left supported him with postcards. And on we go...
I am sure that will be featured prominently on the Swing Left website. I am sure it made a big difference. Jessica Craven called someone who said she'd received six (!!!) postcards.
Wow! That's great!
How about from now on every time there's another prediction about Democrats,/Biden losing, from CNN, the Daily, and all the other predictors who got yesterday so wrong, we write letters saying "You were wrong about Feb.13 (and probably 2022 and 2023 in reproductive rights) so be humble, stop predicting, and get back to journalism.
They are weak, and I don't think most of the MSM cares if they get it wrong. They just pretend it didn't happen.
So they mean that R New Yorkers are afraid of snow, but D New Yorkers are not afraid? Hah. Let’s pray for snow then come November 3!
(Former N.Y. D; current NC D) ☃️
Welcome to NC from a life-long NC Dem. We need all of y'all we can get :)!
Thank you. Well, actually I’ve been here since 1982. But I still have ♥️ for NY.
I’ve noticed a number of folks in the Comments are from NC. I’d love to know where each of us lives. Gah, does that sound creepy?
I’m in Durham, blue dot, thank the Universe.
I am glad you have been here so long. My daughter married a New Yorker, and when he agreed to move south for her sake, he chose Durham exactly because it is a blue dot!
Smart fella. I love living in Durham. Love my neighbors. Very lucky.
They attributed it to early and mail-in voting vs. same-day voting.
I get that.
😉!
I like seeing Biden out there calling out Trump. What Biden stands for is a winning strategy for the ages. More of this!
I'd like to emphasize Mr. Hubbell's use of the word "judgment." When the media screams about age, do their ever take a look at "judgment? Biden has more judgment today than Trump ever had, not to mention experience, the underpinning of judgment. Control of one's utterances is a form of judgment. "Age" includes mental health, not just years alive.
““The outcome (of the race) will be a measure of how the Democratic brand can affect races all over the country,” [Larry ] Levy [of Hofstra University] said. “If Suozzi can’t withstand the damage the Democratic Party has sustained over inflation, Israel and immigration, then I’m not sure who could.” [¶]
Though no single contest . . . can claim to foretell what comes next in national politics, “Suozzi vs. Mazi” (it rhymes) comes awfully close.”
Incoming article from CNN in 3 -2 - 1 telling us how zero reliance can be put on the outcome of the election of Suozzi.
There's a reason why they're called the Cretin News Network.
You'd have thought Suozzi would have won by a landside. Too close, considering the flawed opponent.
I'm upset that the "lumpen" control the outcome. NYT article: Why This Group of Undecided Independent Voters Is Leaning Toward Trump. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/02/13/opinion/independents-biden-focus-group.html
"To a striking degree, most of the participants tilted toward Mr. Trump, even though they disliked his personality."
Agree. Disturbing and mystifying. My own takeaway is that the responders are simply un-informed, don’t know the subject. Nothing else makes sense.
😣🤦🏽♀️🤔I really don't believe much that the NYT publishes any more. They still have some excellent investigative writers but the rest of the bunch are too lazy to go out and dig for the real story. Much easier to regurgitate "what everybody is saying".
Don't forget the clicks on NY Times digital! Some are lazy, but most are just interested in readers!
We have to put our heads down and defeat MAGA.
Contrary to today's Today's, Suozzi was tough on immigration. Here's the WaPo on that issue in this race:
"But Suozzi, who left Congress to run as a more moderate primary alternative in 2022 to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), emphasized his pragmatism on the issue, calling for tougher border security and supporting the bipartisan Senate deal that Republicans ultimately torpedoed last week. Pilip echoed GOP attacks on the bill, saying that “it simply puts into law the invasion currently happening at our southern border.”
One race doesn’t mean the Democrats have found their winning message on immigration — an issue that dogs Biden more than any other — or that GOP opposition to the Senate deal is going to cost them. But Suozzi seemed to provide a road map for navigating the issue, and it suggests the party’s rightward shift on border security could mitigate the problem somewhat."
It's also worth noting that Biden scores lower support on immigration than any other issue. His approval rating on that issue has been in the low 20s percentile.
The majority of US population growth over the last 30 years has been due to immigration. More traffic, higher housing prices, the spread of sprawl--immigration. We're using up our groundwater, threatening our agricultural production. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/28/climate/groundwater-drying-climate-change.html
Propublica projects that within several decades, MILLIONS of Americans will become climate refugees. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/15/magazine/climate-crisis-migration-america.html
I drive between Boston and DC every year, sometimes twice a year, been doing it since the early '90s. In the '90s, I could usually make the trip with very little traffic. Now, I usually hit a lot of traffic. The latest trip, coming back to Boston after the holidays, 2 1/2 hours of stop and go. In what without traffic is a 7 hour trip.
Follow up with the nytimes.
Nat Cohn the Times chief political analyst and pollster wrote another article in today's Times understating Scozzi's victory as not really indicative of Democratic strength. I've been writing to the Times for the past month to push back on it's anti-Biden, anti-Democrat bias......
Here's what I wrote in today as a comment to their digital article:
,,.................
Not an Ordinary Special Election, and Yet a Typical Result
Mr. Cohn
Your analysis of the Scozzi victory, like earlier interim election victories for Democrats, is misguided.
Last week you described a mysterious "resistance" as the reason for these Democrat victories, kind of like the ether.
As one of the 81 million majority that elected Joe Biden, in 2020, I can clear up this mystery for you. The "resistance," is the Democratic party who are working to rid American government of the Trump/MAGA party.
As this election cycle moves forward, the Times would be wise to take into account the Democrats are the majority party in America and are acting like a responsible majority when faced with an authoritarian threat on the scale of Trump/MAGA.
The same energy that just supported Scozzi's victory is building every day to bring a bigger Biden victory in 2024 than 2020. The Times should spend more effort to get to know us better.
Thanks
Merrill Weingrod
401-480-8003
If you want to make a comment too, email to;
Nate.cohn@nytimes.com
david.halbfinger@nytimes.com
Joe.kahn@nytimes.com
David halbfinger is the Times political editor
Joe Kahn is the executive editor
Hi, Merrill. Thanks so much for calling out Nate Cohn and for including the links. I was going to include something today about Cohn's obnoxious, self-rationalization for why his predictions continue to be wrong. I will write about the topic tonight and use some of your language and links. Thanks!!
Absolutely. Use whatever points you think would be useful. I'm happy to get the message out as broadly as possible.
I believe letters to the press may be the most effective single letters you can write. As pressure builds up and if the message gets through, every degree of change in their tilt would result in changing the messages that inform and influence thousands of potential voters. Letters to politicians might be secondary in terms of effect, but also extremely important. Thank you for providing links.
Hey Yehawes
Many people believe that attempting to change MSM's fixation with Trump,/MAGA to better stories about the leading, majority, pro-democracy party in America is a fools errand. I agree with you...even slight shifts in coverage, e.g. getting Biden above the fold on phs 1,2,3 or at the top headline in digital feeds would influence thousands to vote Blue in 2024..
This is so good. Straight up facts and redirection with no namecalling. Love it.
"Trump is instructing Republican members of Congress to convert the aid into loans."
Fer crissake, who the actual f*ck is Donald Trump - private citizen Donald Trump, quadrice-indicted criminal Donald Trump, adderol-addled "stable genius" Donald Trump - to dictate America's national security and foreign policy decisions??? WHAT is going on here?!?
Like "quadrice-indicted."
He's trying to run a shadow government while having temper tantrums at his many trials and spewing his gibberish at rallies and attacking anyone and everyone on his social media platform. I don't know how much longer the daily cocktails of adderall and downers can be depended upon to keep the buffoon upright, but when he has his ultimate melt down, I hope it is fully public and televised.
Can't they just get the aid and then forgive the loan as soon as the Dems have the majority? If so it could be just a way to enable themselves to do something popular for a change and yet say they listened to the Freedom Caucus and rest of the far right (and Trump).
The tax payers are being ripped off big time by this congress and by the Trump delay tactics. The congresspeople get paid and their staff gets paid and they get a bunch of expenses covered and great benefits though they do nothing. In total it is in the double digit millions of dollars.
The judges and prosecutors are all getting paid handsomely while Trump hides behind the judges robes instead of proving he is innocent. What kind of defense is it to admit to doing the crime, but that due to a loophole you were permitted to do it. Give me a break and stop making me pay for your excuses. Get it it over with. There are other things to spend money on.
I know someone who was laid off because budget levels are stuck at 90% of 2023 levels and long-term projects are being cancelled. Mike Johnson and the Freedom caucus are hurting Americans and America.
But Mike personally assured me he had everything under control for the well-being of all Americans. (Eye roll)
In competitive races around the country, from school boards, local governments, and national races, Democrats are winning because the majority of voters are rejecting the Trump doctrine of hate, isolation, and racism.
For the first time in my memory of watching a Democratic victory speech, Tom Souzzi thanked the thousands of Progressive volunteers for their postcards, text messages and phone calls that had a significant impact on his victory. We are like Ants; individually we don't do much, but collectively we can move Mountains. I'm an Ant, are You?
Like: Tom Souzzi thanked the thousands of Progressive volunteers for their postcards, text messages and phone calls that had a significant impact on his victory.
How telling is it that a twice impeached lying insurrectionist is calling the shots for Rs in the House? Like an evil Yankee Doodle Rasputin, this man continues to undermine our democracy in an attempt to align himself and his party with Russia and Vladimir Putin.The world is watching all of this in abject horror. It sickens me daily. We have got to crush this at the ballot box.
“evil Yankee Doodle Rasputin” how true!
Yes! Well stated, Victoria.