Robert, what a compliment to read your your newsletter this morning and to see a quote from my comment yesterday. Humbling to say the least!
As perspective for your readers, knit night occurs at a home in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District - the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Three of us live in the district; the other two live in MN 3, which includes the western suburbs of Minneapolis (currently represented by Dean Phillips D-MN)
MN 2 was considered a swing district when I moved here 14 years ago. In 2018, we elected Angie Craig, a Democrat. Why is that important to the rest of you? Easy. Craig was the chief author of the legislation to lower the cost of insulin which was signed into law in 2021. From $600 a month to $35 a month. For a drug whose formula was donated by the scientists who formulated it for humanitarian reasons so there weren’t ongoing research costs; just giant profits!
The 2020 congressional race here was THE most expensive race in the country. The RNC and big pharma, along with untold millions of dark money, were spent trying to keep this district in the red column, and keep Angie Craig and her ideas about negotiating drug prices out of Congress. Also important was that the county I live in, Dakota, had the highest voter turnout in the country. 93%!!! So Republicans put everything they had into turning the district red again by targeting suburban women and were roundly defeated.
Knitting is a form of spiritual meditation for most knitters - respite from the storm. But as the button on my knitting bag states; “It’s all fun and games until somebody drops a stitch.” Let’s all work to make certain we don’t drop any stitches going forward by working to get out the vote. Thank you Robert and managing editor for keeping us focused and well informed!
Robert you captured perfectly the essence of the Republican soul (not that a fair number in the House GOP, actually have a soul), but as Bill Clinton said in 2022, "Republicans are pretty simple, actually. and pretty straight forward. They say I want you to be very miserable. And they say I want you to be very angry. And they say I want you to vote for us, and we'll make it worse, but we'll blame them."
What kind of person is embarrassed by the sight of a wounded military veteran singing God Bless America”?
A draft-dodgng liar, a service-avoiding physical coward, a career criminal with no moral compass or integrity, a malicious, malevolent, mendacious piece of shit. A traitor to any and all who stand in his way.
I want to share a story. I live in a retirement community of about 800 people whose average age is mid 80’s. These individuals are alert, alive and involved. The Democratic Club helps it first meeting of the fall and over 100 people attended to listen to a group called Carolina Forward. Carolina Forward is a non profit group whose is focused only on North Carolina local politics and is not involved with politics on a national basis. They recently did a survey on the key issues that voters really care about in North Carolina. What the survey revealed are the key issues are climate change ( NC is a big farming state) reproductive rights and school voucher programs and parental rights. The economy was not a burning issue. Additionally they identified that those eligible voters between 22 to 40 had an average of a 22% voter turnout in the last election. The Triangle where I live has major universities like Duke; UNC and NC State and many college students. This group of grandmother and grandfather residents decided they were going to focus on getting “ the youngsters “ out to vote and by the end of the meeting had raised money, put a strategy team in place and had a list of volunteers. The pollsters BTW list seniors over 70 as “ the silent generation “ and theses seniors will be anything but silent.
Excellent summary of the asymmetries between the dysfunctional Republican party and the legitimately governing Democratic party. Thank you, Robert.
Following that, your second section about the heroism of General Milley made me wonder what it'll take to see similar heroism from one of the high-ranking retired military officers now serving in the House of Representatives. Defending the institution at the heart of our democracy from MAGA's current assault would be fully consistent with their training, experience and oath.
Don Bacon (R-NE) is a former Air Force Brigadier General. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) was a Marine Corps intelligence officer in Iraq. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was embedded with Special Forces in Iraq.
If a young lieutenant can lead an infantry patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan, surely challenging Kevin McCarthy for the Speakership of the House of Representatives presents no greater risk. How about showing some courage, gentlemen?
I have explained to my European friends the American expression “all hat and no cattle”. Now you have topped that with “Kevin McCarthy is all feather and no hat”, I immediately shared that as well. (And the context you explain so well -- absent the power to control the progress of legislation the Speaker’s office is “ornamental”!)
I am stuck on the focus of the Freedom Caucus being the "villans" in the Congressional debacle. They are the voice. EVERY representative that votes with them is equally guilty. It always irks me when credit is given to the last vote on a critical issue. McCain comes to mind on Health Care. It was not i
His vote alone that made the difference but the cumulative vote. So it is here. It is ALL those who refuse to say "no" to the crazies. All of them are crazies.
Robert: Sorry to hear that your Reader event in SF on Oct 6th is packed. I live in Pacific Heights as well, and would be glad to host a second event that day for you if you have time. We have space to host about 50 people.
First, I agree with Shelia B about the number of die-hard Republicans who recognize the current “party”’s dangerous state. Here in Texas, the Paxton acquittal has enraged many, who may not vote for a Democrat but will never vote for Trump. That’s something.
I’m currently in Boston with my husband and his Vietnam buddies (and spouses), who meet annually for a reunion. We’re not on the same page politically as most of them, but I’m reminded again of how MUCH they gave up. These were not career military folks but rather draftees who also happened to be the best artillery direction outfit in the field, where they pretty much spent their whole,year. The amount of time and money I give to our democracy will never come close to these men’s service, and for many that came with very high costs of various sorts.
This weekend, I plan to walk and re-walk the Freedom Trail and bank some memories to fuel me in the months to come.
I cannot speak highly enough about joining a postcarding effort. I am in a blue state wanting to boost blue voting across the country and I welcome targeted assignments...Virginia, Ohio, wherever the need is timely and focused. Swing Left and other orgs make it easy to do from home.
Sep 22, 2023·edited Sep 22, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
History has shown us that those who have banned books, burn books. That same history has shown us that those who burn books, burn people. Let us learn from history and act on it.
Thank you, Robert! It is easier to create a sound bite than to tell the truth. This is so true and I keep trying to articulate that to all my fellow Dems who keep blaming us for the Republicans seeming messaging prowess. They deal in headlines while we deal in body of text and sometimes the body of text is deep and gray and unable to be shaped into a phrase. But we do hold our own powerful sound bites and I believe we don’t see that they are powerful and they are why the Republicans are so aggressive and frankly, afraid of us. All the words that headline what our party strives to achieve, for better or worse, such as Equity, Equality, Civil Rights, Housing for All, Medicare for All, the 1%, Women’s Rights, People of Color, White Privilege, Pro-Choice, Fair Elections, and on and on….these are the things we stand for and have messaged as our goals and vision for America that they abhor and fight against with their absurd counter-messaging. Our messaging stays solid and weaves through all the years and even through the fabric of our lives and governance. Our media loves shiny new objects so they pound new, ghastly phrases like Socialist or Big Government. We feel bad because we’re being name-called or pigeonholed and misinterpreted. But they do this because our strong, steady, determined messages never go away in our March for Democracy. I always try to come back to this center of what Democrats want for our world. It does take a lot of effort, especially when our own media stars parrot Republican messages as if they have teeth. Well, we have teeth too. I’m deeply grateful to Robert for bringing this up today. And I also agree, 100% that we can, will and should organize to win in every single small town or city we live in. Collectively we are a huge network whose messaging is solid and right. I feel inspired for my day of knocking doors! Thank you!
The two-party system that we have is the worst possible way of organizing a republic -- except for a one-party system. The collapse of the Rs is something that, if it happens, we will look back on with profound regret. We should hope that members of genuine republican principles will be able to bring that party back to America.
Sep 22, 2023·edited Sep 22, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Thank you! I will have sweet dreams tonight because of all of the good news you shared. My favorite ritual before turning in is reading your newsletter.
Robert, what a compliment to read your your newsletter this morning and to see a quote from my comment yesterday. Humbling to say the least!
As perspective for your readers, knit night occurs at a home in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District - the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Three of us live in the district; the other two live in MN 3, which includes the western suburbs of Minneapolis (currently represented by Dean Phillips D-MN)
MN 2 was considered a swing district when I moved here 14 years ago. In 2018, we elected Angie Craig, a Democrat. Why is that important to the rest of you? Easy. Craig was the chief author of the legislation to lower the cost of insulin which was signed into law in 2021. From $600 a month to $35 a month. For a drug whose formula was donated by the scientists who formulated it for humanitarian reasons so there weren’t ongoing research costs; just giant profits!
The 2020 congressional race here was THE most expensive race in the country. The RNC and big pharma, along with untold millions of dark money, were spent trying to keep this district in the red column, and keep Angie Craig and her ideas about negotiating drug prices out of Congress. Also important was that the county I live in, Dakota, had the highest voter turnout in the country. 93%!!! So Republicans put everything they had into turning the district red again by targeting suburban women and were roundly defeated.
Knitting is a form of spiritual meditation for most knitters - respite from the storm. But as the button on my knitting bag states; “It’s all fun and games until somebody drops a stitch.” Let’s all work to make certain we don’t drop any stitches going forward by working to get out the vote. Thank you Robert and managing editor for keeping us focused and well informed!
Robert you captured perfectly the essence of the Republican soul (not that a fair number in the House GOP, actually have a soul), but as Bill Clinton said in 2022, "Republicans are pretty simple, actually. and pretty straight forward. They say I want you to be very miserable. And they say I want you to be very angry. And they say I want you to vote for us, and we'll make it worse, but we'll blame them."
What kind of person is embarrassed by the sight of a wounded military veteran singing God Bless America”?
A draft-dodgng liar, a service-avoiding physical coward, a career criminal with no moral compass or integrity, a malicious, malevolent, mendacious piece of shit. A traitor to any and all who stand in his way.
I want to share a story. I live in a retirement community of about 800 people whose average age is mid 80’s. These individuals are alert, alive and involved. The Democratic Club helps it first meeting of the fall and over 100 people attended to listen to a group called Carolina Forward. Carolina Forward is a non profit group whose is focused only on North Carolina local politics and is not involved with politics on a national basis. They recently did a survey on the key issues that voters really care about in North Carolina. What the survey revealed are the key issues are climate change ( NC is a big farming state) reproductive rights and school voucher programs and parental rights. The economy was not a burning issue. Additionally they identified that those eligible voters between 22 to 40 had an average of a 22% voter turnout in the last election. The Triangle where I live has major universities like Duke; UNC and NC State and many college students. This group of grandmother and grandfather residents decided they were going to focus on getting “ the youngsters “ out to vote and by the end of the meeting had raised money, put a strategy team in place and had a list of volunteers. The pollsters BTW list seniors over 70 as “ the silent generation “ and theses seniors will be anything but silent.
Excellent summary of the asymmetries between the dysfunctional Republican party and the legitimately governing Democratic party. Thank you, Robert.
Following that, your second section about the heroism of General Milley made me wonder what it'll take to see similar heroism from one of the high-ranking retired military officers now serving in the House of Representatives. Defending the institution at the heart of our democracy from MAGA's current assault would be fully consistent with their training, experience and oath.
Don Bacon (R-NE) is a former Air Force Brigadier General. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) was a Marine Corps intelligence officer in Iraq. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was embedded with Special Forces in Iraq.
If a young lieutenant can lead an infantry patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan, surely challenging Kevin McCarthy for the Speakership of the House of Representatives presents no greater risk. How about showing some courage, gentlemen?
.
Dear Robert, This is one of those days I can finally SMILE
after reading your "news."
Thanks so much for being a reliable and steadying voice.
Have a great weekend!
This week, President Biden has established the Climate Corps and the Office for Gun Violence Prevention.
He takes action.
The MAGAs are all "talk" and CHAOS.
I'm riding with Biden!
I have explained to my European friends the American expression “all hat and no cattle”. Now you have topped that with “Kevin McCarthy is all feather and no hat”, I immediately shared that as well. (And the context you explain so well -- absent the power to control the progress of legislation the Speaker’s office is “ornamental”!)
Thank you night knitters! Knitters rise up! These stories give me hope & strengthen resolve to keep pressing on to defeat the GOP.
I am stuck on the focus of the Freedom Caucus being the "villans" in the Congressional debacle. They are the voice. EVERY representative that votes with them is equally guilty. It always irks me when credit is given to the last vote on a critical issue. McCain comes to mind on Health Care. It was not i
His vote alone that made the difference but the cumulative vote. So it is here. It is ALL those who refuse to say "no" to the crazies. All of them are crazies.
Robert: Sorry to hear that your Reader event in SF on Oct 6th is packed. I live in Pacific Heights as well, and would be glad to host a second event that day for you if you have time. We have space to host about 50 people.
First, I agree with Shelia B about the number of die-hard Republicans who recognize the current “party”’s dangerous state. Here in Texas, the Paxton acquittal has enraged many, who may not vote for a Democrat but will never vote for Trump. That’s something.
I’m currently in Boston with my husband and his Vietnam buddies (and spouses), who meet annually for a reunion. We’re not on the same page politically as most of them, but I’m reminded again of how MUCH they gave up. These were not career military folks but rather draftees who also happened to be the best artillery direction outfit in the field, where they pretty much spent their whole,year. The amount of time and money I give to our democracy will never come close to these men’s service, and for many that came with very high costs of various sorts.
This weekend, I plan to walk and re-walk the Freedom Trail and bank some memories to fuel me in the months to come.
I cannot speak highly enough about joining a postcarding effort. I am in a blue state wanting to boost blue voting across the country and I welcome targeted assignments...Virginia, Ohio, wherever the need is timely and focused. Swing Left and other orgs make it easy to do from home.
History has shown us that those who have banned books, burn books. That same history has shown us that those who burn books, burn people. Let us learn from history and act on it.
Thank you, Robert! It is easier to create a sound bite than to tell the truth. This is so true and I keep trying to articulate that to all my fellow Dems who keep blaming us for the Republicans seeming messaging prowess. They deal in headlines while we deal in body of text and sometimes the body of text is deep and gray and unable to be shaped into a phrase. But we do hold our own powerful sound bites and I believe we don’t see that they are powerful and they are why the Republicans are so aggressive and frankly, afraid of us. All the words that headline what our party strives to achieve, for better or worse, such as Equity, Equality, Civil Rights, Housing for All, Medicare for All, the 1%, Women’s Rights, People of Color, White Privilege, Pro-Choice, Fair Elections, and on and on….these are the things we stand for and have messaged as our goals and vision for America that they abhor and fight against with their absurd counter-messaging. Our messaging stays solid and weaves through all the years and even through the fabric of our lives and governance. Our media loves shiny new objects so they pound new, ghastly phrases like Socialist or Big Government. We feel bad because we’re being name-called or pigeonholed and misinterpreted. But they do this because our strong, steady, determined messages never go away in our March for Democracy. I always try to come back to this center of what Democrats want for our world. It does take a lot of effort, especially when our own media stars parrot Republican messages as if they have teeth. Well, we have teeth too. I’m deeply grateful to Robert for bringing this up today. And I also agree, 100% that we can, will and should organize to win in every single small town or city we live in. Collectively we are a huge network whose messaging is solid and right. I feel inspired for my day of knocking doors! Thank you!
The two-party system that we have is the worst possible way of organizing a republic -- except for a one-party system. The collapse of the Rs is something that, if it happens, we will look back on with profound regret. We should hope that members of genuine republican principles will be able to bring that party back to America.
Thank you! I will have sweet dreams tonight because of all of the good news you shared. My favorite ritual before turning in is reading your newsletter.