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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Kansas was a great win. Republicans back tracking and voting for the Pack Bill was a great win. Things are moving for our team. I love it and it gives me tremendous hope. Now let’s pass The Inflation Reduction Bill and win the trifecta ❤️❤️

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I have done "postcarding" in the past and plan to do more. Here, we are given lists of folks who are registered but have not voted in many elections. I have to believe this has helped. I cannot manage to write hundreds of postcards but I do write until my hand has to be wrapped in a heating pad.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Robert, I found this part of your concluding thoughts exhilarating and motivating: "....it is not too soon to realize that the future is open to us in a way that has not been in any prior election." Let's get to work!

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In general, if the choices are (a) keeping copies of incriminating evidence, which, in the hands of a prosecutor would surely convict you, and (b) quietly destroying the evidence, risking allegations of violating a record-retention requirement, most people will choose (a).

When multiple people involved in illegal activity simultaneously destroy records, you can conclude

(1) it wasn't accidental

(2) it was a concerted cover-up

(3) the people were involved in a nefarious conspiracy

Most people will conclude that Ryan McCarthy, Christopher Miller, Chad Wolf, Ken Cuccinelli, Kashyap Patel, and the rogue Secret Service Agents, are all blameworthy conspirators, who were doing Trump's bidding.

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Two take aways from yesterday. Jon Stewart demonstrated that activism can impact Congressional thinking especially if the issue impacts the health and lives of citizens and the Kansas voters even in light of Republican tricks sent a message that a abortion is on the ballot in November. Additionally in several Republican primary results Trump supported election deniers won and provide an opportunity for Democrats to flip some seats. FiveThirtyEight yesterday for the first time is projecting positive numbers about the Democrats chances of winning the Senate. Taking all of this together we see momentum building and a reason to get more engaged and active right now. The challenge for the D’s is channeling the right messages to insure turnout and voting in November.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Ad Astra Per Aspera - To the Stars through Difficulties! That's the Kansas state motto. I am so proud this morning to be a Kansan, born and raised in Wichita. I'm enjoying watching the commentators saying nobody saw this coming. I certainly did along with all the women and friends of women and human rights who are as angry as I am with the Extreme Court taking away our rights. Thank you, Kansas, for showing so emphatically that Dobbs is bringing home to all of us what losing democracy means!

❤️🤍💙KANSAS❤️🤍💙

P.S. Fun trivia: I was born at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita where seven years earlier President Obama's mother was born.

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The reproductive rights win in Kansas should encourage all fair minded people that a red wave in November is not inevitable.

The disclosure that the Dept. of Defense, in addition to the Trump White House and the Secret Service, has failed to maintain certain records as required by law, has again shined a spotlight on the role of Inspectors General. The actions of the IG at Homeland Secretary, Joseph Cuffari, are particularly suspect. My question is: why do IGs that were appointed by Trump still have their jobs? I understand that, prior to Trump, the IG position was not supposed to be political. And I can understand that Biden wants to restore their independence. But Trump changed the rules. He fired 5 IGs in 6 weeks because he was concerned they were not loyal to him personally. Now Biden is saddled with Trump holdovers, like Cuffari, who may still be doing Trump's bidding. I hope someone in the administration is looking closely at each holdover IG and determining if they are fit to continue to hold office. The Trump malignancy needs to be pulled out by its roots and the IGs should not be overlooked.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I wrote and mailed 50 postcards to Kansas voters urging them to vote “NO” against the amendment— and look what happened. Ipso facto, postcard-writing does work!😉

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I am over the moon that the Kansas voters protected a woman's right to reproductive care (can I put in another shameless plug for my former HS classmate, Governor Laura Kelly who has done an outstanding job there?)

I also want to say that I totally agree with Robert about the extremism of the Republican party of today and how it does not bode well for them in the elections. But I still can't wrap my head around the fact that so many "rank and file" Republicans are still voting for them. The election deniers and their fans continue to dominate much of the voting, even in Missouri where Greitens was defeated but Eric Schmidt is still a denier. With all the information available to these voters, they are still choosing crazy. And please, folks, with the Senate probably secured, don't lose sight of the House. It will do us no good if we have a (real) majority in the Senate if the bills then get stalled in the House.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Pelosi is way out of line. How can a normally savvy pol, someone in an extremely senior position, have decided to buck her president? I hope her trip has some motivation and rationale beyond shoring up Asian-American voter loyalty in California's 12th District.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Kansas is huge, not just for human rights, but for democracy. As you say, it doesn’t guarantee results anywhere, but it is a shot in the arm for voter choice.

For the past week, as new scandals erupt around the insurrection, Democrats unify on important issues and voter disgust with those who would impose their narrow views on the rest of us rises, i sense a turning of the tide. Not just that the inevitable failure of corrupt reaction becomes more clear, but a feeling that democracy has found its feet again, and is going on the march. I hope so, anyway. (Now, as a poor sailor, I should confess that my judgment on such things as the state of the tide is often wrong.)

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thank you to Roger S. for the context of the Kansas vote to defeat the effort of the anti-choice minority to control women according to their religious beliefs. I was delighted last night when I saw what happened in that deep red state but Robert's reciting of Roger's summary filled out the corners. Thank you, Roger, and Robert, for sharing that inspiring analysis! What happened in Kansas was, indeed, encouraging!

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Both Nancy Pelosi and President Biden are seasoned professionals and work together. IMHO, they agree in private on her trip -- it reaffirms our support of Taiwan without actually changing our policy towards them. We, too, have done postcarding and have seen many studies affirming the positive results. Our government is like a ship -- large and slow to change but it takes only a nudge to change the trajectory.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Pelosi visit to Taiwan.one essential point is missing from the discussion.

if we don't back up Taiwan and put our foot down on Chinese expansion a new "Ukraine" will eventually occur.

That is why we need to stand fast in spite of all the political reasonings.

Why wasn't there an uproar when previous Congressional delegations visited Taiwan.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Postcarding Is therapy for my rage terror swelling over the last seven political years. I did it for geargia senate races in 2020 to voters who were just turning voting age. Seeing warnock and ossoff win convinced me of the power. I don’t need more validation than that. Naysayers are opp trolls.

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Aug 3, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

My wife and I (who live in Virginia) have been visiting a friend in Kansas City for the past three days. We saw many “No” yard signs and only two “Yes” yard signs - only anecdotal evidence but it turned out to be a real indicator for the amendment vote outcome. I perceive that the vote No may have a broader impact or significance than just opposing the particular constitutional amendment. It might reflect opposition to the tactics and anti-democratic policies and practices of the Republican proponents of the proposed amendment. This is simply an impression, hardly a fact. But it is a hopeful impression.

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