42 Comments
Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

In the midst of ongoing doomsday naysaying, leave it to Robert to lay out a reasonable set of facts as to how the Republicans have lots of troubles ahead. Hold this in mind as you spend a worthwhile 51 minutes to get your socks blown off by Leigh McGowan:

https://twitter.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/status/1483590198130720770?s=20

...whose powerful punch is riffing on Anne Applebaum's article on Autocracy Inc.:

https://twitter.com/anneapplebaum/status/1460215744743067648?s=20

Now you have additional sources asking Robert's concluding question: "If you don’t belong to an organized group like Swing Left, Indivisible, Sister District, PostCardsToVoters, Fair Fight, or your local Democratic Party, now is a great time to join. What are you waiting for?"

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

The people labeled Republicans today have gone by other labels in the past. Let’s just use “haves” to describe that party’s current members. The haves have been lying for decades. Back in the ‘80’s, I used to wonder why no one saw through Reagan’s play acting lies. “Voodoo economics” anyone? If nothing else, the R-haves party knows how to stick together to speak with one lying voice. Painting themselves as the virtuous family values party who passes little or no legislation to help regular families has been quite successful.

I have also come to realize what an act of courage it is to go against your tribe or group when the group is wrong. The person’s community exacts often swift and terrible retribution for speaking the truth. That’s one reason there are whistleblower laws.

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Robert here is my brother Dan in AZ letter by a reader of his news.

Subject: AZ Republic Letter today

The Arizona Republic

OPINIONS.AZCENTRAL.COM

I’m an unabashed fan of Joe Biden. I prefer him to the alternative

In his column, Jon Gabriel writes that everybody hates Joe Biden.

I like Joe Biden. I approve of Joe Biden. I think it’s great that he has listened to public-health experts to combat the pandemic with widely available vaccines, PPE, tests, and medical support for hard hit regions of the country both red and blue.

I am very happy that my financial situation is very good, partly thanks to direct cash payments (even though my kids are too old for the child tax credit) and lower health insurance premiums for the family. I look forward to better infrastructure.

Most people seem to be unaware that under Joe Biden we have added more jobs in the first year than under any previous president. Unemployment is dropping fast; GDP growth is strong; household wages and savings are up and the stock market is having a great year.

Sometimes a booming economy causes inflation, but there a signs it is slowing. The bond market seems to think Joe’s work on supply chains, oil supplies and computer chips is effective, not anticipating long term inflation.

I look forward to his Build Back Better plan to help average Americans with expenses like child care, Pre-K, college costs (including student loans), prescription drug costs and energy efficiency for homes and cars.

So who besides Mr. Gabriel, doesn’t like President Biden? First there are those who still worship Donald Trump despite his COVID mismanagement causing nearly million deaths and wrecking the economy that Joe is working (not golfing or tweeting) to repair.

These Biden haters include millions of anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and urine consumers (to prevent/cure the COVID hoax), the Big Lie believers and Jan. 6 insurrectionist supporters (apparently including almost all Republican elected officials), the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the 3 Percenters and other upstanding citizens. Some liberal Democrats are disappointed that some aspects of the Biden agenda have stalled. So am I, but I’m looking on the glass as half full and remembering the alternative.

Not counted in the Gallup poll are foreign dictators like Putin, Orban, Erdogan, and MBS who definitely preferred the previous president.

Andrew March, Phoenix Sent from my iPad

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Enthralling attitude as usual, much needed in the Chicken Little country at the moment. What on earth is wrong with the press? Thank heavens for Jennifer Rubin. She gets my bid for a Pulitzer.

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Great analysis as usual, and happy news. Let's hope the dissolution of the GOP continues. Meanwhile, I have a friend who has consulted with high up Biden folks, and he tells me that they are quite aware of the trouble facing them, no thanks to the media, etc. They asked him what he thinks they should do. He told them to be straight-up honest and not paper over anything with happy talk; the public is too skeptical. I can't share more, but the good news is that they are listening.

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thank you, again, Robert, for challenging the doomsday media with intelligent facts and observations!!! I start my day with you.

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

"They not learn he media’s predilection for portraying Republicans as tactically brilliant is indicative of their preference for treating politics as a game. They denude their coverage of any qualitative judgment that would inform voters that the party’s “cleverness” is lying, plain and simple."

What I can not understand is why the main media (excluding Fox etc) undercut their very existence for profit? Does the media really sell more news by both-siderism and not calling a spade a spade? By doing so, they leave the door open for Authoritarian rule that could banish them to to the dustbin of history. Did they not learn anything from Trump's reign of terror?

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As Dr. King Jr. often said, “We have to keep our eyes on the prize.”

I am all for advocacy. But let us not mistake advocacy for activism. Let’s all get in the game and play to win not just compete!

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Just a nit: Charlie Baker is not running for re-election.

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

So young voters are swinging to the Democrats—although I think that has ever been the case. But what I really wanted to point out that I heard that someone said, “A child shall lead them.”

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thanks Robert-you brought the flashlight again! See you on the 29th for sure! Bill Leeds

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Republicans breed liars. Look at Gorsuch: First, unconstitutionally appointed to the bench and then writes a book about civility titled A Republic if You Can Keep It (original, huh). Simply malevolent.

https://abovethelaw.com/2022/01/neil-gorsuchs-call-for-civility-was-always-just-for-show/

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Jan 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Your critique of Youngkin might have added that Youngkin's haste to ban school mask mandates, etc., suggests that on his first days in office he may already be looking past his responsibilities as governor to start building a base for a run at the presidency. Poor Virginia.

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Music to my ears: Let’s you and him fight!

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Hi...always benefitting from your cogent and mostly calm way to relay the news that matters. I find that specific Twitter posters offer a great deal of help also. In particular, Michael Harriot. He posted a thread today about voter fraud/suppression, etc. Very well researched and reported, in my opinion. The most significant thing I took from the thread is that the changes to voter laws, in and of themselves are not necessarily the issue, it is the change, whatever it is that makes voters unsure, less confident. What a finesse by the republicans. His word, finesse.

Cheers,

Katherine

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Is this true? Could Dem Senators outlast the Rep Senators?https://twitter.com/SenWhitehouse/status/1483832678331912196?s=20

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