Kaitie Hobbs was elected governor of Arizona last year by 17,117 votes (one of them mine). Kristin Mayes was elected attorney general of Arizona last year by 280 votes (one of them mine). I'm not unhappy to have missed the heat wave this summer during my rather long visit to my sister in Chicago, but I'll be back in Arizona next summer, no matter the temperature, because I'm determined to vote in a swing state. And I'll be voting to send Ruben Gallego to the U.S. Senate, and to keep Joe Biden in the White House!
Thank you! Also, there's a postcard campaign to support Ruben Gallego going on right now at ActivateAmerica.vote As we know, Democracy isn't going to save itself. :-D Besides, it's excellent therapy. I wrote postcards for Judge Janet in WI and for OH Vote NO and I feel much better!
Thank you, fellow Arizonan Clifford! Yes, we need to get Sinema out and Gallego in, keep Biden in, and flip the state legislature (Rs have only a 1 member majority in both chambers). Let's git'r'done!
I am so happy about the results in Ohio. I am also very glad that I was part of that effort by writing letters with Vote Forward. It is a wonderful feeling to know that something you did along with many others made a difference. And I greatly appreciate your recognition of individual efforts toward a desired outcome.
Thanks for your efforts! There are postcard campaigns going on all the time. Right now, there are several campaigns at ActivateAmerica.vote and also Postcards4VA.com. :-D There will soon be a new campaign posted at postcardstovoters.org
Just a thought on the potential incarceration of Trump if he is found guilty of his crimes.
The Secret Service has opined that it could be very hard to provide real security if Trump were in a prison somewhere. Well, I have an idea that might simplify things. He should be made to live in a 2 bedroom ranch house in the middle of nowhere and have no access to the internet with a TV that only gets MSNBC and CNN. The Secret Service could be given a house next door and one could be with him 24/7. Simply not hearing anything from him on social media would be a calming balm for most of us, and a real punishment for him.
I was thinking that a more Gitmo sort of experience would be fitting. Also, there are islands in the world that are unclaimed. I think that we should buy one and build a prison on it. How about North East Caye (after all we don't want to punish the secret service people watching him.)? He can have his own private prison on a Belize island that is unclaimed.
Or how about Ailsa Craig? Might be a bit far for secret service to have time off.
I agree no social media and no internet connection right away, would probably be good for him. It would probably be good for all of us. Marie Byrd Land might be a bit hard to reach. Still, it could be interesting for him to live like his Russian buddies in the cold. I am sure Putin will send him nice warm clothing. However, I have been suggesting ankle bracelet monitor and his NYC home. However, looking into his homes I ran across this article. Wondering whether he should be incarcerated in a home, with an ankle bracelet, and no internet.
Turnout is indeed king! Yet surprisingly it typically doesn't get nearly as much attention from campaigns as "persuading" the very small pool of true swing voters. Doing turnout well is not just a matter of pouring on outreach in the last few weeks of a campaign. Rather it calls for sustained effort through multiple means of outreach e.g. mail, digital, texting, and canvassing. And sadly, supportive lower propensity voters are often ignored, though they can be surprisingly amenable to turnout with clear and forceful messaging.
Everyone should note James' comment: "Turnout is indeed king! Yet surprisingly it typically doesn't get nearly as much attention from campaigns as "persuading" the very small pool of true swing voters." He said in two sentences what I tried to say in today's edition.
Excellent analysis and the spot on message. Just as they say in real estate “location, location, location “ today it’s “the vote, the vote, the vote”! Thank you Robert!
After the polls closed last night, I attended a zoom meeting that was headed by David Pepper. What is also really important about Ohio’s vote is how much it will be built upon. As we know, the November vote is to enshrine reproductive rights into the Ohio Constitution. What is also planned is to try to get a referendum on the ballot for fair districts, as Ohio is heavily gerrymandered.
It is good news for the Dems in Ohio who have struggled. They have a smart strategic long game.
According to commentary, the results mirrored the results from 2018, when Sherrod Brown won his reelection demonstrating that his winning coalition still lives. It also demonstrated who and where his voters are- just like November will. That is good news for 2024 when Republicans will certainly be pushing a national abortion ban.
Robert, you are so right- work on what we can do. There is a lot that we can do with our keyboards, phones and pens no matter where we are. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the absolute ugliness of every single day. Paying attention to the play by play in court proceedings and national polls isn’t a good use of our time and none of it is predictive of 2024. And quite frankly, none of it is good for body and souls. As I sit here in Vermont, text banking with fellow keyboard warriors all over the country or writing postcards, I don’t feel so alone in this.
Thank you, Theressa, for your strong and steadfast leadership and efforts to preserve our freedom. Nothing less is on the line in 2024. We must understand the gravity of what is at stake next year and act accordingly. My personal plan is to start my engines in July (beginning of calendar third quarter) to get out the vote in November — 4 months of intense personal campaigning. Holding our fire until it really starts to matter is crucial for both us (reduce burnout) and our targets (avoid “noise” disaffection). This is classic marketing strategy. Timing is everything!
You all inspire me! I wanted to remind everyone that we can write postcards to voters all year because there are important elections all year. You can write postcards "write" now for several excellent candidates at: ActivateAmerica.vote and Postcards4VA.com. There will soon be a new postcard campaign at PostcardstoVoters.org I wrote for Judge Janet and for OH Vote NO and it was exhilarating to have contributed to those monumental victories.
Ohio results great news. Writing postcards (we eid this) phonebanking, etc essential. Need to return Sherrod to DC!!!! Like "keyboard warriors"---we are warriors in a proud cause that must not fail!!!!
Thank you, Ohio Voters! Now... on to November! Just for fun, can you imagine for a minute how much better the world would be if Gym Jordan wasn't returned to the 4th District? No more forever investigations of whatever: Hilary, Hunter, Benghazi, weaponization of this that or the other thing? He's the king of irony - the greatest weaponizer of government in the House.
Yes, getting out the Democratic voters is crucial in 2024. Doesn’t that mean we have to attack gerrymandering? We must stop this “legal” corruption that is robbing us of these votes.
The only way to correct Jerrymandering is to get voters to the polls and replace Republicans with Democrats in State Legislatures. SCOTUS has repeatedly ruled that this is a state, not Federal issue.
A note about Ohio that Robert did not mention. Last year, there was a referendum in August, and so few voters turned out that future August votes were prohibited. Except for the one yesterday. Even for Republicans, even Ohio Republicans, that sets a new standard for duplicity and cynicism. And they got their just desserts.
Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to defeat Ohio's Issue 1, and a huge thank you to the voters of Ohio who soundly rejected the Republican party's naked play to cheat the majority of Ohioans who believe that reproductive choices are not to be dictated.
To the rest of the country, let this serve as testimony of not only what is possible, but what we must achieve across the land. The only votes that don't count are the ones that are not cast, and the ones that are cast can send an unmistakable message.
Thanks for highlighting that, Beth. It's a message intended to address one of the most frequently used reasons eligible voters have for not voting: "My vote won't make a difference." Yes, it does, as Ohio showed. We need a massive BLUE WAVE to wash away the toxic RED TIDE, and turnout is needed to power that wave.
The "No" vote resoundingly won in Cuyahoga county by 76%-24%.
Terrifyingly for the GOP, Trump won in Cuyahoga with a margin of +60%
We are seeing the power of Democrats energy level for rejecting, not just protections for women's health and their rights to choice but much of the GOP's policy agenda and strategy for minority rule..✌️
Even devoted Republicans can't abide much of the extreme MAGA agenda which is why DeSantis, a worse fascist than TFG, has dropped like a stone in the polls and his record as governor is just coming home to roost.
Democrats need to quickly get past their obsession with Biden's age.. he's a healthy male with an avg life expectancy of 89.
President Eisenhower won reelection in 1956 (with a 61% majority) at the age of 66 which was the average age of male life expectacy at that time.
Let's get Joe to his second term so we can complete so much of our democratic agenda by 2028..
Robert's point in today's letter is the key point..Turnout! Turnout! Turnout!
A note on “life expectancy”. I believe that, usually quoted, life expectancy is calculated *from birth*, which includes childhood and teenage deaths. If, in Eisenhower’s case, life expectancy had been calculated *for people who reach age 60 (or 65)* – the relevant life expectancy – a higher number would result.
I tried to find the data for life expectancy for age 65 in 1956 but couldn't. If you know where that might be, I'll check it out and correct my statement. In any case, Eisenhower, I think, linked to 79.
Aug 9, 2023·edited Aug 9, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
I want to thank-you, Robert, for your insightful coverage of Ohio's battle to get Issue One defeated. I do believe that you and many other grassroots supporters helped us immensely to encourage people to get out to vote. I am an election official in a very conservative county in Ohio and from what I saw personally yesterday at my polling place was that the "Yays" were far outnumbering the "Nays". Imagine my complete surprise and delight when I got home and saw the astounding results statewide. Democrats, Independents and all democracy loving people have to turn each red state in America to an "Ohio"! We can do this in 2024 and we have the voting numbers to prove it!
Although Florida requires 60%, we are going to win this one. 890,000+ to get on the ballot in 2024 with almost half a million collected so far. Abortion opponents have their own amendment to black abortion with only 16,000 signatures collected.
Thank you again for linking to primary sources that support your factual claims and analysis. Also, of course the Ohio voters deserve the credit you attribute to them. Even the Yes supporters deserve credit for inspiring and invigorating the No voters to organize and effectively motivate themselves and neighbors to get to the polls and vote as they did.
Much ado everywhere over NOHIO votes, Republican antics, the J6 and Documents indictments. Yet nowhere but here can you see firsthand what it's like at Paradise Cove with the Hubbells! Thanks very much to Jill for her Beach BDay presentation. I think my blood pressure went down considerably after being treated to the sound of the ocean waves from her video...
Kaitie Hobbs was elected governor of Arizona last year by 17,117 votes (one of them mine). Kristin Mayes was elected attorney general of Arizona last year by 280 votes (one of them mine). I'm not unhappy to have missed the heat wave this summer during my rather long visit to my sister in Chicago, but I'll be back in Arizona next summer, no matter the temperature, because I'm determined to vote in a swing state. And I'll be voting to send Ruben Gallego to the U.S. Senate, and to keep Joe Biden in the White House!
You rock, Clifford! Enjoy your sojourn in wonderful Chicago. There’s so much to do there and the summer weather is marvelous by the Lake.
Thank you! Also, there's a postcard campaign to support Ruben Gallego going on right now at ActivateAmerica.vote As we know, Democracy isn't going to save itself. :-D Besides, it's excellent therapy. I wrote postcards for Judge Janet in WI and for OH Vote NO and I feel much better!
Thank you, fellow Arizonan Clifford! Yes, we need to get Sinema out and Gallego in, keep Biden in, and flip the state legislature (Rs have only a 1 member majority in both chambers). Let's git'r'done!
I am so happy about the results in Ohio. I am also very glad that I was part of that effort by writing letters with Vote Forward. It is a wonderful feeling to know that something you did along with many others made a difference. And I greatly appreciate your recognition of individual efforts toward a desired outcome.
Thanks for your efforts! There are postcard campaigns going on all the time. Right now, there are several campaigns at ActivateAmerica.vote and also Postcards4VA.com. :-D There will soon be a new campaign posted at postcardstovoters.org
Thank-you!!!
Just a thought on the potential incarceration of Trump if he is found guilty of his crimes.
The Secret Service has opined that it could be very hard to provide real security if Trump were in a prison somewhere. Well, I have an idea that might simplify things. He should be made to live in a 2 bedroom ranch house in the middle of nowhere and have no access to the internet with a TV that only gets MSNBC and CNN. The Secret Service could be given a house next door and one could be with him 24/7. Simply not hearing anything from him on social media would be a calming balm for most of us, and a real punishment for him.
Or in a halfway house for prisoners transitioning back into the world after incarceration. It would be eye opening for Trump.
... or maybe he could spend the rest of his life in Mar-a-Guantanamo? 😁
I had suggested a tiny island in the Aleutians a while back. But I’ll settle for any locale that makes him utterly miserable.
"ranch house in the middle of nowhere" without indoor plumbing
Ranch house in the middle of nowhere with no hair products. That should do it!
or ketchup
I was thinking that a more Gitmo sort of experience would be fitting. Also, there are islands in the world that are unclaimed. I think that we should buy one and build a prison on it. How about North East Caye (after all we don't want to punish the secret service people watching him.)? He can have his own private prison on a Belize island that is unclaimed.
https://traveltriangle.com/blog/unclaimed-islands/#:~:text=Yes%2C%20there%20are%20many%20unclaimed,are%20mostly%20declared%20national%20monuments.
Or how about Ailsa Craig? Might be a bit far for secret service to have time off.
I agree no social media and no internet connection right away, would probably be good for him. It would probably be good for all of us. Marie Byrd Land might be a bit hard to reach. Still, it could be interesting for him to live like his Russian buddies in the cold. I am sure Putin will send him nice warm clothing. However, I have been suggesting ankle bracelet monitor and his NYC home. However, looking into his homes I ran across this article. Wondering whether he should be incarcerated in a home, with an ankle bracelet, and no internet.
https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-personal-real-estate-portfolio-new-york-palm-beach-st-martin#trump-primarily-uses-the-estate-which-is-worth-13-million-as-a-rental-property-10
I could see using one of his properties and housing not only Trump but his secret service contingent there as well.
Turnout is indeed king! Yet surprisingly it typically doesn't get nearly as much attention from campaigns as "persuading" the very small pool of true swing voters. Doing turnout well is not just a matter of pouring on outreach in the last few weeks of a campaign. Rather it calls for sustained effort through multiple means of outreach e.g. mail, digital, texting, and canvassing. And sadly, supportive lower propensity voters are often ignored, though they can be surprisingly amenable to turnout with clear and forceful messaging.
Everyone should note James' comment: "Turnout is indeed king! Yet surprisingly it typically doesn't get nearly as much attention from campaigns as "persuading" the very small pool of true swing voters." He said in two sentences what I tried to say in today's edition.
Excellent analysis and the spot on message. Just as they say in real estate “location, location, location “ today it’s “the vote, the vote, the vote”! Thank you Robert!
After the polls closed last night, I attended a zoom meeting that was headed by David Pepper. What is also really important about Ohio’s vote is how much it will be built upon. As we know, the November vote is to enshrine reproductive rights into the Ohio Constitution. What is also planned is to try to get a referendum on the ballot for fair districts, as Ohio is heavily gerrymandered.
It is good news for the Dems in Ohio who have struggled. They have a smart strategic long game.
According to commentary, the results mirrored the results from 2018, when Sherrod Brown won his reelection demonstrating that his winning coalition still lives. It also demonstrated who and where his voters are- just like November will. That is good news for 2024 when Republicans will certainly be pushing a national abortion ban.
Robert, you are so right- work on what we can do. There is a lot that we can do with our keyboards, phones and pens no matter where we are. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the absolute ugliness of every single day. Paying attention to the play by play in court proceedings and national polls isn’t a good use of our time and none of it is predictive of 2024. And quite frankly, none of it is good for body and souls. As I sit here in Vermont, text banking with fellow keyboard warriors all over the country or writing postcards, I don’t feel so alone in this.
Onward to November!
Thank you, Theressa, for your strong and steadfast leadership and efforts to preserve our freedom. Nothing less is on the line in 2024. We must understand the gravity of what is at stake next year and act accordingly. My personal plan is to start my engines in July (beginning of calendar third quarter) to get out the vote in November — 4 months of intense personal campaigning. Holding our fire until it really starts to matter is crucial for both us (reduce burnout) and our targets (avoid “noise” disaffection). This is classic marketing strategy. Timing is everything!
You all inspire me! I wanted to remind everyone that we can write postcards to voters all year because there are important elections all year. You can write postcards "write" now for several excellent candidates at: ActivateAmerica.vote and Postcards4VA.com. There will soon be a new postcard campaign at PostcardstoVoters.org I wrote for Judge Janet and for OH Vote NO and it was exhilarating to have contributed to those monumental victories.
Yes, you are right! I was focusing on the national election. But democracy happens every day, too!
Me too Barbara. And it feels good to be one of many!
Sheila, thanks for your comment. I am now later, I’m just one of the many foot soldiers and happy to be one of them!!!’
thanks, Theressa, for all you do! and you are not alone!
Ohio results great news. Writing postcards (we eid this) phonebanking, etc essential. Need to return Sherrod to DC!!!! Like "keyboard warriors"---we are warriors in a proud cause that must not fail!!!!
Thank you, Ohio Voters! Now... on to November! Just for fun, can you imagine for a minute how much better the world would be if Gym Jordan wasn't returned to the 4th District? No more forever investigations of whatever: Hilary, Hunter, Benghazi, weaponization of this that or the other thing? He's the king of irony - the greatest weaponizer of government in the House.
and no more of his yelling!
That too. He is beyond rude
Yes, getting out the Democratic voters is crucial in 2024. Doesn’t that mean we have to attack gerrymandering? We must stop this “legal” corruption that is robbing us of these votes.
The only way to correct Jerrymandering is to get voters to the polls and replace Republicans with Democrats in State Legislatures. SCOTUS has repeatedly ruled that this is a state, not Federal issue.
A note about Ohio that Robert did not mention. Last year, there was a referendum in August, and so few voters turned out that future August votes were prohibited. Except for the one yesterday. Even for Republicans, even Ohio Republicans, that sets a new standard for duplicity and cynicism. And they got their just desserts.
Shades of Mitch McConnell and his Supreme Court machinations. So glad these Republican “dirty tricks” are beginning to backfire. VOTE.
And that is part of what makes this victory so sweet!
Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to defeat Ohio's Issue 1, and a huge thank you to the voters of Ohio who soundly rejected the Republican party's naked play to cheat the majority of Ohioans who believe that reproductive choices are not to be dictated.
To the rest of the country, let this serve as testimony of not only what is possible, but what we must achieve across the land. The only votes that don't count are the ones that are not cast, and the ones that are cast can send an unmistakable message.
➡️➡️ "The only votes that don't count are the ones that are not cast..." ⬅️⬅️
Thanks for highlighting that, Beth. It's a message intended to address one of the most frequently used reasons eligible voters have for not voting: "My vote won't make a difference." Yes, it does, as Ohio showed. We need a massive BLUE WAVE to wash away the toxic RED TIDE, and turnout is needed to power that wave.
Yeah, I'm always trying to think of various ways to respond to "why bother" and this line is a great one to add to our collective arsenal.
Please share it. I've also said something like, "If you don't vote because you think your vote won't matter, you can be sure of it."
✅
The "No" vote resoundingly won in Cuyahoga county by 76%-24%.
Terrifyingly for the GOP, Trump won in Cuyahoga with a margin of +60%
We are seeing the power of Democrats energy level for rejecting, not just protections for women's health and their rights to choice but much of the GOP's policy agenda and strategy for minority rule..✌️
Even devoted Republicans can't abide much of the extreme MAGA agenda which is why DeSantis, a worse fascist than TFG, has dropped like a stone in the polls and his record as governor is just coming home to roost.
Democrats need to quickly get past their obsession with Biden's age.. he's a healthy male with an avg life expectancy of 89.
President Eisenhower won reelection in 1956 (with a 61% majority) at the age of 66 which was the average age of male life expectacy at that time.
Let's get Joe to his second term so we can complete so much of our democratic agenda by 2028..
Robert's point in today's letter is the key point..Turnout! Turnout! Turnout!
A note on “life expectancy”. I believe that, usually quoted, life expectancy is calculated *from birth*, which includes childhood and teenage deaths. If, in Eisenhower’s case, life expectancy had been calculated *for people who reach age 60 (or 65)* – the relevant life expectancy – a higher number would result.
Thanks Michael
You are correct
I tried to find the data for life expectancy for age 65 in 1956 but couldn't. If you know where that might be, I'll check it out and correct my statement. In any case, Eisenhower, I think, linked to 79.
I want to thank-you, Robert, for your insightful coverage of Ohio's battle to get Issue One defeated. I do believe that you and many other grassroots supporters helped us immensely to encourage people to get out to vote. I am an election official in a very conservative county in Ohio and from what I saw personally yesterday at my polling place was that the "Yays" were far outnumbering the "Nays". Imagine my complete surprise and delight when I got home and saw the astounding results statewide. Democrats, Independents and all democracy loving people have to turn each red state in America to an "Ohio"! We can do this in 2024 and we have the voting numbers to prove it!
Thanks for being an election official! We need more volunteers like you!
You are very welcome.
Yoo-hoo for Ohio !! 🎉🥳
Although Florida requires 60%, we are going to win this one. 890,000+ to get on the ballot in 2024 with almost half a million collected so far. Abortion opponents have their own amendment to black abortion with only 16,000 signatures collected.
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/04/1191746133/abortion-access-florida-voters-constitutional-amendment-ballot-initiative
Thanks for the link!
Thank you again for linking to primary sources that support your factual claims and analysis. Also, of course the Ohio voters deserve the credit you attribute to them. Even the Yes supporters deserve credit for inspiring and invigorating the No voters to organize and effectively motivate themselves and neighbors to get to the polls and vote as they did.
Much ado everywhere over NOHIO votes, Republican antics, the J6 and Documents indictments. Yet nowhere but here can you see firsthand what it's like at Paradise Cove with the Hubbells! Thanks very much to Jill for her Beach BDay presentation. I think my blood pressure went down considerably after being treated to the sound of the ocean waves from her video...
Love NOHIO!
Soooo agree … I want to jump in my car and head to sunny California 💗
Ohio is a great indicator of why Democrats are heading into a big landslide win in 2024 and not just in the presidential race but in Congress as well.
Just check out results in Cuyahoga county.