Wow, Robert. This edition nails the outrage we should feel towards Barr, Stepien and Company. Well expressed. And you wrap up with a call to action - which is why we love you. You lay out the harsh reality. Then you lead us to solutions. Kudos.
I'd like to add a possible silver lining to the impact of "Big Lie" campaigning. If I were a Democrat in a state with such an idiot running, it would motivate me to vote. Much in the way that so many of us were motivated (morally required) to vote against TFG (regardless of who his Democratic opponent was to be). Good, right?
Now if I am a Republican in such a state and the "Big Lie" candidate is convincing me that the system is filled with fraud ... perhaps I would just stay home because the "whole process is corrupt". You don't encourage participation by condemning the very system you need to get elected, do you? Could this be a perverse reverse karmic outcome?
Maybe all the above is just crazy optimistic rationalization. Or maybe the GQP will destroy itself. Hope springs eternal.
I've been writing with Tony and Postcards to Voters for awhile and must say, they make it super easy to write because they provide the template of speaking points for each candidate, so that all you need to do is copy exactly as written then send them off. They provide the addresses, and I address each one to "Valued Voter" - we buy the postage and the postcards. Postcards are also available from their online shop.
Every writer counts!! I do a few at a time until all the addresses are done then put them out to the mailbox.
I’m sorry but any candidate that campaigns endorsing the BIg Lie as the price of entry to get a Trump endorsement should not hold a public office because in essence they are supporting a person who tried to over throw the government, lied about it, allegedly committed several crimes including fraud and illegally raised campaign funds for a nonexistent PAC and personally profited from it. The price of the endorsement is their personal integrity and a promise of blind loyalty regardless of the illegality. Is this who we want legislating in Congress? Democratic challengers need to actively push these character flaws and the high risks they represent to all voters. Roe vs Wade is just the beginning of freedoms we could lose.
You do Bill Barr a disservice in simply describing him as, "the worst." Let's start with manipulative, underhanded, corrosive, two-faced, disingenuous, self-interested, Machiavellian, bull-shit artist. The only question is which circle in hell will the Almighty assign him to.
Robert, I agree with everything you say about Trump. but the big problem is that 70 million plus people believe him and are willing to accept whatever he says. We have to figure out some way to get them to understand that he along with seemingly most Republicans in office do nothing to help them. People are so reluctant to admit that they are wrong. It is so true that those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. One of the keys for getting people to vote is to provide car pools and other tools to get people to the polls Too many believe their vote is meaningless and need to be shown how their vote does matter. The Democrats need to show people how positions taken help everyone - by publicizing the bills passed by the House and not acted upon by the Senate and the Democrats need to keep passing that kind of legislation and announce these to the world over and over again. Stop letting the Republicans get away with the lies and half-truths. WE need to make sure people- especially the young- that the President can only do so much by himself -He needs Congress to pass legislation he can sign and the only way for that to happen is to elect those who will pass that legislation elected.
I'm not a lawyer nor do I have any education in the law, but in the real world that most of us live in, if we were to help in any way and/or turn a blind eye to a crime taking place, we would be accused of being an accessory to the crime. I believe it was you Robert who suggested there is no more serious crime than treason or maybe it was sedition, so these people are potentially guilty of being accessories to treason.
There's no question that an attempt was made to illegally overturn an election by numerous people beyond just Trump. Anyone and everyone with knowledge of what was happening must have understood they were potentially liable. For the previous Attorney General of the United States to profess any innocence is outrageous! If anything, he should be held to a higher level of accountability as the chief law officer of the country.
BTW, in many ways, Clarence Thomas like Barr is an accessory to the crime of sedition. Thomas is guilty of, at the very least, direct knowledge of an attempt to change the outcome of an election in order to overthrow the government.
At the speed this investigation is proceeding and assuming that it continues to proceed, it will be decades before those who are responsible are brought to justice. Of course, these traitors know this and they act like they know this. They have no fear of the criminal justice system because they don't respect the Rule of Law. Fundamentally, they are guilty of disavowing their oath of office!
Whether any of these people face justice matters less than the lasting damage they have done to the United States of America. Most people have lost all respect for the government and specifically those in charge of governing. Every crime becomes another form of injustice to somebody when the Rule of Law is no longer enforced.
A word in support of the effectiveness of volunteering to register student voters. In 2008 the San Diego County Democratic Party sponsored a GOTV drive on college campuses. We volunteers set up a table on campuses and approached students during class changes and lunch breaks. We were armed with accurate rules and information about the quirks of voting as a student- ie students’ permanent residences are frequently in different counties or states than their universities. It was efficient and rewarding as each of us could register as many as 60 students a day. We completed registrations for all Parties as required by law, but the vast majority of students signed up as Democrats or “declined to state” .
Yes! “Disgraced former T___p adviser,” every time. I always refer to one of the senators from Florida as, “Admitted thief Rick Scott,” so that fits right in.
I'd be curious to hear from any readers who actually went to school/college with Hawley and Cruz. Were they always craven and callous? Is their appalling ethics part of their DNA?
The Post article is looking largely at deeply red states, or deeply red districts. It generalizes for the reader where focus is called for. Forget the deadwood. Democrats need to see the forests of blue and purple out there.
McConnell has an evil genius's animal instinct for which way the political winds blow. He senses that the public wants action. The question is, how little can he get away with; his historical options always include doing nothing at the last minute. However, he risks Cornyn's wrath and that of the other nine GOP Senators if he backs out now.
Thanks for your take-down of Bill Barr. It sickens me to watch his smug face and listen to his self-righteous tone during his testimony before the January 6 committee: "Who me? I would never do anything to subvert our democracy . . . " Except mischaracterize the Mueller report, talk publicly about ongoing Justice Department investigations, appoint special prosecutors to investigate bogus claims, etc. etc. I hope his prior misdeeds are not forgotten or forgiven during his brief and self-serving lapse of immorality during the January 6 committee hearings.
Reclaim our Vote also writes personal notes and postcards that include the County Registrar's Office where the individual lives. The Unitarian Universalists (UU) do personal postcards via "UU the Vote." UU churches partner with The League of Women Voters to staff card tables at street fairs and produce markets and on public spaces across the streets from high schools (can't be on school grounds) to register high schoolers. There are so many ways to help with grassroots activities--which feels ever so much better than watching helplessly.
I salute the folks who are working to get young voters registered! But there are two more steps that keep them - and many other voters - from following through to casting their voters, and we all need to help. One, the ballot process can be confusing and intimidating. Think about the size and double Senate race primary ballot in California. We need to help people understand the "how" without making them feel stupid. Second, I'd wager MOST people don't know a lot about the candidates or issues, despite the pounds of junk mail in their boxes. We need to highlight credible Voter Guides (public radio, CalMatters and other non-partisan organizations), newspaper endorsements, local bar association evaluations, that bring useful information together in one place. My late husband and I used to host pizza parties with our friends to talk through the ballot together. We'd each bring info that we found useful. That helped us demystify the process and feel more confident in our choices.
Wow, Robert. This edition nails the outrage we should feel towards Barr, Stepien and Company. Well expressed. And you wrap up with a call to action - which is why we love you. You lay out the harsh reality. Then you lead us to solutions. Kudos.
I'd like to add a possible silver lining to the impact of "Big Lie" campaigning. If I were a Democrat in a state with such an idiot running, it would motivate me to vote. Much in the way that so many of us were motivated (morally required) to vote against TFG (regardless of who his Democratic opponent was to be). Good, right?
Now if I am a Republican in such a state and the "Big Lie" candidate is convincing me that the system is filled with fraud ... perhaps I would just stay home because the "whole process is corrupt". You don't encourage participation by condemning the very system you need to get elected, do you? Could this be a perverse reverse karmic outcome?
Maybe all the above is just crazy optimistic rationalization. Or maybe the GQP will destroy itself. Hope springs eternal.
I've been writing with Tony and Postcards to Voters for awhile and must say, they make it super easy to write because they provide the template of speaking points for each candidate, so that all you need to do is copy exactly as written then send them off. They provide the addresses, and I address each one to "Valued Voter" - we buy the postage and the postcards. Postcards are also available from their online shop.
Every writer counts!! I do a few at a time until all the addresses are done then put them out to the mailbox.
Me too! I have also written for an AZ Native Democrats group, which is doubly inspiring.
Excellent!
It's the best! It's super rewarding whenever your candidate wins. :-)
I’m sorry but any candidate that campaigns endorsing the BIg Lie as the price of entry to get a Trump endorsement should not hold a public office because in essence they are supporting a person who tried to over throw the government, lied about it, allegedly committed several crimes including fraud and illegally raised campaign funds for a nonexistent PAC and personally profited from it. The price of the endorsement is their personal integrity and a promise of blind loyalty regardless of the illegality. Is this who we want legislating in Congress? Democratic challengers need to actively push these character flaws and the high risks they represent to all voters. Roe vs Wade is just the beginning of freedoms we could lose.
You do Bill Barr a disservice in simply describing him as, "the worst." Let's start with manipulative, underhanded, corrosive, two-faced, disingenuous, self-interested, Machiavellian, bull-shit artist. The only question is which circle in hell will the Almighty assign him to.
(;<{)
Robert, I agree with everything you say about Trump. but the big problem is that 70 million plus people believe him and are willing to accept whatever he says. We have to figure out some way to get them to understand that he along with seemingly most Republicans in office do nothing to help them. People are so reluctant to admit that they are wrong. It is so true that those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. One of the keys for getting people to vote is to provide car pools and other tools to get people to the polls Too many believe their vote is meaningless and need to be shown how their vote does matter. The Democrats need to show people how positions taken help everyone - by publicizing the bills passed by the House and not acted upon by the Senate and the Democrats need to keep passing that kind of legislation and announce these to the world over and over again. Stop letting the Republicans get away with the lies and half-truths. WE need to make sure people- especially the young- that the President can only do so much by himself -He needs Congress to pass legislation he can sign and the only way for that to happen is to elect those who will pass that legislation elected.
I'm not a lawyer nor do I have any education in the law, but in the real world that most of us live in, if we were to help in any way and/or turn a blind eye to a crime taking place, we would be accused of being an accessory to the crime. I believe it was you Robert who suggested there is no more serious crime than treason or maybe it was sedition, so these people are potentially guilty of being accessories to treason.
There's no question that an attempt was made to illegally overturn an election by numerous people beyond just Trump. Anyone and everyone with knowledge of what was happening must have understood they were potentially liable. For the previous Attorney General of the United States to profess any innocence is outrageous! If anything, he should be held to a higher level of accountability as the chief law officer of the country.
BTW, in many ways, Clarence Thomas like Barr is an accessory to the crime of sedition. Thomas is guilty of, at the very least, direct knowledge of an attempt to change the outcome of an election in order to overthrow the government.
At the speed this investigation is proceeding and assuming that it continues to proceed, it will be decades before those who are responsible are brought to justice. Of course, these traitors know this and they act like they know this. They have no fear of the criminal justice system because they don't respect the Rule of Law. Fundamentally, they are guilty of disavowing their oath of office!
Whether any of these people face justice matters less than the lasting damage they have done to the United States of America. Most people have lost all respect for the government and specifically those in charge of governing. Every crime becomes another form of injustice to somebody when the Rule of Law is no longer enforced.
A word in support of the effectiveness of volunteering to register student voters. In 2008 the San Diego County Democratic Party sponsored a GOTV drive on college campuses. We volunteers set up a table on campuses and approached students during class changes and lunch breaks. We were armed with accurate rules and information about the quirks of voting as a student- ie students’ permanent residences are frequently in different counties or states than their universities. It was efficient and rewarding as each of us could register as many as 60 students a day. We completed registrations for all Parties as required by law, but the vast majority of students signed up as Democrats or “declined to state” .
Yes! “Disgraced former T___p adviser,” every time. I always refer to one of the senators from Florida as, “Admitted thief Rick Scott,” so that fits right in.
I'd be curious to hear from any readers who actually went to school/college with Hawley and Cruz. Were they always craven and callous? Is their appalling ethics part of their DNA?
The Post article is looking largely at deeply red states, or deeply red districts. It generalizes for the reader where focus is called for. Forget the deadwood. Democrats need to see the forests of blue and purple out there.
McConnell has an evil genius's animal instinct for which way the political winds blow. He senses that the public wants action. The question is, how little can he get away with; his historical options always include doing nothing at the last minute. However, he risks Cornyn's wrath and that of the other nine GOP Senators if he backs out now.
“Cornyn’s wrath.” As a Texan, I have never seen it unless directed toward Dems. The crumbs are only what Mitch approved.
Thanks for your take-down of Bill Barr. It sickens me to watch his smug face and listen to his self-righteous tone during his testimony before the January 6 committee: "Who me? I would never do anything to subvert our democracy . . . " Except mischaracterize the Mueller report, talk publicly about ongoing Justice Department investigations, appoint special prosecutors to investigate bogus claims, etc. etc. I hope his prior misdeeds are not forgotten or forgiven during his brief and self-serving lapse of immorality during the January 6 committee hearings.
Applaud using “disgraced former Trump adviser”,
and The Civics Center positive step.
Reclaim our Vote also writes personal notes and postcards that include the County Registrar's Office where the individual lives. The Unitarian Universalists (UU) do personal postcards via "UU the Vote." UU churches partner with The League of Women Voters to staff card tables at street fairs and produce markets and on public spaces across the streets from high schools (can't be on school grounds) to register high schoolers. There are so many ways to help with grassroots activities--which feels ever so much better than watching helplessly.
I salute the folks who are working to get young voters registered! But there are two more steps that keep them - and many other voters - from following through to casting their voters, and we all need to help. One, the ballot process can be confusing and intimidating. Think about the size and double Senate race primary ballot in California. We need to help people understand the "how" without making them feel stupid. Second, I'd wager MOST people don't know a lot about the candidates or issues, despite the pounds of junk mail in their boxes. We need to highlight credible Voter Guides (public radio, CalMatters and other non-partisan organizations), newspaper endorsements, local bar association evaluations, that bring useful information together in one place. My late husband and I used to host pizza parties with our friends to talk through the ballot together. We'd each bring info that we found useful. That helped us demystify the process and feel more confident in our choices.
Robert, thanks as always, for your encouragement and for recommending ways to take action!
I have been a postcard writer on my own, but I am now inspired to organize neighborhood postcard writing events!