Hi, everyone. Passions and frustrations are running high. But please, no suggestions of violence, even if those suggestions are made in the course of legal arguments. We cannot normalize the notion that the president can assassinate an opponent. That would be wrong, and we would live to regret it if Trump is elected. Let's stop suggesting that it is something Biden can do. We need to honor the Constitution as written, not as it was violated yesterday by the Court.
I buried the lead: If you suggest violence, I will delete your comment.
Seriously no violent comments people... Even the hypothetical calls of violence are being grabbed by right wing pundits and bad faith actors are are running with it. It doesn't matter that they are hypocritical and Trump has literally called for violence multiple times.
Hi Robert, I hate that the trolls seem to have found you! if it gets burdensome please go back to limiting comments to paid subscribers. (Of course, I am saying this as a paid subscriber ;-)
It also might be helpful to pin a brief comment about how to report an inappropriate comment so that we can help with the policing - especially when you open up the comments to everyone. It took me the longest time to figure out the ellipsis allows you to edit (or delete) your own comment and report someone else's comment. :-)
I really enjoyed the Zoom meeting this afternoon and I hope you do it again on a regular or semi-regular basis.
This is not intended in any way as a criticism, but I suggest if you do it again, that you set the meeting up to mute people on entry since an awful lot of people are either oblivious when you ask them to mute themselves or unaware of how to do so. The host (and or co-host) can also pull up the participant list and mute anyone who unmutes themselves without raising their hand and getting called upon.
Thank you for the heartening words, RH. We are not vanquished, but it it is time for us to step up for democracy. As to the calls for taking up the ugly violence that defines the party of T, though it is tempting to indulge in fantasies of revenge, they never end well and should not be put in writing. Thank you for keeping it clean.
Many Democrats’ and pundits’ knives have been out for Biden almost from the day he took the oath of office as President. Many simply haven’t liked him. Many people acted as though they thought themselves more qualified; others pushed their programs from his left or right, seeming (to me) that pushing their agendas was more important than letting, let alone helping, Biden succeed. Until, that is, when Biden was finally getting traction with his remarkably successful legislative programs.
A similar observation holds for the pundit class. I’m inclined to discount the idea that their opposition to Biden is intended to generate clicks, unless stoking clicks is a vehicle for further inflating their egos.
Therefore, I’m skeptical about people in the public sphere who are pronouncing the death of Biden’s Presidency and candidacy.
Biden’s debate performance was genuinely dismal, and he looked bad. But I hesitate, on just that basis, to close the political coffin that people have been preparing for him. I don’t have the medical understanding to pronounce/speculate knowledgeably about Biden’s condition, and, as far as I know, no one making public or on-line pronouncements does, either.
None of Biden’s potential replacements (Gov. Gavin Newsom possibly excepted) has been truly tested on a national stage. Looking for a “fresh face” sounds appealing, but it’s ultimately shallow.
I vividly remember the disastrous 1968 election campaign, and absolutely do not want 2024 to look anything like 1968.
For now, I am crossing my fingers, am awaiting *hard* information or developments, and am hoping for the best (whatever that is).
Robert, while many are focusing on the Supreme Court, I am worried about the press vs. Biden. I’m seeing article after article about figures in the media telling Biden to step aside. Their campaign reminds me so much of “but her emails!” Are we going to have to organize to push back against the press and their desire to split Democrats?
Hey Laurie, I didn't see that but I'm not surprised. Furthermore, I can't bear to listen to NPR anymore. Every single story is tainted with negativity about President Biden. I cannot for the life of me understand how they can do that. 😮💨 Don't they know Trump will come after them, no matter what they say right now?
I fear Biden cannot be the one to bring this fight to Trump, nor can he be the one to inspire hope and confidence that he is capable and strong enough to win.
I'm 83 yrs old. I've been through a heap of unrest in this country going back to Jos. McCarthy. We as a proud people of these United States must not allow the recent events of SCOTUS to beat us down. We can recover and we can restore our democracy but only in the ballot booth. There is no white knight for us. Everyone cool down and tell everyone you meet to VOTE BLUE.
Let’s not forget, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT. Whatever SCOTUS made legal are in his purview NOW. Democrats need to act. There are rights to restore and threats to stop. President Biden can do whatever is within his Executive Power. Everyone is taking the position that only Trump or a Republican president will be the beneficiary of this new ruling. That's insane.
Let’s not forget, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT. Whatever SCOTUS made legal are in his purview NOW. Democrats need to act. There are rights to restore and threats to stop. President Biden can do whatever is within his Executive Power. Everyone is taking the position that only Trump or a Republican president will be the beneficiary of this new ruling. That's insane.
Thank you and Jill for hosting the Zoom today. I found it informative, and mostly helpful. I support what the two of you are doing! I support Joe Biden, and I am dedicated to fighting for him!! I am open to more Zooms if you and Jill are up for them!!
The level of anxiety at today’s zoom call was remarkable. I’ve been to the Indivisible national team meeting yesterday and it was helpful to hear from each other that what we’re doing, no matter the outcome, is the same. We’re protecting our democracy and we’re gonna be doing everything we can to do that.
i’d also like to suggest when suffering is really at a high-level, it’s really helpful to have a way to practice with it. I’ve been doing a lot of Tonglen practice. Acknowledging and actually breathing in the discomfort and breathing out relief to all beings, includes myself. We really need to keep clear sighted and clearheaded as well as United.
Here’s what I said to the growing community of volunteers at our weekly postcard event in Seattle:
Three things:
First, the news has been devastating. The dangers are real. Your worries and fears are justified. Don’t question that.
Second, take care of yourselves. Take a breath, talk to trusted confidants, lift up others who need it. Then keep fighting.
Third, and most important: Know your power and use it wisely. Because you know we are in dangerous times, you must realize your impact on others. Scratching the itch of worry in conversation can be debilitating—for you and for those around you. We need the strongest Democratic voter turnout in history, with win margins too great to doubt. No third party votes, no staying home because you don’t like one policy. Talk to the people in your life—friends, kids, grandkids, neighbors. Let them know what’s at stake and your vision of what we will achieve when we prevail. Be an influencer for:
-Freedom to vote
-Freedom to control your own body
-A robust middle class with jobs and housing they can afford
Yogi had it right-“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” You make much sense with your usual practical and optimistic analysis. One thing that must be remembered and stressed over and over in the next 4 months is that just because the Supreme Court has granted a vast amount of immunity to U.S. presidents , especially convicted felon Trump, DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE DIIDN’T DO THE THINGS HE WAS CONvICTED OF. This is why political ads and democrats must work like crazy to win the Senate, The House, and to give President Biden an overwhelming, incontestable
victory in November. Dems, Independents. and Republican patriots who have consciences - get out there and vote and make sure everyone you know of like character follows your lead. Don’t be known for supporting one who relies on immunity to avoid the penalties deserved for well known crimes and documented indecencies.
Hi, everyone. Passions and frustrations are running high. But please, no suggestions of violence, even if those suggestions are made in the course of legal arguments. We cannot normalize the notion that the president can assassinate an opponent. That would be wrong, and we would live to regret it if Trump is elected. Let's stop suggesting that it is something Biden can do. We need to honor the Constitution as written, not as it was violated yesterday by the Court.
I buried the lead: If you suggest violence, I will delete your comment.
I constantly remind myself of Michelle Obama’s… “When they go low…we go high”. Thank you Robert.
TCinLA just posted a great wake-up call that I heartily recommend:
https://open.substack.com/pub/tcinla757/p/stuart-stevens-on-the-absurdity-of
Thanks, Bob. I am passing along Stevens’s post. If we didn’t need every Dem in the House, I would call for Rep. Doggett (Tx) to resign.
I hear you, and it's called "Clothespin Voting." In a perfect world, it wouldn't be necessary or desirable. Yet here we are.
Seriously no violent comments people... Even the hypothetical calls of violence are being grabbed by right wing pundits and bad faith actors are are running with it. It doesn't matter that they are hypocritical and Trump has literally called for violence multiple times.
Hi Robert, I hate that the trolls seem to have found you! if it gets burdensome please go back to limiting comments to paid subscribers. (Of course, I am saying this as a paid subscriber ;-)
It also might be helpful to pin a brief comment about how to report an inappropriate comment so that we can help with the policing - especially when you open up the comments to everyone. It took me the longest time to figure out the ellipsis allows you to edit (or delete) your own comment and report someone else's comment. :-)
I really enjoyed the Zoom meeting this afternoon and I hope you do it again on a regular or semi-regular basis.
This is not intended in any way as a criticism, but I suggest if you do it again, that you set the meeting up to mute people on entry since an awful lot of people are either oblivious when you ask them to mute themselves or unaware of how to do so. The host (and or co-host) can also pull up the participant list and mute anyone who unmutes themselves without raising their hand and getting called upon.
Definitely make use of a cohost or assistant to perform these functions to leave yourself free to focus. A high enough pressure situation.
I had a conflicting appointment but look forward to catching up.
Thank you.
Thank you, Robert.
Thank you for the heartening words, RH. We are not vanquished, but it it is time for us to step up for democracy. As to the calls for taking up the ugly violence that defines the party of T, though it is tempting to indulge in fantasies of revenge, they never end well and should not be put in writing. Thank you for keeping it clean.
Many Democrats’ and pundits’ knives have been out for Biden almost from the day he took the oath of office as President. Many simply haven’t liked him. Many people acted as though they thought themselves more qualified; others pushed their programs from his left or right, seeming (to me) that pushing their agendas was more important than letting, let alone helping, Biden succeed. Until, that is, when Biden was finally getting traction with his remarkably successful legislative programs.
A similar observation holds for the pundit class. I’m inclined to discount the idea that their opposition to Biden is intended to generate clicks, unless stoking clicks is a vehicle for further inflating their egos.
Therefore, I’m skeptical about people in the public sphere who are pronouncing the death of Biden’s Presidency and candidacy.
Biden’s debate performance was genuinely dismal, and he looked bad. But I hesitate, on just that basis, to close the political coffin that people have been preparing for him. I don’t have the medical understanding to pronounce/speculate knowledgeably about Biden’s condition, and, as far as I know, no one making public or on-line pronouncements does, either.
None of Biden’s potential replacements (Gov. Gavin Newsom possibly excepted) has been truly tested on a national stage. Looking for a “fresh face” sounds appealing, but it’s ultimately shallow.
I vividly remember the disastrous 1968 election campaign, and absolutely do not want 2024 to look anything like 1968.
For now, I am crossing my fingers, am awaiting *hard* information or developments, and am hoping for the best (whatever that is).
Robert, while many are focusing on the Supreme Court, I am worried about the press vs. Biden. I’m seeing article after article about figures in the media telling Biden to step aside. Their campaign reminds me so much of “but her emails!” Are we going to have to organize to push back against the press and their desire to split Democrats?
Not sure many voters would buy that argument or believe it.
This is how we slide into an autocratic regime..voting and supporting candidates all the way down the ballot is critical
Has anyone seen tonight’s (July 2) long lead NYT story about Biden’s “lapses”?
Why are they doing this?!
Hey Laurie, I didn't see that but I'm not surprised. Furthermore, I can't bear to listen to NPR anymore. Every single story is tainted with negativity about President Biden. I cannot for the life of me understand how they can do that. 😮💨 Don't they know Trump will come after them, no matter what they say right now?
I am so disheartened.
The article I referred to has a few lines about Trump but they are far down in the piece, which carries a devastating headline.
I fear Biden cannot be the one to bring this fight to Trump, nor can he be the one to inspire hope and confidence that he is capable and strong enough to win.
I'm 83 yrs old. I've been through a heap of unrest in this country going back to Jos. McCarthy. We as a proud people of these United States must not allow the recent events of SCOTUS to beat us down. We can recover and we can restore our democracy but only in the ballot booth. There is no white knight for us. Everyone cool down and tell everyone you meet to VOTE BLUE.
Let’s not forget, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT. Whatever SCOTUS made legal are in his purview NOW. Democrats need to act. There are rights to restore and threats to stop. President Biden can do whatever is within his Executive Power. Everyone is taking the position that only Trump or a Republican president will be the beneficiary of this new ruling. That's insane.
Let’s not forget, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT. Whatever SCOTUS made legal are in his purview NOW. Democrats need to act. There are rights to restore and threats to stop. President Biden can do whatever is within his Executive Power. Everyone is taking the position that only Trump or a Republican president will be the beneficiary of this new ruling. That's insane.
Thank you and Jill for hosting the Zoom today. I found it informative, and mostly helpful. I support what the two of you are doing! I support Joe Biden, and I am dedicated to fighting for him!! I am open to more Zooms if you and Jill are up for them!!
The level of anxiety at today’s zoom call was remarkable. I’ve been to the Indivisible national team meeting yesterday and it was helpful to hear from each other that what we’re doing, no matter the outcome, is the same. We’re protecting our democracy and we’re gonna be doing everything we can to do that.
another calm and focused resource is Dem Cast and digital organizing they’re doing they’re having a training this evening to work with their Reach app https://www.digitaldrumbeat.com/p/training-tonight-how-to-help-democrats?r=58eky&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
i’d also like to suggest when suffering is really at a high-level, it’s really helpful to have a way to practice with it. I’ve been doing a lot of Tonglen practice. Acknowledging and actually breathing in the discomfort and breathing out relief to all beings, includes myself. We really need to keep clear sighted and clearheaded as well as United.
Thanks, Mary. Your message reminded me to breathe 💫
Here’s what I said to the growing community of volunteers at our weekly postcard event in Seattle:
Three things:
First, the news has been devastating. The dangers are real. Your worries and fears are justified. Don’t question that.
Second, take care of yourselves. Take a breath, talk to trusted confidants, lift up others who need it. Then keep fighting.
Third, and most important: Know your power and use it wisely. Because you know we are in dangerous times, you must realize your impact on others. Scratching the itch of worry in conversation can be debilitating—for you and for those around you. We need the strongest Democratic voter turnout in history, with win margins too great to doubt. No third party votes, no staying home because you don’t like one policy. Talk to the people in your life—friends, kids, grandkids, neighbors. Let them know what’s at stake and your vision of what we will achieve when we prevail. Be an influencer for:
-Freedom to vote
-Freedom to control your own body
-A robust middle class with jobs and housing they can afford
-More climate action
-Freedom from incessant gun deaths
-Curbing greedflation
-Add yours!
Onward!
https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/trump-has-no-immunity-from-our-vote Here is another good patriot sounding the clarion call to remain United and carry on doing all we can to save our democracy. Solidarity, people. 🌊🌊🌊
Dear RBH!
Yogi had it right-“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” You make much sense with your usual practical and optimistic analysis. One thing that must be remembered and stressed over and over in the next 4 months is that just because the Supreme Court has granted a vast amount of immunity to U.S. presidents , especially convicted felon Trump, DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE DIIDN’T DO THE THINGS HE WAS CONvICTED OF. This is why political ads and democrats must work like crazy to win the Senate, The House, and to give President Biden an overwhelming, incontestable
victory in November. Dems, Independents. and Republican patriots who have consciences - get out there and vote and make sure everyone you know of like character follows your lead. Don’t be known for supporting one who relies on immunity to avoid the penalties deserved for well known crimes and documented indecencies.