"Traitorous narcissist" is far too kind although not incorrect. Wannabe fascist dictator and sociopath is more like it. What has America done to deserve 7 + years of Trump's daily dominance of the news cycle? How much more do we have to withstand from this creep?
I appreciate the question. I think the answer, at least in part, might be that we didn't "deserve" this, but that it was inevitable for someone to come along who would stir up the fear and anger and need for a community of millions of like minded Americans ripe for a "savior" to lead them. T***p got the savior job because he had 14 seasons of TV exposure to reach these folks! I remember seeing an interview of a very sweet single mom/dental hygienist who was so excited that this man that she "knew" and admired for his strength and willingness to "tell it like it is," was now someone she could vote for.
Add to that the dynamic of the cynical power grabbers (who only care about minimizing taxes and regulations) who figured out around the time of Reagan that there weren't enough very rich people to win elections and that the Catholic Democrats and Evangelicals were ripe for the plucking. They needed more voters, and they figured out how to rile them up (abortion, immigration, gay rights) in ways that were a smoke screen around how very bad their actual policies were for their daily lives. And they also needed the savior who would lead the riling up - no matter how much they had to swallow to support him.
I can't help thinking that such energy is better out in the open; these horror stories do seem to have been able to mobilize folks (like me) who might not have realized how fragile a democracy can be, how vulnerable to authoritarian take-over - and how urgent it is that I do my part. What is mine to do to heal this energy and defend our democracy? We each need to answer that for ourselves. Thank the Universe/God/Source for this and other communities of like-minded citizens who are answering that question and taking such actions right now! Blessings,
You put that very well. I think there has been an equation in the minds of people who watch shows like The Apprentice of Celebrity with competence and specialness. Governing is not sexy. It doesn't show well and it shouldn't. It's hard work. Looking for a savior is way easier than taking a hard look inside and seeing what you can do to help. We aren't helpless. We need leaders for sure, but we also need to stand up and do the equally hard work of supporting them.
"The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men." Plato
Thank you, Susan. I agree with what you've added about the difference between celebrity and competence. I'm hoping to make a tiny dent with my postings.
Your analysis is spot on. Thanks! You perfectly describe the Reagan project. It's basically a divide and conquer strategy -- keeping the little people at each other's throats while enacting government policies that concentrate the money and power at the top. I guess after 40 or so years of this Reagan governing paradigm when our society has become so politically and economically unequal and unstable, the diversionary tactics need to be more extreme to maintain the status quo. Enter Trump and the move toward fascism.
"Keeping the little people at each other's throats" is a perfect description. I keep being reminded of a Tracy/Hepburn movie, different from their comedies, called Keeper of the Flame. directed by George Cukor, 1943, about a journalist who idolizes national hero Robert Forrester, beloved as a patriotic leader, and comes to write a story about him after his suspicious death. He discovers Forrester was really building a fascist take-over of America by engaging youth in clubs across the country. Hepburn describes one of the methods, creating newsletters for different ethnic groups across the country, pitting them against one another.
Other authors have noted that the film is different from other anti-fascist films of the period in that it clearly links wealth and fascism and points out the ways in which patriotism may far too easily be turned toward fascist ends." Other authors have noted that the film is different from other anti-fascist films of the period in that it clearly links wealth and fascism and points out the ways in which patriotism may far too easily be turned toward fascist ends.*
*Booker, M. Keith (1999). Film and the American Left: a Research Guide. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-30980-9.
If they are still writing that gas is $6 a gallon that is journalistic malpractice of the highest order. Over the past two months I’ve been in IL, IN, MI, WI, AZ, NY, CT. The only place where gas is Even $5 a gallon sometimes is the Chicago area and even here the $5 line is straddled with some stations above and some below it, especially out of the city. IN and MI were in the low $4 range, WI was under $4 everywhere I was, AZ was in the low to mid 4’s a month ago and maybe lower now and what really surprised me based on my Chicago experience was that NYC had stations in the low fours, as did CT.
Anyone writing about $6 gas now is likely a Republican or an incompetent phone-it-in “journalist”.
I’m on a road trip with my sons and the average gas price is $3.75/gallon. Minneapolis to Madison, wi, traverse City, MI, Springfield, IL, etc. so far.
However, Steve, your comment was impolitely stated and unnecessary. Simply provide updated information. Robert lives in California, as does one of my sons, and he is correct about prices there.
It’s been a while since I posted this. I don’t remember my post as being disrespectful or even in disagreement with Robert. I meant it as adding detail supporting his point which I heartily agree with.
If there are punishments for Trump and his cronies, I hope it's more than the absurd 5 months at Rikers Weisselberg was sentenced to. Weisselberg cheated all Americans and the US government when he and the Trump Organization lied about taxes, income, etc. In Weisselberg's case, there's little incentive for him to tell the truth in future court dates or hearings because his family is financially set for a generation or more. Even if convicted of perjury, it's likely he'll end up gloating in a country club prison, knowing that he and the Trump Organization have gotten away with lies and crimes yet again.
The judge gave Weisselberg a very specific warning that if he does not testify as agreed, the judge has the ability to lengthen the sentence to something like 5 years. Inmates and staff get killed at Rikers Island jail, and that does not even take into account the possibility of being Epsteined.
I don't believe any witnesses have come forward. Supposedly, Barr was his last visitor, then the guards took him off suicide watch and let him have bedsheets.
Great letter, Robert. All of us reading this hope for some sort of justice. To see TFG charged with SOMETHING. And it will probably happen. Perhaps Garland will finally deliver with the Mar A Lago papers. Perhaps Georgia will file charges.
But often, the real pain inflicted on the bad guys is financial. If the Trump Organization is threatened with serious financial penalties, that could be a stake in heart of the Zombie who won't die. I am also hopeful that the Dominion (voting machines) lawsuit against Fox will meet with success. And perhaps it could be a template for future suits. If TFG and Murdoch saw their empires bankrupted the world would sigh with relief.
Note to any really wealthy Democrats or Independents who want to make a difference, please consider lawyering up and slapping some serious lawsuits on the liars and coup plotters.
You know what’s scary? A poll showed 60% of MAGA voters believe DT committed a crime at Mira Lago—problem is, they went on to say, “they didn’t care!” I can believe this as my brother in law, a trumpeter, has said as much. There lies a problem!
And so many MAGA folks speak about morality - bible thumping hypocrits. We all knew we were in trouble when TFG said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a vote. What kind of person supports such evil? Sadly, our friends and neighbors.....who go to church and then support a liar, con man, abuser of women.
Thanks for writing such hopeful words and for living on the West Coast. It means I can read you now and go to bed here in Ohio after a day of reading more pessimistic thoughts. Almost as calming as a good cognac...
We must stop thinking it hyperbolic to say that the Republican Party itself is now a threat to our democracy. I understand the queasiness about labeling many of our fellow Americans in that way. I understand that it sounds extreme and overreaching.
But how else are we to describe what we are seeing? “Charles Blow.
I think we are seeing what is actually in front of our eyes. Trump revered Hitler and there are a lot of others in America that did/do as well. It's always been there, but now it's unveiled, especially as there are fewer "normal" Republicans around to give them cover.
I think it’s more complicated than that. Trump realized he could say out loud what a large number of people posting and tweeting and used that to get elected. Don’t believe for one moment he believes or cares about what he does and said because to him it’s about power and money. He tried to run the government like his small business where he had total control. He found out quickly he could control a lot of people by bullying them. People like Giuliani, Graham, Cruz all want to be near power and leverage it and Trump stole their souls
Hi Stephen, I think you said that beautifully. It is all about power and money and the corruption that so often goes with it. That's why it's so important to hold on to democracy. Messy. Imperfect. But ours if we keep it and theirs if we don't. More Trumps are worth fighting against.
Someone corrected me when I referred to the United States as a democracy. They said it is a republic. Could you clarify that for me? I know this is something that should be obvious, but I don't want to respond to comments without being reasonably sure I know what I'm talking about. Thanks.
Endnote. It always surprises me that people like Giuliani, Graham, and Cruz so easily fell in line behind Trump when they already had power, reputations, and status of their own.
Susan I don’t think the word Democracy is in the constitution. The word Republic is. Democracy I believe manages so to speak the Republic with everyone having a vote and a voice. I also wondered why Ivy League educated people like Cruz and others act the way they do. My feeling is they are scared of Trump and his base for some reason and for them it’s the road to power.
The image of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the house is almost unbearable. The crazies have to lose every election or this will be a slow process. They have to be shown that crazy is not a winning ticket.
Kevin McCarthy is a sad case. He is not a bright man. He should not be there. He ran a frozen yogurt shop. I like frozen yogurt, but I do not like Kevin McCarthy.
Love this newsletter and the hope it brings. Also want to bring a hard-hitting interview on PBS Newshour tonight re election deniers results in primaries in swing states to everyone’s attention. I for one am a strong believer that times are so in-flux right now that it’s useless to assume past rules-of-thumb apply when attempting to predict outcomes. And one never-before aspect of our upcoming elections will include the number of election deniers that claim they wouldn’t have let popular votes in their states in 2020 stand, w discussion about the lawsuits that might thus result should they be in charge in the future. One thing is certain: things in 2022 and 2024 are not going to be “normal” https://youtu.be/VwcNvsNu4GU
I feel like the Trump family is the great white shark of our national politics. It has to keep moving or all its corruption (moral and financial) comes home to roost. It's consumed the Republican party. It's consumed the QAnon and Infowars media. It took a bite out of our country's democracy from 2017 through 2020. It's circling back around for another bite. And with Trump, money is always a core principle: Trumpists liked all the money they could divert to their own welfare.
What I took away from Moscow Mitch's comments about the Senate being statewide races and therefore less likely to flip than the House was yeah, we can't gerrymander our way into winning a state race. When all voters have a chance to vote, GOP loses!
Hi Robert, when you said focus on the second part of this quote from Mitch, "I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate. Senate races are just different — they’re statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome." besides bad GOP nominees, also the part about "statewide" is key, since in states like Ohio and Wisconsin, the state legislatures are gerrymandered beyond possibility of winning, but you can't gerrymander for statewide elections. Statewide, Democrats have the majority in many of the swing states. If we can get Dems out to vote, we win! The GOP can suppress the vote by reducing the number of drop boxes to one per county like in Ohio, but if we get Democrats out, we can still win in Wisconsin, Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
I just started re-reading "Laboratories of Autocracy" by David Pepper, former head of the Ohio Democratic Party. I'm reading it aloud to my 22-year-old soon who is concussed and can't read right now. He follows the news and is really engaged in the book, which is written with a lot of great (scary) stories to explain the way things are now. I really recommend the book. So educational. Last night on MSNBC I heard Michael Beschloss saying he fears for our Democracy...but he wasn't saying in 2024. He was saying this fall! I hope everyone is engaging now to help. FULL COURT PRESS. I have mentioned PostcardsToVoters.org before here. Volunteers across the country recently handwrote 204,000 postcards to Democrats in Kansas to ask them to vote NO on the confusing ballot amendment that would have gutted choice in Kansas. Then volunteers wrote 53,000 reminder postcards to Minnesota Democrats to GOTV for Jeff Ettinger in Special Election in a tough district. He shockingly lost by only a few points, improving his chances for prevailing in November. We just got done writing for Pat Ryan's Special Election this Tuesday. In September, we will start writing for major races all over the country. HELP WANTED! It's easy to join or restart with PostcardsToVoters.org ! Just text "join" or "hello"to 484-275-2229, or write an email to Join@TonytheDemocrat.org. PTV postcards can be written and mailed from any location in the USA. All you need to get started are postcards and stamps!
This is great! I'm writing postcards to get people to register to vote with Field Team 6 through Seniors Taking action. I've written 110 card and have 390 to go. It's a great way to keep your spirits up and channeled in taking some action. So happy to learn about what your group did in Kansas to clarify a confusing ballot. Bravo!!!
That's great Susan! I have gone to a lot of the Seniors Taking Action Zooms and they are great!
Writing the postcards definitely keep my spirits up!! I love PostcardsToVoters.org We will do some of the big races this fall, hopefully in combo with others in same state. What a time!
I don’t understand why, according to McConnell, the House would be more likely to flip than the Senate. Aren’t the Republican candidates for the House as crazy as the Republican Senate candidates? It seems odd to make that prediction.
I appreciate Robert's observation about "extremophile Trumpists," but also add a note that
McConnell does not make predictions. He does not make sincere, true statements. He makes statements intended to have a political effect, perhaps in this case, to lull Democrats into complacency ahead of November.
Several important facts with regard to the possible eventual release of portions on the affidavit attached to the application for the search warrant provide important context. First, the motions to release the affidavit were submitted by media sources (NY Times, Washington Post, and others). Despite Trump’s verbal statements supporting release of the affidavit, his attorneys did not file a motion requesting the release. There is speculation they expected the judge not to unseal it and hoped to use that to make the point this was all a “secret plot” against Trump. We will eventually see how this all plays out. However, more information supporting Trump’s illegal actions are unlikely to be good for him. His legal challenges continue to build and are likely to get much worse.
When I saw that all the major media outlets were part of the push to publish the underlying documents for the Mar-A-Largo search I realized that we the people are now in very deep trouble, our own media outlets are against democracy!!! They are not team players for letting the DOJ do its job. Why? Because they want exciting headlines to sell papers and they are now stuck in the fear and negativity that is engulfing our psyche due to Trump’s ability to create chaos. There is plenty of positive news, news to abate fear, news that can calm instead of fan the flames.
I'm with you on that, Martha. There is plenty of good news out there, but they choose to print all the rough stuff. It just keeps people divided and entertained by "drama for your mama."
"Traitorous narcissist" is far too kind although not incorrect. Wannabe fascist dictator and sociopath is more like it. What has America done to deserve 7 + years of Trump's daily dominance of the news cycle? How much more do we have to withstand from this creep?
I appreciate the question. I think the answer, at least in part, might be that we didn't "deserve" this, but that it was inevitable for someone to come along who would stir up the fear and anger and need for a community of millions of like minded Americans ripe for a "savior" to lead them. T***p got the savior job because he had 14 seasons of TV exposure to reach these folks! I remember seeing an interview of a very sweet single mom/dental hygienist who was so excited that this man that she "knew" and admired for his strength and willingness to "tell it like it is," was now someone she could vote for.
Add to that the dynamic of the cynical power grabbers (who only care about minimizing taxes and regulations) who figured out around the time of Reagan that there weren't enough very rich people to win elections and that the Catholic Democrats and Evangelicals were ripe for the plucking. They needed more voters, and they figured out how to rile them up (abortion, immigration, gay rights) in ways that were a smoke screen around how very bad their actual policies were for their daily lives. And they also needed the savior who would lead the riling up - no matter how much they had to swallow to support him.
I can't help thinking that such energy is better out in the open; these horror stories do seem to have been able to mobilize folks (like me) who might not have realized how fragile a democracy can be, how vulnerable to authoritarian take-over - and how urgent it is that I do my part. What is mine to do to heal this energy and defend our democracy? We each need to answer that for ourselves. Thank the Universe/God/Source for this and other communities of like-minded citizens who are answering that question and taking such actions right now! Blessings,
You put that very well. I think there has been an equation in the minds of people who watch shows like The Apprentice of Celebrity with competence and specialness. Governing is not sexy. It doesn't show well and it shouldn't. It's hard work. Looking for a savior is way easier than taking a hard look inside and seeing what you can do to help. We aren't helpless. We need leaders for sure, but we also need to stand up and do the equally hard work of supporting them.
"The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men." Plato
Thank you, Susan. I agree with what you've added about the difference between celebrity and competence. I'm hoping to make a tiny dent with my postings.
Your analysis is spot on. Thanks! You perfectly describe the Reagan project. It's basically a divide and conquer strategy -- keeping the little people at each other's throats while enacting government policies that concentrate the money and power at the top. I guess after 40 or so years of this Reagan governing paradigm when our society has become so politically and economically unequal and unstable, the diversionary tactics need to be more extreme to maintain the status quo. Enter Trump and the move toward fascism.
"Keeping the little people at each other's throats" is a perfect description. I keep being reminded of a Tracy/Hepburn movie, different from their comedies, called Keeper of the Flame. directed by George Cukor, 1943, about a journalist who idolizes national hero Robert Forrester, beloved as a patriotic leader, and comes to write a story about him after his suspicious death. He discovers Forrester was really building a fascist take-over of America by engaging youth in clubs across the country. Hepburn describes one of the methods, creating newsletters for different ethnic groups across the country, pitting them against one another.
Other authors have noted that the film is different from other anti-fascist films of the period in that it clearly links wealth and fascism and points out the ways in which patriotism may far too easily be turned toward fascist ends." Other authors have noted that the film is different from other anti-fascist films of the period in that it clearly links wealth and fascism and points out the ways in which patriotism may far too easily be turned toward fascist ends.*
*Booker, M. Keith (1999). Film and the American Left: a Research Guide. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-30980-9.
So, a title we can add — the King of rhetorical questions.
"Traitorous narcisscist" may be "far too kind, "John . . . and also difficult to say... but I like it . .. and I shall practice!
Me too!!
My thoughts exactly. Why he is a hero to some completely eludes me. He should have been yesterday's news seven plus years ago.
If they are still writing that gas is $6 a gallon that is journalistic malpractice of the highest order. Over the past two months I’ve been in IL, IN, MI, WI, AZ, NY, CT. The only place where gas is Even $5 a gallon sometimes is the Chicago area and even here the $5 line is straddled with some stations above and some below it, especially out of the city. IN and MI were in the low $4 range, WI was under $4 everywhere I was, AZ was in the low to mid 4’s a month ago and maybe lower now and what really surprised me based on my Chicago experience was that NYC had stations in the low fours, as did CT.
Anyone writing about $6 gas now is likely a Republican or an incompetent phone-it-in “journalist”.
Gas this morning in St. Louis, MO is $3.53.
I’m on a road trip with my sons and the average gas price is $3.75/gallon. Minneapolis to Madison, wi, traverse City, MI, Springfield, IL, etc. so far.
However, Steve, your comment was impolitely stated and unnecessary. Simply provide updated information. Robert lives in California, as does one of my sons, and he is correct about prices there.
It’s been a while since I posted this. I don’t remember my post as being disrespectful or even in disagreement with Robert. I meant it as adding detail supporting his point which I heartily agree with.
I'm in Oakland, California, a very pricey part of the country and I bought gas yesterday for about $5.25 so that writer is off his or her nut.
Why the accusations, people? Make a polite updated contribution with more current and broad-reaching information. Period.
Celebrating! Gas in suburbs of Atlanta is $3.67.
If there are punishments for Trump and his cronies, I hope it's more than the absurd 5 months at Rikers Weisselberg was sentenced to. Weisselberg cheated all Americans and the US government when he and the Trump Organization lied about taxes, income, etc. In Weisselberg's case, there's little incentive for him to tell the truth in future court dates or hearings because his family is financially set for a generation or more. Even if convicted of perjury, it's likely he'll end up gloating in a country club prison, knowing that he and the Trump Organization have gotten away with lies and crimes yet again.
The judge gave Weisselberg a very specific warning that if he does not testify as agreed, the judge has the ability to lengthen the sentence to something like 5 years. Inmates and staff get killed at Rikers Island jail, and that does not even take into account the possibility of being Epsteined.
"being Epsteined." .
What actually did happen to Epstein, anyway? I know he was found hanging, but that was all.
I don't believe any witnesses have come forward. Supposedly, Barr was his last visitor, then the guards took him off suicide watch and let him have bedsheets.
😯
What creeps.
Great letter, Robert. All of us reading this hope for some sort of justice. To see TFG charged with SOMETHING. And it will probably happen. Perhaps Garland will finally deliver with the Mar A Lago papers. Perhaps Georgia will file charges.
But often, the real pain inflicted on the bad guys is financial. If the Trump Organization is threatened with serious financial penalties, that could be a stake in heart of the Zombie who won't die. I am also hopeful that the Dominion (voting machines) lawsuit against Fox will meet with success. And perhaps it could be a template for future suits. If TFG and Murdoch saw their empires bankrupted the world would sigh with relief.
Note to any really wealthy Democrats or Independents who want to make a difference, please consider lawyering up and slapping some serious lawsuits on the liars and coup plotters.
I would so like to see TFG and Murdoch empires crumble. Keep that beautiful thought. Happy Friday.
You know what’s scary? A poll showed 60% of MAGA voters believe DT committed a crime at Mira Lago—problem is, they went on to say, “they didn’t care!” I can believe this as my brother in law, a trumpeter, has said as much. There lies a problem!
And so many MAGA folks speak about morality - bible thumping hypocrits. We all knew we were in trouble when TFG said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a vote. What kind of person supports such evil? Sadly, our friends and neighbors.....who go to church and then support a liar, con man, abuser of women.
Thanks for writing such hopeful words and for living on the West Coast. It means I can read you now and go to bed here in Ohio after a day of reading more pessimistic thoughts. Almost as calming as a good cognac...
I live in upstate NY and get to start my day with Robert. He gets my head on straight to begin my day with a positive outlook!
I spend my summers in upstate NY and feel that same exact way about Robert Hubbell.
So well said! I could not agree more!
“ I thought I would share this comment.
We must stop thinking it hyperbolic to say that the Republican Party itself is now a threat to our democracy. I understand the queasiness about labeling many of our fellow Americans in that way. I understand that it sounds extreme and overreaching.
But how else are we to describe what we are seeing? “Charles Blow.
Voters are slowly coming to the same reality.
I think we are seeing what is actually in front of our eyes. Trump revered Hitler and there are a lot of others in America that did/do as well. It's always been there, but now it's unveiled, especially as there are fewer "normal" Republicans around to give them cover.
I think it’s more complicated than that. Trump realized he could say out loud what a large number of people posting and tweeting and used that to get elected. Don’t believe for one moment he believes or cares about what he does and said because to him it’s about power and money. He tried to run the government like his small business where he had total control. He found out quickly he could control a lot of people by bullying them. People like Giuliani, Graham, Cruz all want to be near power and leverage it and Trump stole their souls
Hi Stephen, I think you said that beautifully. It is all about power and money and the corruption that so often goes with it. That's why it's so important to hold on to democracy. Messy. Imperfect. But ours if we keep it and theirs if we don't. More Trumps are worth fighting against.
Someone corrected me when I referred to the United States as a democracy. They said it is a republic. Could you clarify that for me? I know this is something that should be obvious, but I don't want to respond to comments without being reasonably sure I know what I'm talking about. Thanks.
Endnote. It always surprises me that people like Giuliani, Graham, and Cruz so easily fell in line behind Trump when they already had power, reputations, and status of their own.
Susan I don’t think the word Democracy is in the constitution. The word Republic is. Democracy I believe manages so to speak the Republic with everyone having a vote and a voice. I also wondered why Ivy League educated people like Cruz and others act the way they do. My feeling is they are scared of Trump and his base for some reason and for them it’s the road to power.
The image of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the house is almost unbearable. The crazies have to lose every election or this will be a slow process. They have to be shown that crazy is not a winning ticket.
Kevin McCarthy is a sad case. He is not a bright man. He should not be there. He ran a frozen yogurt shop. I like frozen yogurt, but I do not like Kevin McCarthy.
He is now worth 95 million dollars....Power is profitable.
Love this newsletter and the hope it brings. Also want to bring a hard-hitting interview on PBS Newshour tonight re election deniers results in primaries in swing states to everyone’s attention. I for one am a strong believer that times are so in-flux right now that it’s useless to assume past rules-of-thumb apply when attempting to predict outcomes. And one never-before aspect of our upcoming elections will include the number of election deniers that claim they wouldn’t have let popular votes in their states in 2020 stand, w discussion about the lawsuits that might thus result should they be in charge in the future. One thing is certain: things in 2022 and 2024 are not going to be “normal” https://youtu.be/VwcNvsNu4GU
Thanks for sharing this. Creepy, isn't it?
Yes
I feel like the Trump family is the great white shark of our national politics. It has to keep moving or all its corruption (moral and financial) comes home to roost. It's consumed the Republican party. It's consumed the QAnon and Infowars media. It took a bite out of our country's democracy from 2017 through 2020. It's circling back around for another bite. And with Trump, money is always a core principle: Trumpists liked all the money they could divert to their own welfare.
A very apt description. Random question here, does anyone have a clue who Q is anyway?
What I took away from Moscow Mitch's comments about the Senate being statewide races and therefore less likely to flip than the House was yeah, we can't gerrymander our way into winning a state race. When all voters have a chance to vote, GOP loses!
Let’s keep our eyes on the prize, and keep on keepin’ on. Full speed right up through November 8th.
Hi Robert, when you said focus on the second part of this quote from Mitch, "I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate. Senate races are just different — they’re statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome." besides bad GOP nominees, also the part about "statewide" is key, since in states like Ohio and Wisconsin, the state legislatures are gerrymandered beyond possibility of winning, but you can't gerrymander for statewide elections. Statewide, Democrats have the majority in many of the swing states. If we can get Dems out to vote, we win! The GOP can suppress the vote by reducing the number of drop boxes to one per county like in Ohio, but if we get Democrats out, we can still win in Wisconsin, Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
I just started re-reading "Laboratories of Autocracy" by David Pepper, former head of the Ohio Democratic Party. I'm reading it aloud to my 22-year-old soon who is concussed and can't read right now. He follows the news and is really engaged in the book, which is written with a lot of great (scary) stories to explain the way things are now. I really recommend the book. So educational. Last night on MSNBC I heard Michael Beschloss saying he fears for our Democracy...but he wasn't saying in 2024. He was saying this fall! I hope everyone is engaging now to help. FULL COURT PRESS. I have mentioned PostcardsToVoters.org before here. Volunteers across the country recently handwrote 204,000 postcards to Democrats in Kansas to ask them to vote NO on the confusing ballot amendment that would have gutted choice in Kansas. Then volunteers wrote 53,000 reminder postcards to Minnesota Democrats to GOTV for Jeff Ettinger in Special Election in a tough district. He shockingly lost by only a few points, improving his chances for prevailing in November. We just got done writing for Pat Ryan's Special Election this Tuesday. In September, we will start writing for major races all over the country. HELP WANTED! It's easy to join or restart with PostcardsToVoters.org ! Just text "join" or "hello"to 484-275-2229, or write an email to Join@TonytheDemocrat.org. PTV postcards can be written and mailed from any location in the USA. All you need to get started are postcards and stamps!
This is great! I'm writing postcards to get people to register to vote with Field Team 6 through Seniors Taking action. I've written 110 card and have 390 to go. It's a great way to keep your spirits up and channeled in taking some action. So happy to learn about what your group did in Kansas to clarify a confusing ballot. Bravo!!!
That's great Susan! I have gone to a lot of the Seniors Taking Action Zooms and they are great!
Writing the postcards definitely keep my spirits up!! I love PostcardsToVoters.org We will do some of the big races this fall, hopefully in combo with others in same state. What a time!
David Pepper and his book are great!
I don’t understand why, according to McConnell, the House would be more likely to flip than the Senate. Aren’t the Republican candidates for the House as crazy as the Republican Senate candidates? It seems odd to make that prediction.
I appreciate Robert's observation about "extremophile Trumpists," but also add a note that
McConnell does not make predictions. He does not make sincere, true statements. He makes statements intended to have a political effect, perhaps in this case, to lull Democrats into complacency ahead of November.
Yes, Ellie.
Thought the same, Ellie. No complacency !
The Senate is not as gerrymandered as the House.
Exactly
Because of gerrymandering they can pick their voters for the House, but the Senate is a statewide race.
Good point!
Several important facts with regard to the possible eventual release of portions on the affidavit attached to the application for the search warrant provide important context. First, the motions to release the affidavit were submitted by media sources (NY Times, Washington Post, and others). Despite Trump’s verbal statements supporting release of the affidavit, his attorneys did not file a motion requesting the release. There is speculation they expected the judge not to unseal it and hoped to use that to make the point this was all a “secret plot” against Trump. We will eventually see how this all plays out. However, more information supporting Trump’s illegal actions are unlikely to be good for him. His legal challenges continue to build and are likely to get much worse.
When I saw that all the major media outlets were part of the push to publish the underlying documents for the Mar-A-Largo search I realized that we the people are now in very deep trouble, our own media outlets are against democracy!!! They are not team players for letting the DOJ do its job. Why? Because they want exciting headlines to sell papers and they are now stuck in the fear and negativity that is engulfing our psyche due to Trump’s ability to create chaos. There is plenty of positive news, news to abate fear, news that can calm instead of fan the flames.
I'm with you on that, Martha. There is plenty of good news out there, but they choose to print all the rough stuff. It just keeps people divided and entertained by "drama for your mama."