"I cannot but laugh." John Adam's reply to Abigail when she said to him "Remember the ladies," Now I cannot but laugh at all the commentators and pundits who are still insisting abortion will not be a significant factor in the Midterms even in the light of what most predictably happened in Kansas .. if you were an angry woman being shoved into second class status. This isn't about abortion per se but about freedom to make decisions about one's own body and life. Freedom is what we're now fighting for. That's what a democratic republic guarantees every citizen of all colors, all genders and all religions. Republicans responsible for taking away women's freedoms are going to be trounced in the midterms at all levels of the election - local, federal and most especially at the state level. This will not be a partisan vote because so many realize taking away any right is onerous and can easily spread to all rights being denied. Thinking back to slaves being whipped to oar a ship faster. Freed slaves would always be able and determined to outrun such a ship. Women now have that level of determination. Anyone who understands that this is now about Freedom has that determination. We must explicitly enumerate the unenumerated rights and freedoms referred to in the Ninth Amendment, guarantee them through law and build a society where there is truly Freedom and Justice for all! Freedom. Lady Liberty just shouted Charge! and go Vote!
Robert, it’s your generous and graceful sharing that has brought so many of us together, committed to stopping the dam of hate and vitriol— including my own! When I sputter with rage and despair, your newsletter calms and focuses me. I am sure the same for many of us, many that can say much more eloquently than I!
Yes, your sincere communication style works for me. It’s a gut feeling that you want the best for everyone. My response to the Kansas primary is similar. Women in particular use that instinct when in danger. The disgust of having Clarence Thomas and Kavanaugh rule about our bodies, our choices, is so offensive that it immediately opened our eyes to all of the other cruel intentions of the Republican Party happening simultaneously against women, our children, our different races, our veterans, our democracy. As Liz Cheney stated “the Dam has broken”. We are women scorned and that vote revealed how deeply angry we are they will continue to do so if we don’t stop them. Bravo Kansas.
Aug 4, 2022·edited Aug 4, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Thank you, as always, Robert, for your cogent comments. I'd like to link the section on postcarding with your observation that the "enthusiasm and commitment of readers are trending up as we head into the midterms."
The studies on the efficacy of postcarding appear to be narrowly focused on desired impact on election results. However, it's as much the journey as the destination. I have no doubt that the process of writing postcards helps the writers deepen their understanding of the issues, refine their messaging, and become all the more adept at articulating these issues as they engage in conversations with friends and family, spreading the word with an increasing level of skill and confidence--including through other modes of grassroots activism, such as writing letters, phone/text banking, and door knocking.
This is a key ingredient for the secret sauce crafted by the women of Kansas to produce the resounding success of supporting their state constitutional right to healthcare choice for women!
Thank you for calling out the insanity of taking polling results as gospel. Such helped Truman beat Dewey. Actually, I wonder why I still bother to read the news. Not only is much of it misleading and inaccurate, not to mention propagandistic but it also has the “frog-leg-in-a-petri dish” effect of overstimulating the reader into absolute paralysis. I think anything is possible, every single day. I have
reasonable expectations that there are more sane and humane citizens in the country than otherwise.
We used to think that the damage done by a new administration would be limited and easily corrected.. We now know better and it is incumbent upon we the people to be aware in the future who and what we vote for. Those from the previous group surely have learned of ways to better take control of the government and surely there are plenty of those already on board who are ready to act. The new Administration can simply appoint acting secretaries, etc. instead of waiting for congressional approval- who can begin making substantive changes in the organizations to which they are assigned. There are probably those who are already planning what steps they can take and what people to hire.
On another note, I hope that the dems have learned not to do ads to support extreme candidates in the hope that will help dem candidates especially like the one in Michigan who voted against Trump. Taking that route is dangerous especially because it puts you down in the mud and once there it is difficult to come back and makes it harder to arue that voters should elect you.
The action by the voters of Kansas is hopefully only the beginning for voters to stop voting against their own interest . As Robert points out, the next thing people will find is that Social Security and Medicare will be impacted. The Dems need to be shouting from the roof tops all the things they voted for in the house that aren't passed because of the Repubs . This includes the Bill finally passed impacting health care for Vets. I don't understand so many in the military supporting the repubs when for the most part mst of what they get is because of the Dens!
"The old rules no longer apply. While it is still too early to understand the full ramifications of the resounding defeat suffered by anti-choice Republicans in Kansas, this much is clear: Polling models based on “historical data” are broken."
Mr. Hubbell, I wanted to stand up and shout "GOOD MORNING!!" when I read this. It is the most resounding cry of hope and call to action I've heard in a very long time.
Trump (or any other GOP President) doesn’t have to re-fill thousands of federal jobs with loyal appointees after converting them to Schedule F. He or she merely has to convert the positions and then not fill them.
My field is evidence based medicine so it has been fascinating to watch SisterDistrict (awesome group!) attempt to generate evidence in this field. Although I have not done a formal analysis, it looks to me like context is key - some efforts have impact, some don’t, and we have a reasonable handle on some of the drivers. It’s also possible to dovetail local capacity building with external GOTV volunteers. This year my Indivisible group is working with a small house of delegates campaign across the border in a red area written off by state Dems for decades. By doubling the number of phonebankers and door knockers, we are helping recruit new local volunteers who would never have been contacted otherwise and also sustaining the morale of the brave little campaign through the early days. Even if we lose, the local Dems will be in much better shape for the next election.
New subscriber here... love the thoughtfulness of your posts. I agree with the NYT article: Opinion | Fed Up With Democratic Emails? You’re Not the Only One,
I became heavily involved in politics in 2016 (of course) and saw how the ubiquitous tactics were applied from the Obama campaign. Just like with investing, a successful method will be exploited and will no longer be successful because humans are smart and don't like to be manipulated.
In 2018 and 2020, the Democratic party doubled down on the madness. To me, it has beaten caring people into submission and fewer want to be involved in the political process. Biden won despite the tired tactics, and only because enough people cared to stop the Trump authoritarian takeover.
Politics is an industry (if you haven't read "The Politics Industry" by Katherine Gehl, you should). We need to find a way to engage people in meaningful ways, and quit wasting money and time on filling mailboxes and airways with junk.
Thanks for the good work and thoughtful discussion.
Aug 4, 2022·edited Aug 4, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Why are Republicans surprised to learn that telling people they are wrong and taking away their rights motivates them and makes them mad? Oh wait, that’s right... because they really don't care about those rights and how people feel about them. You see, Republicans are actually out of step with most of the American public on... well, a lot of things. Here is a list of just a few of those things Republicans are wrong on and out of step with most Americans:
Thank you again for the work you do, and for your unrelenting positivity. David Leonhardt has a good The Morning (NYT) newsletter today, that pursues similar themes—specifically on how Americans can thwart the Supreme Court’s anti-democratic efforts. You and writers like Leonhardt give me hope that the US I love will survive this difficult era.
Last night I had the pleasure of listening to incredible grassroots organizers, who receive financial support from the Movement Voter Project (www.movement.vote) in 3 critical states: Kansas, Michigan and Arizona. These passionate, articulate, well organized women are leading their volunteers and staff to locate potential voters, educate these people about the importance of voting and the issues at stake, register them and then get them to the polls. We have just witnessed the power of this work in Kansas where grassroots organizers worked against so many barriers to get people to understand what was and is at stake. Listening to them gives me hope and calibrated optimism that we can keep our democracy and make it stronger. And it's important to remember that this work helps improve the voting down ballot to change the direction of so many states.
And so, to echo Robert's thoughts: I am hopeful and enthusiastic and we need to keep doing everything we can to support each other and offset the gloom and doom from the pundits--who really may not know what they are talking about.
Thank you for the opportunity to share these thoughts.
"I cannot but laugh." John Adam's reply to Abigail when she said to him "Remember the ladies," Now I cannot but laugh at all the commentators and pundits who are still insisting abortion will not be a significant factor in the Midterms even in the light of what most predictably happened in Kansas .. if you were an angry woman being shoved into second class status. This isn't about abortion per se but about freedom to make decisions about one's own body and life. Freedom is what we're now fighting for. That's what a democratic republic guarantees every citizen of all colors, all genders and all religions. Republicans responsible for taking away women's freedoms are going to be trounced in the midterms at all levels of the election - local, federal and most especially at the state level. This will not be a partisan vote because so many realize taking away any right is onerous and can easily spread to all rights being denied. Thinking back to slaves being whipped to oar a ship faster. Freed slaves would always be able and determined to outrun such a ship. Women now have that level of determination. Anyone who understands that this is now about Freedom has that determination. We must explicitly enumerate the unenumerated rights and freedoms referred to in the Ninth Amendment, guarantee them through law and build a society where there is truly Freedom and Justice for all! Freedom. Lady Liberty just shouted Charge! and go Vote!
Robert, it’s your generous and graceful sharing that has brought so many of us together, committed to stopping the dam of hate and vitriol— including my own! When I sputter with rage and despair, your newsletter calms and focuses me. I am sure the same for many of us, many that can say much more eloquently than I!
Yes, your sincere communication style works for me. It’s a gut feeling that you want the best for everyone. My response to the Kansas primary is similar. Women in particular use that instinct when in danger. The disgust of having Clarence Thomas and Kavanaugh rule about our bodies, our choices, is so offensive that it immediately opened our eyes to all of the other cruel intentions of the Republican Party happening simultaneously against women, our children, our different races, our veterans, our democracy. As Liz Cheney stated “the Dam has broken”. We are women scorned and that vote revealed how deeply angry we are they will continue to do so if we don’t stop them. Bravo Kansas.
Thank you, as always, Robert, for your cogent comments. I'd like to link the section on postcarding with your observation that the "enthusiasm and commitment of readers are trending up as we head into the midterms."
The studies on the efficacy of postcarding appear to be narrowly focused on desired impact on election results. However, it's as much the journey as the destination. I have no doubt that the process of writing postcards helps the writers deepen their understanding of the issues, refine their messaging, and become all the more adept at articulating these issues as they engage in conversations with friends and family, spreading the word with an increasing level of skill and confidence--including through other modes of grassroots activism, such as writing letters, phone/text banking, and door knocking.
This is a key ingredient for the secret sauce crafted by the women of Kansas to produce the resounding success of supporting their state constitutional right to healthcare choice for women!
Thank you for calling out the insanity of taking polling results as gospel. Such helped Truman beat Dewey. Actually, I wonder why I still bother to read the news. Not only is much of it misleading and inaccurate, not to mention propagandistic but it also has the “frog-leg-in-a-petri dish” effect of overstimulating the reader into absolute paralysis. I think anything is possible, every single day. I have
reasonable expectations that there are more sane and humane citizens in the country than otherwise.
We used to think that the damage done by a new administration would be limited and easily corrected.. We now know better and it is incumbent upon we the people to be aware in the future who and what we vote for. Those from the previous group surely have learned of ways to better take control of the government and surely there are plenty of those already on board who are ready to act. The new Administration can simply appoint acting secretaries, etc. instead of waiting for congressional approval- who can begin making substantive changes in the organizations to which they are assigned. There are probably those who are already planning what steps they can take and what people to hire.
On another note, I hope that the dems have learned not to do ads to support extreme candidates in the hope that will help dem candidates especially like the one in Michigan who voted against Trump. Taking that route is dangerous especially because it puts you down in the mud and once there it is difficult to come back and makes it harder to arue that voters should elect you.
The action by the voters of Kansas is hopefully only the beginning for voters to stop voting against their own interest . As Robert points out, the next thing people will find is that Social Security and Medicare will be impacted. The Dems need to be shouting from the roof tops all the things they voted for in the house that aren't passed because of the Repubs . This includes the Bill finally passed impacting health care for Vets. I don't understand so many in the military supporting the repubs when for the most part mst of what they get is because of the Dens!
"The old rules no longer apply. While it is still too early to understand the full ramifications of the resounding defeat suffered by anti-choice Republicans in Kansas, this much is clear: Polling models based on “historical data” are broken."
Mr. Hubbell, I wanted to stand up and shout "GOOD MORNING!!" when I read this. It is the most resounding cry of hope and call to action I've heard in a very long time.
Thank you!
Re: Schedule F
Trump (or any other GOP President) doesn’t have to re-fill thousands of federal jobs with loyal appointees after converting them to Schedule F. He or she merely has to convert the positions and then not fill them.
I will keep on post carding. I feel connected to the “fight”.
This week, I am penning encouraging words to voters in Georgia. SUPPORT SENATOR WARNOCK!
You are having a huge impact on saving our country. Thank you 🙏🏼
My field is evidence based medicine so it has been fascinating to watch SisterDistrict (awesome group!) attempt to generate evidence in this field. Although I have not done a formal analysis, it looks to me like context is key - some efforts have impact, some don’t, and we have a reasonable handle on some of the drivers. It’s also possible to dovetail local capacity building with external GOTV volunteers. This year my Indivisible group is working with a small house of delegates campaign across the border in a red area written off by state Dems for decades. By doubling the number of phonebankers and door knockers, we are helping recruit new local volunteers who would never have been contacted otherwise and also sustaining the morale of the brave little campaign through the early days. Even if we lose, the local Dems will be in much better shape for the next election.
Missing text scandal As Yogi Berra supposedly said, “That’s too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence.”
New subscriber here... love the thoughtfulness of your posts. I agree with the NYT article: Opinion | Fed Up With Democratic Emails? You’re Not the Only One,
I became heavily involved in politics in 2016 (of course) and saw how the ubiquitous tactics were applied from the Obama campaign. Just like with investing, a successful method will be exploited and will no longer be successful because humans are smart and don't like to be manipulated.
In 2018 and 2020, the Democratic party doubled down on the madness. To me, it has beaten caring people into submission and fewer want to be involved in the political process. Biden won despite the tired tactics, and only because enough people cared to stop the Trump authoritarian takeover.
Politics is an industry (if you haven't read "The Politics Industry" by Katherine Gehl, you should). We need to find a way to engage people in meaningful ways, and quit wasting money and time on filling mailboxes and airways with junk.
Thanks for the good work and thoughtful discussion.
Why are Republicans surprised to learn that telling people they are wrong and taking away their rights motivates them and makes them mad? Oh wait, that’s right... because they really don't care about those rights and how people feel about them. You see, Republicans are actually out of step with most of the American public on... well, a lot of things. Here is a list of just a few of those things Republicans are wrong on and out of step with most Americans:
Healthcare
Education
Immigration
Gun rights
Diversity
Climate
Sustainability
Protecting the environment
Taxes
The economy
Election integrity
Infrastructure
Support for Veterans healthcare
The meaning of religious freedom
Real patriotism
Social justice
The meaning of equality
Support for families and children
Childcare support
Family leave
LGBTQ rights
Rule of Law
Criminal justice reform
... and much more
Thank you again for the work you do, and for your unrelenting positivity. David Leonhardt has a good The Morning (NYT) newsletter today, that pursues similar themes—specifically on how Americans can thwart the Supreme Court’s anti-democratic efforts. You and writers like Leonhardt give me hope that the US I love will survive this difficult era.
Last night I had the pleasure of listening to incredible grassroots organizers, who receive financial support from the Movement Voter Project (www.movement.vote) in 3 critical states: Kansas, Michigan and Arizona. These passionate, articulate, well organized women are leading their volunteers and staff to locate potential voters, educate these people about the importance of voting and the issues at stake, register them and then get them to the polls. We have just witnessed the power of this work in Kansas where grassroots organizers worked against so many barriers to get people to understand what was and is at stake. Listening to them gives me hope and calibrated optimism that we can keep our democracy and make it stronger. And it's important to remember that this work helps improve the voting down ballot to change the direction of so many states.
And so, to echo Robert's thoughts: I am hopeful and enthusiastic and we need to keep doing everything we can to support each other and offset the gloom and doom from the pundits--who really may not know what they are talking about.
Thank you for the opportunity to share these thoughts.