Thank you, Robert, for this weekend update. I have been busy with something for 24 hours and was thrilled to have a news update. I wish there was some way to let E. Jean Carroll know we are all with her. What a brave woman. Great to hear the exciting Fulton County news!
For anyone willing to help with postcards, I believe PostcardsToVoters.org is about to launch a combo postcard for two school board elections in PA. Oh boy, the school board stuff has gotten so scary, so I am thrilled to be able to help on those and hope others may have time too since deadline to mail is Tuesday, I think, so they make it there before the May 16th PA elections. Hopefully they will launch early Saturday!
To help, text “join” to Abby the text bot at 484-275-2229 or email join@TonytheDemocrat.org. If you already joined, just text Abby the Bot. All you need are some postcards and stamps.
Trump really damned himself when he let his only appearance at the trial be that video. As thoroughly horrid as you know he is, seeing him in all his horridness like that was really shocking, even to me.
May 6, 2023·edited May 6, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
It struck me what an old fart he is. Hell, if I were the attorney interviewing and he said to me, 'You're not my type either," I would have said, "Back at ya!" The Scotsman, an online newspaper from Scotland (where else!) had some fun with his recent visit. I wish our media could be so forthcoming while panning the heck out of ol'windbag. Mary Trump's substack has a poster, allegedly from Scotland, calling him a big orange jobbie (turd).
May 6, 2023·edited May 6, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Our media is too busy covering Trump's next town hall event or interviewing the putrid Marjorie Taylor-Greene. They are still fawning over him just like they did in 2016. They could note Biden's accomplishments which include his great jobs report, his emphasis on infra-structure and bolstering new manufacturing,taking measures to take back some of the power that big business leaders have had for decades,efforts at ending non-compete causes for employees, trying to protect Social Security and Medicare and the list goes on and on. Daily, though we are inundated with coverage of Trump's antics and those of his cult followers and legislative and SCOTUS Magats. Frankly, I am sick to death of it.
Our media is addicted to all things sensational, outrageous, and dramatic. They need their hourly fix of tfg. I abhor all of the free publicity he gets.
MSM makes little effort to report on the “mundane”, (their view, not mine), incremental progress made by truly governing - what Biden is doing. It’s all about the Bling 🤑, not the substance and progress for the American people.
That’s why I love following/reading our historians, who provide a clear picture of where we were, and where we’re heading if we continue down this path. And of course the lawyers, like Robert, and Joyce, and Barbara McQuade, who explain all of the legalese for those of us whose eyes roll back into their head when reading legal docs!
What’s even worse about that comment is that rape has nothing to do with lust or attraction. It is a violent assault. He insulted in the comment and assaulted in his action. He is disgusting in every possible way.
When I watched the tape I thought he is truly delusional. Perhaps senility, perhaps a major mental illness, but definitely narcissism to a pathological degree.
All the above, Hope. You have it right. I have often suggested that he is a sick man who has made his followers and those of us who find him disgusting sick. Our preoccupation with him over these past 8 years has taken its toll on everyone, particularly our country's commitment to civility, constitutional law and democracy. We will prevail. We must.
I agree with you. The preoccupation of all things Trump over lo, these last 8 or so years certainly has taken it's toll on a lot of us. I think we are suffering from a form of TFG PTSD. He needs to be gone.
I haven't watched the tape because I saw enough of DT to last me a lifetime. His crudeness, cruelty, and banality are not new news. He is one, long and boring rerun of a bully.
Completely convinced he was right. His reaction to being told the woman he identified as Marla Maples - definitely "his type" - was E. Jean, was classic: "how dare you?"
Thanks, Robert, for the shorter comments on the several stories you listed tonight. And for "permission" to skip them altogether if needed. We need to find ways to help support each other emotionally and psychologically during the coming 18 months. It is not going to be an easy road. However, thanks to you and your daily column, I think I will be surviving it all much better than I had anticipated several months ago before I found out about you. Wishing you a lovely weekend with your delightful editor. See you on Monday.
You have the same last name as my ~50 years ago mammalogy professor at UC Berkeley, a good prof and a good guy. And I haven't seen the name since. He could also be drily quite funny
It's not a common name. Those I know are relations have been and are situated mostly in Wisconsin near Milwaukee, or St Louis. One of us is now a full-time Florida resident.. Your professor sounds like someone I would have liked; I'm fond of mammals and dry humor. Thanks for the note.
I finally heard someone clarify the truth about rape that totally negates Trump's ignorant defense that "E. Jean Carroll is not my type." I've been very surprised it has taken so long. The common response on television shows to Trump's declaration, is that he pointed to Ms. Carroll in a photo and identified her as his ex wife Marla Maples, therefore he was contradicting his statement that he didn't find Ms. Carroll attractive. That is certainly a fact worth pointing out to the jury.
But I hope that one of the experts who testified, explained why Trump's statement denying any attraction to the plaintiff was a red herring.
A female lawyer on Chris Hayes' show tonight finally stated that rape is a crime of aggression, violence and domination that has nothing to do with whether or not the victim is attractive to the perpetrator. That has been very obvious to anyone who pays attention to the news. No woman was spared from being sexually assaulted because she wasn't attractive. In fact, there have been news stories about young men who have raped old women. They did it because rape is a crime of domination and violence that has nothing to do with sexual attraction.
Listening to his videotaped deposition while driving, probably wasn’t the smartest move I’ve ever done. I was gripping the wheel so tightly and seething. People could probably see the smoke coming out of my ears. When he described who wasn’t “his type” and then said to Carroll’s attorney that she wasn’t his type either, I wanted to rip his throat out!
I appreciate your response to his typically disgusting comment, Marlene. I have to say that when I watched that part of his deposition tape on TV--which was played several times yesterday--I had a picture to go with those words and it added a lot. The first time I was struck by what a rude, totally superflous and bone-headed comment "She's not my type" was, coming from a defendant in a rape case.
But the other times, I paid more attention to his expression and demeanor. I thought he looked like a pod person. He spoke, not surprisingly, like someone with little to no emotional depth. He was very quiet and passive, except for the hamster on a wheel you could see jumping into action and quickly peddling right behind his eyes when he worked on answering a question like "Are you a star?" Perhaps he was sedated...
While he's still a dangerous, unhinged malignant narcissist devoid of class or empathy and capable of the worst behavior imaginable if it serves his purpose, at that depo he came across as an old, tired robot with orange makeup on his face. He was a pathetic shell of a person. And even his inappropriate comments held no power and seemed to wilt and dissipate as soon as he spoke them.
He is malignant and that’s what makes him so dangerous! He has always gotten his way…entitlement is what I call it. Look at SCOTUS now, for that example, too. They may not be wearing Fake 45’s orange makeup but they sure are pathetic and as dishonest as he is.
Does anybody really care about DT's preference for rape victims? Rape is a heinous violation of a human being. Giving him anything other than enough rope to hang himself is a waste of time and mental energy.
Trump's entire goal when calling her "not my type" or unattractive is to insult her. That's shown when he says it to the lawyer during the interview. It's meant to cause pain which is his knee gut reaction to anyone who confronts him on his words and actions. His view that due to his stardom or high value that he has the right to assault women says everything about this case. He has probably done this so many, many times that he doesn't remember any of them. They are faceless.
Trump’s calling E. Jean Carroll "not my type" or unattractive is not only to insult her. It is a form of egoistic preening – claiming how attractive he is.
Trump has no moral compass and little if any self-awareness. I think it is likely that this will be his downfall-along with the evidence-in his court cases. And he will be shocked. Watching video from his rape/defamation case deposition, I see him thinking he is being careful, and yet he insults his accuser and her attorney on tape in court. It SHOULD affect his election prospects. Hopefully enough voters are willing to see that he shows us every day who he is. He is a danger to our country.
Yes, and anyone who has paid attention to what mental health experts, lawyers, and victims say about rape knows what trump's bone head attorney doesn't seem to; victims are frightened, in shock and often ashamed. That they didn't struggle or scream is not a measure of whether they were really raped. Trump's fame would also be a factor. Many victims never tell, or maybe tell one person and ask them to never repeat it.
I’m glad to hear this stated finally. I’m enraged every time I hear that. No, it’s not like deciding who to ask out at the college mixer. It’s power and the ultimate belittling of a person. That’s why it’s a war crime.
Speaking of one party rule, all of the recent laws passed by the red states have been very negative in nature. Life is difficult enough as it is and they just seem intent on making life more difficult for a lot of people, women in particular. Absolute power corrupts that's for sure. The Supreme Court is a prime example. .And yet I wonder what would happen if there was no such thing as a Republican Party. It seems to me we'd have a pretty good country, but would bad actors gain dominance and spoil everything? Even good guys can become bad with no checks and balances. I bet if there had been no WWII a lot of German citizens would have lived out their lives as butchers and bakers and farmers, etc., and never hurt a single person, but under the Nazi regime as SS men and so forth they had absolute power. They could shoot people for no reason at all and had no fear of any kind of repercussions so they became monsters. Imagine if Trump had that kind of power. There is no question in my mind that g he would imprison or worse every single critic, including all the comedians that make fun of him on TV. Yet he has maybe 30% of the population that would vote i him in tomorrow if they couls d. Some of them are extremely fanatic like the hate groups, The MAGA crowd as a whole will vote for him again. That is what we are up against. But we have Robert and others like him to bolster our resolve to keep fighting the good fight as they point out all the transgressions and under handed shenanigans across the country as the GOP struggle to hang on to and gain power by whatever means are necessary.
Charlie Baker was only the titular head of the Massachusetts Republican Party. The people who actually have run it have been political Luddites and anti-union – important reasons why Massachusetts has almost unfailingly been overwhelmingly Democratic.
The dissolving of the Republican party as we knew it is already happening. When you have Trump, Gulliani, MTG, Gaetz, Boebert, and so on rising to the top, you have the most ignorant and hateful among us trying to be "Republicans." And, the MAGA supporters are the citizens of our country that are just as vile and hateful with a few delusional/ignorant thrown in. They have basically stopped any attempts at helping our nation, and are focusing on destroying it at mostly the state levels. The more we hear about our Supreme Court, the more we have to wash our hands of any respect for their guidance. What is frustrating and angering me the most is how long it is taking us to bring justice to those who lie, distort, destroy, and break laws in order to manipulate our governments. Back when the Trump tape came out, our press and nation didn't nothing to push this forward as unacceptable in a public service candidate. Finally, we are there because of the bravery of one woman. E. Jean Carroll is a hero in my book.
So well said, Christi, you captured the essence of the entire problem in a nutshell. I happen to be into spiritual books, not religion as such but about what it means to be a good person. Of course for a lot of people their chosen religion is helpful to them in that regard, but others into religion are not in the slightest bit spiritual, but angry and mean spirited (MTG for example). After a near death experience many years ago I realized that the state of one's heart and soul is what counts, not one's religious beliefs, yet the opposite is often taught, at least in the Christian tradition - that belief is all that counts, in other words you can be an SOB all your life but if you confess, etc., etc., at the last minute all will be well. yet it says in the bible "By our works we shall be known." .
Sane democracies would declare the Republican Party illegitimate and ban it. It is a collection of oligarchs, haters, liars, nuts, criminals, fascists and fearmongers.
A perfect description, John. I might steal that from you :) It would be funny if this was all some kind of a giant play or musical, but unfortunately very real. They are virtually an enemy of the state, certainly an enemy of democratic principles.
Incomprehensible! A crook, a con artist, a liar, a rapist, one of the worst examples of human nature ever, and yet people will vote for him. What does that say about their character? Of course people cheered Hitler by the thousands, J suppose that is the answer, a sort of mass perversion as an integral part of human society.,
Also, there is so much diversity within the Democratic party. Perhaps splinter groups -- Bernie Democratic Socialists versus Biden moderates -- will effectively become separate parties.
Yes, Bernie is super smart and really does care about everyone. It would be interesting to see him run the country for 4 years and see what he does with it, but for some reason really good people like him don't get elected.
Well said Mr. Evans although please correct me on the following. Albany NY and New Orleans suffered grifters governing during local Democrat administrations. If true one party rule could be trouble.
One party rule is always a problem at some point. What party it is doesn't matter. Like single source contracts, eventually the beneficiary will try to take advantage, regardless of how positive the intent was at the beginning. Unchecked authority is invariably bad.
Yes, if true, absolutely. A one part system would have to be squeaky clean for it to work and with the highest ideals. Much like a benevolent dictator which it is said would be the best form of government, unfortunately they only last so long before being replaced by a despot.
Tricia Cotham is a storyline / character I almost entirely forgot about. She originally ran on codifying Roe in NC and then backs this bill. Not that I'm necessarily shocked by anything self serving hypocrites do, it's just so odd to switch positions so drastically like that. Her constituents and all of NC are losers because of her actions. It makes me even more upset that gerrymandering in NC allows for this to even be a possibility. The GOP is really doubling down on dumb policy ideas. Their only ideas for governing recently involve punishing certain groups of people and they call themselves the party of small government.... The irony.
The actions of these GOP extremists will increasingly serve to drive every voter, in NC and elsewhere, to deep-seated and semi-permanent opposition to the MAGA-controlled Republican Party. Their attempt to impose draconian social policies will assure that a solid majority of the four million Americans who turn 18 every year will NEVER vote Republican, at least not for the current version of that Party. These extreme right-wingers are being both arrogant and stupid, a combination guaranteed to produce ever greater electoral defeats in future elections. It will take a clear, indisputable defeat at the polls to demonstrate to them the folly of their actions. This may come in 2024, or it may take one or two more electoral cycles for today's version of the GOP to become a minority party, limited to a diminishing number of Deep Red states in the deep South and the Mountain West. But this is the path they are on, with its direction a certainty and only its timing in doubt.
I believe there will be a tremendous Gen X turnout in every state which will surprise conservatives. May they be the ones to drive the stake into their heartless souls.
In my deep red state of MT, the super majority christian nationalists have put forth so much destructive legislation that we now have a built-in court season following the legislative conference. They passed laws that are on their face unconstitutional, and there are no penalties for that. How are they paying for it? They failed to continue a program that feeds hungry children to the tune of $300,000 and passed money for court season in the amount of $1.2M. I know we are among the other red states who are following the national think thank plan to demolish democracy in favor of taking over, and I will continue to do my part to push against this tide. It's exhausting, but I will not go down shaking my head and clutching my pearls. I will be making waves that ripple outward.
Wendy, it really is hard to be in a super-majority red state. Those of us in these states need to find like-minded people around us to keep us going. I applaud any and all ripples you make!
It must be hard, but good for you for your determination to do what is right and to try to correct wrongs. Good luck in making waves that ripple outward - I loved that!
One thing that helps is seeing that Minnesota is protecting voting rights and accessibility. It means hope is alive and keeps the foundational idea of one person one vote as a basic belief. Keep up what you are doing personally because each of us changes the whole, like cells in our body. Change starts in one cell for better or worse. That is a specific thing that each of us can do.
Agreed! This newsletter and Jessica Craven's are good sources of individual campaigns or groups that need support across the country. I know we can make a difference, even with small donations because there are a lot of us. PS: The Washington Examiner(not on my regular reading list) just did a piece on how Minnesota is being ruined by our extremist government. Of course much of the content was inaccurate ; even here we don't allow babies to be aborted "up to and after birth".
I will check this out. The past 6 years have taught us that every vote in every election is important, and not just in our home state(Minnesota here). My small donations go as directly as possible to getting out the vote for any key election where ever it is. I'm a boomer, and I know that we need the following generations to vote, and to vote for freedom...not for the GOP version of Christian Supremacy. I just posted this link to a small fb group I admin.
Kristin Sinema had the dignity to announce she would run as an Indy next time. Cotham is a full-on plant, who ran on strong Democratic values in a strong blue district. No doubt the rednecks in the GQP got a big laugh at how they “owned the libs” and bought her off! My question is why the Dems aren’t buying off a moderated GQP or two, though that is an oxymoron……..
You’re right. It was a stretch, but just to compare with Cotham’s complete and utter treason. Sinema didn’t really change parties during the session, nor did she ever abandon protecting women’s rights!
We are seeing something similar at local school board races and such. Run as Democrats and provide no platform. Then enact their vile platforms once elected.
I agree with you completely. And concerning gerrymandering, I feel helpless when it comes to this practice. We can combat lots of attacks from the extreme right but our representatives in Washington DC are the ones who must make laws to stop gerrymandering and voter suppression. It seems almost impossible to elect enough Democrats to get these things done. Lately, like in NC, things are moving backwards.
The big winner, if our government ultimately defaults on its debts could be China.
China has been campaigning to make its currency, the Yuan, into an international currency, like the Dollar, for settling financial obligations. If the US defaults, the Yuan will begin to look better in relation to the Dollar, maybe, to some, preferable.
Republicans should be demanded to explain whether their objective is to enhance China’s status (or maybe accused of the same?).
I wish someone would use an analogy for the debt ceiling crisis that more people could understand, e.g., One spouse says to the other: “I will agree to pay the mortgage next month if you agree that we should reduce what we will spend on groceries and clothing in the upcoming year.” What????? Why would a couple worrying about budgeting for the year ahead destroy their credit ratings by failing to pay the mortgage? No sane couple would have such a conversation no matter how much one or the other of them wished to do some belt-tightening!! Examples like this make the situation clear to Americans who may be confused by all the talk about the debt ceiling.
The media has completely conflated the budget with the debt ceiling. I, and others, have been pushing back in our comments to the only paper that I subscribe to (WaPo) and lately some articles seem to be making a more clear distinction. Is it because of our comments and complaints? I don’t know but it’s worth believing that if we “make noise” it will eventually get heard.
I think Catherine Rampell (WaPo) or someone she quoted, has made the kind of analogy you made. But even if so, it gets swamped by commentary about things, like international trade or the US credit rating, that seem abstract and distant to most people. More “close-to-home” analogies might make a better connection for many folks.
Only, stress the consequences to families who don’t pay the mortgage; don’t dwell on being a good citizen (many won’t care).
Out camping this weekend but popped in to say, "Thanks for being here with us even when your own life was in upheaval!" Stay healthy and safe, hope you are fully recovered from Covid, and get some rest this weekend. 👍💜
I am aghast that others - most certainly always men - deem it their purview to decide the reproductive choices of women. Men, who probably flush away (I’m trying to be discreet) how many potential baby- making sperm on a daily basis, get to decide when a woman can end a pregnancy? A woman is fertile for a very finite period of time each month. Men...well, you’re always on task.
We're not all like that. I took my girlfriend to planned parenthood my senior year of high school. In my sophomore year, our first assignment in French class was to write about a cause we believed strongly in. I wrote about choice.
As for the huge numbers of sperm, our hunter-gatherer ancestors were mostly polyamorous. That meant that the major competition for begating children was sperm competition. That's why we have among the largest testicles among the primates, and why we produce among the greatest numbers of sperm. And that's why the male sex drive is so crazy powerful. And it IS crazy powerful. I have a vivid memory of being totally unable to concentrate one day in my 11th grade English class--my favorite class that year. At the end, I made a beeline for the bathroom, where I did what I euphemistically refer to as "homework." The sex drive remained crazy powerful through my 30s, and even into my 40s. This is undoubtedly why certain tiny and somewhat obscure Christian sects have for adolescents what they call "bundling."
The so-called Christians in our country who foist their priorities onto women--which amount to wanting ownership of women--well, I don't know what to do about them. They make me fantasize about bringing back the pillory.
I also remember hearing, in my youth, that the sex drive was as powerful as it was to ensure that the species would be propagated. That's baloney. Truly monogamous primate males have tiny penises, and they use them for procreation once a year.
see: Sex At Dawn, by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha.
Robert: As a resident of the red state of FL, I acknowledge you for your informative, well-written, and upbeat emails which I read daily. Through our local Indivisible chapter and the Charlotte County Dems, we work to keep our members informed, including by writing letters to the editor.
Your most recent article about our Governor inspired me to submit the following Letter to the Editor to the Charlotte SUN and Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Please know your words have an impact.
Bill Welsch, Punta Gorda, FL
One-Party Rule Bad for Floridians
According to a piece reported at the News Opinion Website Talking Points Memo, the Florida state legislature has moved to allow Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials to hide their travel records from the public.
In recent weeks, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature passed a number of new voting restrictions to state election law, including tweaking the state’s “resign to run” provision, paving the way for DeSantis to serve as governor as he campaigns for the White House.
Given the numerous issues our state is facing, the work of the Governor hardly seems like a part-time job.
These are the kinds of disgraceful things that happen in a state like ours where Republicans hold a super majority. They are essentially free to do whatever they want whether the rest of us agree with it or not. We are seeing the same abuses of power with issues like gun safety and women’s health choices in which our elected officials continue to vote against the interests of the majority.
As we approach the 2024 elections, it’s past time for average Floridians to say enough is enough and select others to represent them.
Vicki and Bill, I’m with you on the other coast.Many Floridians are unaware their own legislators are filing highly unpopular bills.My Rep sponsored HB 1543 allowing 18-year-olds to own assault rifles. Thankfully it appears Senate isn’t receptive although of course, DeSantis favors. Keep writing !!
Kathy, I’m on the West Coast in bright red Pasco County. My congressman, Gus Bilirakis, may not be as well known as Matt Gaetz but he is just as bad. I think the greatest opportunity we have is to help focus, however, on the state houses. Too many of them have run unopposed and that’s why they feel immune. We’ve got to change that.
It’s nice to “meet” you here and to read about your activism. I’m curious about letters to the editor and their impacts. If you have any follow-up info, please let us know. I’m in Collier County, not far away.
Representative Cotham was no doubt promised to have her district highly gerrymandered in the next election, so that she would not be run out of town by her current constituents. And during the election, most of her support came from GQP PACS. Not sure how the Dems let that go by. There is no excuse for what she did to her district, our state, and possibly even the US House. If she wanted fame, she got it. But for all the wrong reasons. How tragic that a woman who knows better, and who was unequivocal in telling the N.C. legislature a few years ago to stay out of a woman’s right to choose, has now joined the enemy and sold other women down the river. How many pieces of silver did that take????? Can’t imagine a thirst for some puny state power that would make someone betray her own principles. She just aided and abetted the patriarchy…….again.
This is what we are facing in MT as well. I know I have no confidence in the MT Ds. They supported the Independent candidate in '22 instead of the D. I am unclear on intraparty politics here, and I'm not interested in finding out. It's another reason why this climb out of the muck and mire is more difficult and daunting.
I spent around 10 days, maybe a bit more, riding my bicycle across Montana, mostly on rt. 2 after going through Glacier Park, in 1975, on my way across the country. Spent a moderate amount of time in bars, talking to locals, finding them welcoming and helpful for the most part. I don't know what's happened there.
Some things to remember. In 2020 Republications in part ran their campaign blaming Democrats for inflation and high prices. The current job numbers indicate that the economy is stronger than ever and more people are working at higher wages. The Wall Street journal this week after reviewing corporate earnings indicated a major cause of inflation is price gouging by corporations. Living in NC I am appalled at the legislators passing a 12 week abortion law but based on local feedback and outrage that decision should have political ,consequences in 2024. That’s my point which is we sometimes need a longer term view and not a transactional view of what is happening because the voters of this country everyday have many reasons to reject the racists and obstructive views of Republicans and lots of reasons to continue the great job Democrats are doing for everyone.
Wouldn’t it be great if the majority of voters could/would read the truthful articles such as that which came out of the WSJ(!) about how profiteering by corporations has caused higher prices, rather than blindly blame the Biden administration?
NC maps will be redrawn later this year, thanks to our new state Supreme Court. I will watch with interest to see what the map around Cotham’s residence looks like.
NC also passed an increase in vouchers out of committee this week. I went to speak against it at the hearing. The usual stuff about giving parents choice and being accountable to parents (but not to the taxpayers footing the bill)… Most of our voucher schools are religious and many use a biblically based curriculum, supported by all taxpayers. Both the voucher bill and the abortion ban threaten what little we have left of the separation of church and state.
“Happy and Glorious,” are the surely aspirational words that greeted King Charles and the thousands of others who are participating in the beautifully planned and executed coronation pageant that I am watching this morning. It is both interesting and, I believe, quite significant that this high state event is taking place in a place of worship, in the unembarrassed context of a religious service. The King has promised and stated that he understands his role and responsibility are to serve and not to be served, all in accordance with law. Would that all those having governance responsibilities throughout the world have the same understanding and make the same commitment. I submit that that is the formula, if sincerely followed by executives, judges and legislators, that will enable most if not all people to live happy and glorious lives.
Could you elaborate on what you perceive as the significance of having the ceremony in a religious context? Are you advocating for the abolition of church and state?
I did not intend to express an opinion on the UK’s historical custom and law that makes the monarch, the head of state, also the titular head of the Church of England. Rather, I think the significance of the coronation being essentially a religious service is that the person who is being crowned as ostensibly the sovereign or all-powerful ruler is being told that he (or she) is not in fact or reality all-powerful at all. Charles acknowledged this reality at the outset of the service when asked by a teenager, “Why are you here?” and responded, “I am here to serve and not to be served.” This essentially is a faith statement which can authentically be made only in a religious context and service.
I am a very, very, strong advocate, along with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, among many others, in the separation of church and state, particularly in the United States, where I live and vote. I also believe that our political polity would be vastly improved if those who serve in any governing capacity could and would honestly confirm that they hold office to serve and not be served.
Curious minds are enquiring: what caused (or was the pay-off) for the defection of Rep. Tricia Cotham (NC 112th) to the Republican party? In so doing, she handed a veto-proof super-majority to the Republicans which is a pretty valuable ($$$) change of heart. As Robert pointed out, Cotham campaigned (and won) as an advocate for reproductive liberty in a Democratic district. Does she want to start sending other women to jail or the hospital?
Thank you as always, Robert, for taking press wisdom with a grain of salt. I am wondering today why the South slips back into its retrogressive mode over and over again. Conventional wisdom says poverty, but the idiot millionaires in Congress refute that connection.
Thank you, Robert, for this weekend update. I have been busy with something for 24 hours and was thrilled to have a news update. I wish there was some way to let E. Jean Carroll know we are all with her. What a brave woman. Great to hear the exciting Fulton County news!
For anyone willing to help with postcards, I believe PostcardsToVoters.org is about to launch a combo postcard for two school board elections in PA. Oh boy, the school board stuff has gotten so scary, so I am thrilled to be able to help on those and hope others may have time too since deadline to mail is Tuesday, I think, so they make it there before the May 16th PA elections. Hopefully they will launch early Saturday!
To help, text “join” to Abby the text bot at 484-275-2229 or email join@TonytheDemocrat.org. If you already joined, just text Abby the Bot. All you need are some postcards and stamps.
Subscribe to E. Jean's Substack and you can tell her - like all of us did today.
Here is the link to E. Jean Carroll's substack blog: https://ejeancarroll.substack.com/
thanks! Done!
Pinning to the top!
Thank you! Great!!
Thanks for the post carding update, Sarah. I'll get some school board addresses.
Hi Sarah! Just got the text from Abby this morning. Will do!
Yay!!!
Trump really damned himself when he let his only appearance at the trial be that video. As thoroughly horrid as you know he is, seeing him in all his horridness like that was really shocking, even to me.
It struck me what an old fart he is. Hell, if I were the attorney interviewing and he said to me, 'You're not my type either," I would have said, "Back at ya!" The Scotsman, an online newspaper from Scotland (where else!) had some fun with his recent visit. I wish our media could be so forthcoming while panning the heck out of ol'windbag. Mary Trump's substack has a poster, allegedly from Scotland, calling him a big orange jobbie (turd).
Our media is too busy covering Trump's next town hall event or interviewing the putrid Marjorie Taylor-Greene. They are still fawning over him just like they did in 2016. They could note Biden's accomplishments which include his great jobs report, his emphasis on infra-structure and bolstering new manufacturing,taking measures to take back some of the power that big business leaders have had for decades,efforts at ending non-compete causes for employees, trying to protect Social Security and Medicare and the list goes on and on. Daily, though we are inundated with coverage of Trump's antics and those of his cult followers and legislative and SCOTUS Magats. Frankly, I am sick to death of it.
Our media is addicted to all things sensational, outrageous, and dramatic. They need their hourly fix of tfg. I abhor all of the free publicity he gets.
MSM makes little effort to report on the “mundane”, (their view, not mine), incremental progress made by truly governing - what Biden is doing. It’s all about the Bling 🤑, not the substance and progress for the American people.
That’s why I love following/reading our historians, who provide a clear picture of where we were, and where we’re heading if we continue down this path. And of course the lawyers, like Robert, and Joyce, and Barbara McQuade, who explain all of the legalese for those of us whose eyes roll back into their head when reading legal docs!
Thank you all!
The old journalistic adage: “If it bleeds, it leads.” Outrageous is equivalent to ‘bleeding’.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene" a.k.a. "Majorly Traitor Greene" a.k.a. "Margie Q"
I truly believe that she is mentally unstable. <sigh> Also, is there any action on getting her out of congress?
AKA just another "Yam Face" follower.
And, the implication is that, if she HAD been “his type,” he would have felt free to rape her. Oh, well, now I understand!
What’s even worse about that comment is that rape has nothing to do with lust or attraction. It is a violent assault. He insulted in the comment and assaulted in his action. He is disgusting in every possible way.
When I watched the tape I thought he is truly delusional. Perhaps senility, perhaps a major mental illness, but definitely narcissism to a pathological degree.
All the above, Hope. You have it right. I have often suggested that he is a sick man who has made his followers and those of us who find him disgusting sick. Our preoccupation with him over these past 8 years has taken its toll on everyone, particularly our country's commitment to civility, constitutional law and democracy. We will prevail. We must.
I agree with you. The preoccupation of all things Trump over lo, these last 8 or so years certainly has taken it's toll on a lot of us. I think we are suffering from a form of TFG PTSD. He needs to be gone.
Well said, John.
I haven't watched the tape because I saw enough of DT to last me a lifetime. His crudeness, cruelty, and banality are not new news. He is one, long and boring rerun of a bully.
Also: rape is all about power, in my opinion.
Exactly!!
“Because when you’re a star, they let you do it.”
He is so damned narcissistic and self centered AND revolting.
Good point, Alice Susan Lawson. The man has no shame nor moral compass.
HA! Love Mary Trump!
Everyday he is being tried in the court of public opinion
Or maybe, That’s a relief!
All—well, much—of his psychopathy was on display when he said that his most awful comment was merely factual. The man gives creeps a bad name.
Jon Margolis and TCinLA are in agreement! Has Hell really frozen over??? :-)
Even. Stopped clock and all that.
I laughed out loud
Agreed. Because of course someone like him is the final word on female attractiveness.
That's a good one.
Whenever I have to hear or see him, (and I dive to turn down the volume of a podcast whenever possible), all I can think is “ evil incarnate.”
Yes.
He is utterly revolting. And if anyone suffers from cognitive damage, it's him.
Yep!
His obvious contempt and disdain were so clearly shown on his face. It was disgusting.
Completely convinced he was right. His reaction to being told the woman he identified as Marla Maples - definitely "his type" - was E. Jean, was classic: "how dare you?"
When confronted with his mistake, he blamed a blurry photo of which was a lie.
Thanks, Robert, for the shorter comments on the several stories you listed tonight. And for "permission" to skip them altogether if needed. We need to find ways to help support each other emotionally and psychologically during the coming 18 months. It is not going to be an easy road. However, thanks to you and your daily column, I think I will be surviving it all much better than I had anticipated several months ago before I found out about you. Wishing you a lovely weekend with your delightful editor. See you on Monday.
Same! in Minnesota.
You have the same last name as my ~50 years ago mammalogy professor at UC Berkeley, a good prof and a good guy. And I haven't seen the name since. He could also be drily quite funny
It's not a common name. Those I know are relations have been and are situated mostly in Wisconsin near Milwaukee, or St Louis. One of us is now a full-time Florida resident.. Your professor sounds like someone I would have liked; I'm fond of mammals and dry humor. Thanks for the note.
You're welcome Joanne. He was born in Evanston Illinois, a mere 80 miles from Milwaukee--details in the (very recent) obit
https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/104/1/203/6847148
I finally heard someone clarify the truth about rape that totally negates Trump's ignorant defense that "E. Jean Carroll is not my type." I've been very surprised it has taken so long. The common response on television shows to Trump's declaration, is that he pointed to Ms. Carroll in a photo and identified her as his ex wife Marla Maples, therefore he was contradicting his statement that he didn't find Ms. Carroll attractive. That is certainly a fact worth pointing out to the jury.
But I hope that one of the experts who testified, explained why Trump's statement denying any attraction to the plaintiff was a red herring.
A female lawyer on Chris Hayes' show tonight finally stated that rape is a crime of aggression, violence and domination that has nothing to do with whether or not the victim is attractive to the perpetrator. That has been very obvious to anyone who pays attention to the news. No woman was spared from being sexually assaulted because she wasn't attractive. In fact, there have been news stories about young men who have raped old women. They did it because rape is a crime of domination and violence that has nothing to do with sexual attraction.
Listening to his videotaped deposition while driving, probably wasn’t the smartest move I’ve ever done. I was gripping the wheel so tightly and seething. People could probably see the smoke coming out of my ears. When he described who wasn’t “his type” and then said to Carroll’s attorney that she wasn’t his type either, I wanted to rip his throat out!
Remember he is not our type either.
I appreciate your response to his typically disgusting comment, Marlene. I have to say that when I watched that part of his deposition tape on TV--which was played several times yesterday--I had a picture to go with those words and it added a lot. The first time I was struck by what a rude, totally superflous and bone-headed comment "She's not my type" was, coming from a defendant in a rape case.
But the other times, I paid more attention to his expression and demeanor. I thought he looked like a pod person. He spoke, not surprisingly, like someone with little to no emotional depth. He was very quiet and passive, except for the hamster on a wheel you could see jumping into action and quickly peddling right behind his eyes when he worked on answering a question like "Are you a star?" Perhaps he was sedated...
While he's still a dangerous, unhinged malignant narcissist devoid of class or empathy and capable of the worst behavior imaginable if it serves his purpose, at that depo he came across as an old, tired robot with orange makeup on his face. He was a pathetic shell of a person. And even his inappropriate comments held no power and seemed to wilt and dissipate as soon as he spoke them.
He is malignant and that’s what makes him so dangerous! He has always gotten his way…entitlement is what I call it. Look at SCOTUS now, for that example, too. They may not be wearing Fake 45’s orange makeup but they sure are pathetic and as dishonest as he is.
...Let's hope that was also the reaction of the judge and everyone else listening. Disgusting, stupid, damning.
Does anybody really care about DT's preference for rape victims? Rape is a heinous violation of a human being. Giving him anything other than enough rope to hang himself is a waste of time and mental energy.
Well, Susan, I think he handed E. Jean the rope with this deposition.
Trump's entire goal when calling her "not my type" or unattractive is to insult her. That's shown when he says it to the lawyer during the interview. It's meant to cause pain which is his knee gut reaction to anyone who confronts him on his words and actions. His view that due to his stardom or high value that he has the right to assault women says everything about this case. He has probably done this so many, many times that he doesn't remember any of them. They are faceless.
Trump’s calling E. Jean Carroll "not my type" or unattractive is not only to insult her. It is a form of egoistic preening – claiming how attractive he is.
Trump has no moral compass and little if any self-awareness. I think it is likely that this will be his downfall-along with the evidence-in his court cases. And he will be shocked. Watching video from his rape/defamation case deposition, I see him thinking he is being careful, and yet he insults his accuser and her attorney on tape in court. It SHOULD affect his election prospects. Hopefully enough voters are willing to see that he shows us every day who he is. He is a danger to our country.
Yes, and anyone who has paid attention to what mental health experts, lawyers, and victims say about rape knows what trump's bone head attorney doesn't seem to; victims are frightened, in shock and often ashamed. That they didn't struggle or scream is not a measure of whether they were really raped. Trump's fame would also be a factor. Many victims never tell, or maybe tell one person and ask them to never repeat it.
I’m glad to hear this stated finally. I’m enraged every time I hear that. No, it’s not like deciding who to ask out at the college mixer. It’s power and the ultimate belittling of a person. That’s why it’s a war crime.
Speaking of one party rule, all of the recent laws passed by the red states have been very negative in nature. Life is difficult enough as it is and they just seem intent on making life more difficult for a lot of people, women in particular. Absolute power corrupts that's for sure. The Supreme Court is a prime example. .And yet I wonder what would happen if there was no such thing as a Republican Party. It seems to me we'd have a pretty good country, but would bad actors gain dominance and spoil everything? Even good guys can become bad with no checks and balances. I bet if there had been no WWII a lot of German citizens would have lived out their lives as butchers and bakers and farmers, etc., and never hurt a single person, but under the Nazi regime as SS men and so forth they had absolute power. They could shoot people for no reason at all and had no fear of any kind of repercussions so they became monsters. Imagine if Trump had that kind of power. There is no question in my mind that g he would imprison or worse every single critic, including all the comedians that make fun of him on TV. Yet he has maybe 30% of the population that would vote i him in tomorrow if they couls d. Some of them are extremely fanatic like the hate groups, The MAGA crowd as a whole will vote for him again. That is what we are up against. But we have Robert and others like him to bolster our resolve to keep fighting the good fight as they point out all the transgressions and under handed shenanigans across the country as the GOP struggle to hang on to and gain power by whatever means are necessary.
There is already no Republican Party.
There is or was a tiny little Republican Party in Massachusetts led by our former governor, Charlie Baker. But I don't think I'm contradicting you.
Charlie Baker was only the titular head of the Massachusetts Republican Party. The people who actually have run it have been political Luddites and anti-union – important reasons why Massachusetts has almost unfailingly been overwhelmingly Democratic.
You're certainly right about all that.
The dissolving of the Republican party as we knew it is already happening. When you have Trump, Gulliani, MTG, Gaetz, Boebert, and so on rising to the top, you have the most ignorant and hateful among us trying to be "Republicans." And, the MAGA supporters are the citizens of our country that are just as vile and hateful with a few delusional/ignorant thrown in. They have basically stopped any attempts at helping our nation, and are focusing on destroying it at mostly the state levels. The more we hear about our Supreme Court, the more we have to wash our hands of any respect for their guidance. What is frustrating and angering me the most is how long it is taking us to bring justice to those who lie, distort, destroy, and break laws in order to manipulate our governments. Back when the Trump tape came out, our press and nation didn't nothing to push this forward as unacceptable in a public service candidate. Finally, we are there because of the bravery of one woman. E. Jean Carroll is a hero in my book.
So well said, Christi, you captured the essence of the entire problem in a nutshell. I happen to be into spiritual books, not religion as such but about what it means to be a good person. Of course for a lot of people their chosen religion is helpful to them in that regard, but others into religion are not in the slightest bit spiritual, but angry and mean spirited (MTG for example). After a near death experience many years ago I realized that the state of one's heart and soul is what counts, not one's religious beliefs, yet the opposite is often taught, at least in the Christian tradition - that belief is all that counts, in other words you can be an SOB all your life but if you confess, etc., etc., at the last minute all will be well. yet it says in the bible "By our works we shall be known." .
Sane democracies would declare the Republican Party illegitimate and ban it. It is a collection of oligarchs, haters, liars, nuts, criminals, fascists and fearmongers.
A perfect description, John. I might steal that from you :) It would be funny if this was all some kind of a giant play or musical, but unfortunately very real. They are virtually an enemy of the state, certainly an enemy of democratic principles.
James Baker told Susan Glasser and Peter Baker that HE would vote for Trump again over a Democrat.
Incomprehensible! A crook, a con artist, a liar, a rapist, one of the worst examples of human nature ever, and yet people will vote for him. What does that say about their character? Of course people cheered Hitler by the thousands, J suppose that is the answer, a sort of mass perversion as an integral part of human society.,
Also, there is so much diversity within the Democratic party. Perhaps splinter groups -- Bernie Democratic Socialists versus Biden moderates -- will effectively become separate parties.
Yes, Bernie is super smart and really does care about everyone. It would be interesting to see him run the country for 4 years and see what he does with it, but for some reason really good people like him don't get elected.
Well said Mr. Evans although please correct me on the following. Albany NY and New Orleans suffered grifters governing during local Democrat administrations. If true one party rule could be trouble.
One party rule is always a problem at some point. What party it is doesn't matter. Like single source contracts, eventually the beneficiary will try to take advantage, regardless of how positive the intent was at the beginning. Unchecked authority is invariably bad.
Yes, if true, absolutely. A one part system would have to be squeaky clean for it to work and with the highest ideals. Much like a benevolent dictator which it is said would be the best form of government, unfortunately they only last so long before being replaced by a despot.
Tricia Cotham is a storyline / character I almost entirely forgot about. She originally ran on codifying Roe in NC and then backs this bill. Not that I'm necessarily shocked by anything self serving hypocrites do, it's just so odd to switch positions so drastically like that. Her constituents and all of NC are losers because of her actions. It makes me even more upset that gerrymandering in NC allows for this to even be a possibility. The GOP is really doubling down on dumb policy ideas. Their only ideas for governing recently involve punishing certain groups of people and they call themselves the party of small government.... The irony.
The actions of these GOP extremists will increasingly serve to drive every voter, in NC and elsewhere, to deep-seated and semi-permanent opposition to the MAGA-controlled Republican Party. Their attempt to impose draconian social policies will assure that a solid majority of the four million Americans who turn 18 every year will NEVER vote Republican, at least not for the current version of that Party. These extreme right-wingers are being both arrogant and stupid, a combination guaranteed to produce ever greater electoral defeats in future elections. It will take a clear, indisputable defeat at the polls to demonstrate to them the folly of their actions. This may come in 2024, or it may take one or two more electoral cycles for today's version of the GOP to become a minority party, limited to a diminishing number of Deep Red states in the deep South and the Mountain West. But this is the path they are on, with its direction a certainty and only its timing in doubt.
I believe there will be a tremendous Gen X turnout in every state which will surprise conservatives. May they be the ones to drive the stake into their heartless souls.
In my deep red state of MT, the super majority christian nationalists have put forth so much destructive legislation that we now have a built-in court season following the legislative conference. They passed laws that are on their face unconstitutional, and there are no penalties for that. How are they paying for it? They failed to continue a program that feeds hungry children to the tune of $300,000 and passed money for court season in the amount of $1.2M. I know we are among the other red states who are following the national think thank plan to demolish democracy in favor of taking over, and I will continue to do my part to push against this tide. It's exhausting, but I will not go down shaking my head and clutching my pearls. I will be making waves that ripple outward.
Wendy, it really is hard to be in a super-majority red state. Those of us in these states need to find like-minded people around us to keep us going. I applaud any and all ripples you make!
It must be hard, but good for you for your determination to do what is right and to try to correct wrongs. Good luck in making waves that ripple outward - I loved that!
I'm in Minnesota. Are there specific ways we can help?
One thing that helps is seeing that Minnesota is protecting voting rights and accessibility. It means hope is alive and keeps the foundational idea of one person one vote as a basic belief. Keep up what you are doing personally because each of us changes the whole, like cells in our body. Change starts in one cell for better or worse. That is a specific thing that each of us can do.
Agreed! This newsletter and Jessica Craven's are good sources of individual campaigns or groups that need support across the country. I know we can make a difference, even with small donations because there are a lot of us. PS: The Washington Examiner(not on my regular reading list) just did a piece on how Minnesota is being ruined by our extremist government. Of course much of the content was inaccurate ; even here we don't allow babies to be aborted "up to and after birth".
Let’s help make a giant GenZ turnout by donating or volunteering with groups like TheCivicsCenter.org.
I will check this out. The past 6 years have taught us that every vote in every election is important, and not just in our home state(Minnesota here). My small donations go as directly as possible to getting out the vote for any key election where ever it is. I'm a boomer, and I know that we need the following generations to vote, and to vote for freedom...not for the GOP version of Christian Supremacy. I just posted this link to a small fb group I admin.
Also votersoftomorrow.org, youth-led activists. And the “proudly partisan” Fieldteam6.org.
Great points 💯!
I really, really hope you're right.
Follow the money. This kind of switch doesn’t happen by chance.
She is a turncoat just like Kirsten Sinema. I wish to see them both lose their seats.
Kristin Sinema had the dignity to announce she would run as an Indy next time. Cotham is a full-on plant, who ran on strong Democratic values in a strong blue district. No doubt the rednecks in the GQP got a big laugh at how they “owned the libs” and bought her off! My question is why the Dems aren’t buying off a moderated GQP or two, though that is an oxymoron……..
I don’t know if I would call what Sinema did was exactly “with dignity”. I think she shat in the faces of Arizonians.
You’re right. It was a stretch, but just to compare with Cotham’s complete and utter treason. Sinema didn’t really change parties during the session, nor did she ever abandon protecting women’s rights!
She must have been bought. And for a lot less than Clarence Thomas, I bet.
Think about this. There had to be a monetary reason to switch.
We are seeing something similar at local school board races and such. Run as Democrats and provide no platform. Then enact their vile platforms once elected.
I agree with you completely. And concerning gerrymandering, I feel helpless when it comes to this practice. We can combat lots of attacks from the extreme right but our representatives in Washington DC are the ones who must make laws to stop gerrymandering and voter suppression. It seems almost impossible to elect enough Democrats to get these things done. Lately, like in NC, things are moving backwards.
The big winner, if our government ultimately defaults on its debts could be China.
China has been campaigning to make its currency, the Yuan, into an international currency, like the Dollar, for settling financial obligations. If the US defaults, the Yuan will begin to look better in relation to the Dollar, maybe, to some, preferable.
Republicans should be demanded to explain whether their objective is to enhance China’s status (or maybe accused of the same?).
I wish someone would use an analogy for the debt ceiling crisis that more people could understand, e.g., One spouse says to the other: “I will agree to pay the mortgage next month if you agree that we should reduce what we will spend on groceries and clothing in the upcoming year.” What????? Why would a couple worrying about budgeting for the year ahead destroy their credit ratings by failing to pay the mortgage? No sane couple would have such a conversation no matter how much one or the other of them wished to do some belt-tightening!! Examples like this make the situation clear to Americans who may be confused by all the talk about the debt ceiling.
The media has completely conflated the budget with the debt ceiling. I, and others, have been pushing back in our comments to the only paper that I subscribe to (WaPo) and lately some articles seem to be making a more clear distinction. Is it because of our comments and complaints? I don’t know but it’s worth believing that if we “make noise” it will eventually get heard.
I think Catherine Rampell (WaPo) or someone she quoted, has made the kind of analogy you made. But even if so, it gets swamped by commentary about things, like international trade or the US credit rating, that seem abstract and distant to most people. More “close-to-home” analogies might make a better connection for many folks.
Only, stress the consequences to families who don’t pay the mortgage; don’t dwell on being a good citizen (many won’t care).
Thank you for that analogy. I have been trying to think of one so I could explain to people what is at stake!
Out camping this weekend but popped in to say, "Thanks for being here with us even when your own life was in upheaval!" Stay healthy and safe, hope you are fully recovered from Covid, and get some rest this weekend. 👍💜
I am aghast that others - most certainly always men - deem it their purview to decide the reproductive choices of women. Men, who probably flush away (I’m trying to be discreet) how many potential baby- making sperm on a daily basis, get to decide when a woman can end a pregnancy? A woman is fertile for a very finite period of time each month. Men...well, you’re always on task.
We're not all like that. I took my girlfriend to planned parenthood my senior year of high school. In my sophomore year, our first assignment in French class was to write about a cause we believed strongly in. I wrote about choice.
As for the huge numbers of sperm, our hunter-gatherer ancestors were mostly polyamorous. That meant that the major competition for begating children was sperm competition. That's why we have among the largest testicles among the primates, and why we produce among the greatest numbers of sperm. And that's why the male sex drive is so crazy powerful. And it IS crazy powerful. I have a vivid memory of being totally unable to concentrate one day in my 11th grade English class--my favorite class that year. At the end, I made a beeline for the bathroom, where I did what I euphemistically refer to as "homework." The sex drive remained crazy powerful through my 30s, and even into my 40s. This is undoubtedly why certain tiny and somewhat obscure Christian sects have for adolescents what they call "bundling."
The so-called Christians in our country who foist their priorities onto women--which amount to wanting ownership of women--well, I don't know what to do about them. They make me fantasize about bringing back the pillory.
I also remember hearing, in my youth, that the sex drive was as powerful as it was to ensure that the species would be propagated. That's baloney. Truly monogamous primate males have tiny penises, and they use them for procreation once a year.
see: Sex At Dawn, by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha.
Robert: As a resident of the red state of FL, I acknowledge you for your informative, well-written, and upbeat emails which I read daily. Through our local Indivisible chapter and the Charlotte County Dems, we work to keep our members informed, including by writing letters to the editor.
Your most recent article about our Governor inspired me to submit the following Letter to the Editor to the Charlotte SUN and Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Please know your words have an impact.
Bill Welsch, Punta Gorda, FL
One-Party Rule Bad for Floridians
According to a piece reported at the News Opinion Website Talking Points Memo, the Florida state legislature has moved to allow Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials to hide their travel records from the public.
In recent weeks, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature passed a number of new voting restrictions to state election law, including tweaking the state’s “resign to run” provision, paving the way for DeSantis to serve as governor as he campaigns for the White House.
Given the numerous issues our state is facing, the work of the Governor hardly seems like a part-time job.
These are the kinds of disgraceful things that happen in a state like ours where Republicans hold a super majority. They are essentially free to do whatever they want whether the rest of us agree with it or not. We are seeing the same abuses of power with issues like gun safety and women’s health choices in which our elected officials continue to vote against the interests of the majority.
As we approach the 2024 elections, it’s past time for average Floridians to say enough is enough and select others to represent them.
Vicki and Bill, I’m with you on the other coast.Many Floridians are unaware their own legislators are filing highly unpopular bills.My Rep sponsored HB 1543 allowing 18-year-olds to own assault rifles. Thankfully it appears Senate isn’t receptive although of course, DeSantis favors. Keep writing !!
Kathy, I’m on the West Coast in bright red Pasco County. My congressman, Gus Bilirakis, may not be as well known as Matt Gaetz but he is just as bad. I think the greatest opportunity we have is to help focus, however, on the state houses. Too many of them have run unopposed and that’s why they feel immune. We’ve got to change that.
Vicki and Bill,
It’s nice to “meet” you here and to read about your activism. I’m curious about letters to the editor and their impacts. If you have any follow-up info, please let us know. I’m in Collier County, not far away.
Representative Cotham was no doubt promised to have her district highly gerrymandered in the next election, so that she would not be run out of town by her current constituents. And during the election, most of her support came from GQP PACS. Not sure how the Dems let that go by. There is no excuse for what she did to her district, our state, and possibly even the US House. If she wanted fame, she got it. But for all the wrong reasons. How tragic that a woman who knows better, and who was unequivocal in telling the N.C. legislature a few years ago to stay out of a woman’s right to choose, has now joined the enemy and sold other women down the river. How many pieces of silver did that take????? Can’t imagine a thirst for some puny state power that would make someone betray her own principles. She just aided and abetted the patriarchy…….again.
NC Democrats leadership are not getting the job done and the National party has lost confidence in their ability to deliver which impacts funding.
This is what we are facing in MT as well. I know I have no confidence in the MT Ds. They supported the Independent candidate in '22 instead of the D. I am unclear on intraparty politics here, and I'm not interested in finding out. It's another reason why this climb out of the muck and mire is more difficult and daunting.
I spent around 10 days, maybe a bit more, riding my bicycle across Montana, mostly on rt. 2 after going through Glacier Park, in 1975, on my way across the country. Spent a moderate amount of time in bars, talking to locals, finding them welcoming and helpful for the most part. I don't know what's happened there.
Some things to remember. In 2020 Republications in part ran their campaign blaming Democrats for inflation and high prices. The current job numbers indicate that the economy is stronger than ever and more people are working at higher wages. The Wall Street journal this week after reviewing corporate earnings indicated a major cause of inflation is price gouging by corporations. Living in NC I am appalled at the legislators passing a 12 week abortion law but based on local feedback and outrage that decision should have political ,consequences in 2024. That’s my point which is we sometimes need a longer term view and not a transactional view of what is happening because the voters of this country everyday have many reasons to reject the racists and obstructive views of Republicans and lots of reasons to continue the great job Democrats are doing for everyone.
Wouldn’t it be great if the majority of voters could/would read the truthful articles such as that which came out of the WSJ(!) about how profiteering by corporations has caused higher prices, rather than blindly blame the Biden administration?
NC maps will be redrawn later this year, thanks to our new state Supreme Court. I will watch with interest to see what the map around Cotham’s residence looks like.
NC also passed an increase in vouchers out of committee this week. I went to speak against it at the hearing. The usual stuff about giving parents choice and being accountable to parents (but not to the taxpayers footing the bill)… Most of our voucher schools are religious and many use a biblically based curriculum, supported by all taxpayers. Both the voucher bill and the abortion ban threaten what little we have left of the separation of church and state.
“Happy and Glorious,” are the surely aspirational words that greeted King Charles and the thousands of others who are participating in the beautifully planned and executed coronation pageant that I am watching this morning. It is both interesting and, I believe, quite significant that this high state event is taking place in a place of worship, in the unembarrassed context of a religious service. The King has promised and stated that he understands his role and responsibility are to serve and not to be served, all in accordance with law. Would that all those having governance responsibilities throughout the world have the same understanding and make the same commitment. I submit that that is the formula, if sincerely followed by executives, judges and legislators, that will enable most if not all people to live happy and glorious lives.
Could you elaborate on what you perceive as the significance of having the ceremony in a religious context? Are you advocating for the abolition of church and state?
I did not intend to express an opinion on the UK’s historical custom and law that makes the monarch, the head of state, also the titular head of the Church of England. Rather, I think the significance of the coronation being essentially a religious service is that the person who is being crowned as ostensibly the sovereign or all-powerful ruler is being told that he (or she) is not in fact or reality all-powerful at all. Charles acknowledged this reality at the outset of the service when asked by a teenager, “Why are you here?” and responded, “I am here to serve and not to be served.” This essentially is a faith statement which can authentically be made only in a religious context and service.
I am a very, very, strong advocate, along with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, among many others, in the separation of church and state, particularly in the United States, where I live and vote. I also believe that our political polity would be vastly improved if those who serve in any governing capacity could and would honestly confirm that they hold office to serve and not be served.
Curious minds are enquiring: what caused (or was the pay-off) for the defection of Rep. Tricia Cotham (NC 112th) to the Republican party? In so doing, she handed a veto-proof super-majority to the Republicans which is a pretty valuable ($$$) change of heart. As Robert pointed out, Cotham campaigned (and won) as an advocate for reproductive liberty in a Democratic district. Does she want to start sending other women to jail or the hospital?
Thank you as always, Robert, for taking press wisdom with a grain of salt. I am wondering today why the South slips back into its retrogressive mode over and over again. Conventional wisdom says poverty, but the idiot millionaires in Congress refute that connection.