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Thank you Robert for your excellent, important work! You and Heather Cox Richardson are my 2 Lullabies in our upside down world. Would love to get a reminder of the organization that you raved about months ago that helps get 18+ high school students/young adults registered to vote....volunteerism that I may have an affinity. Appreciate your and your wife's tireless efforts on behalf of Democracy!!! Gratefully, Lisa Young/Lakewood, Colorado
I agree Lisa! This program really speaks to me and makes so much sense in getting young voters involved in our electoral process. Looks like High School Voter Registration Week is coming up September 19-23. I need to see if I can do something at my local High School! Thanks for getting me moving on this Lisa!
I just participated in their workshop to Do this work. It was short and sweet , they send you a list of calls to make it's very well organized Great way to make a difference
Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Hubbell are my mainstays, too! I'll bet there are a lot of us. Hope so. Look what 2 generous and passionate people can do to inform, simplify & support informed activism! So inspiring. So appreciated❤️
I want to comment on a topic that I’ll bet few readers would select: The absurdity of the Saudi golf tournament at Trump’s NJ golf course. It is such a clear example of Trump’s grifting and corruption that the only response I can muster is laughter. There he is in his MAGA hat and too-small polo shirt and pot belly swinging a golf club with Greg Norman, improperly using the presidential seal all in support getting lots of Saudi money. Talk about grifting! And corruption! All in plain view for all the world to see!
Yes. I checked the definition of grifter and noted it refers to small scale cheating. And this if anything but small scale. I am tempted to get serious but I won’t, except to note that the whole world knows this man can be bribed if he is personally enriched.
I’ve been concerned about the info he can spill. In particular to put our military in harms way. Always grateful Biden stopped having briefings released to him shortly after he left office.
$$$$$$$!!! Follow it….people are/were critical of Brittany Griner going to Russia to play basketball to earn extra money? Many times they are same ones supporting these golfers…mostly they are voicing from a position of privilege!??
I wish somebody would ask Biden that. On second thought, maybe they shouldn't. I don't think I would like the answer.
Biden's a fine president and has accomplished more than he is given credit for, but he and his inner circle don't know how, or they refuse to play hardball. There's truth to the saying that two wrongs don't make a right, but I don't think it's wrong to give the enemy a taste of their own medicine as long as it is justifiable and within the rules.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created by the Republicans in 2002 and quickly evolved into the enforcement arm of the alt-right radical agenda to hunt down and eliminate those who are deemed undesirable. Under a Republican administration the department has been used to do the dirty work of enforcing their extremist ideology. It is clear now that the department has been laced with right wing extremists who serve a cause, not the United States.
It's extraordinary to me that the Democrats did not prioritize purging DHS of its radical element. This is another example of how Democrats don't take the steps necessary to give themselves a fighting chance of winning the hearts of Americans. Democrats first instinct is usually to be reactive, not proactive, which translates into losing battles that they should be winning.
I agree. I think you’re on to something here with the Homeland Security Director. I agree with everything else you said too in regards to the Democratic Party.
I agree entirely that we Democrats somehow, for whatever reasons, fail repeatedly to do what is necessary to thrive in the national political arena. I've thought about it six ways from Sunday for many years. Is it that we react rather than act? Is it fear or timidity? Is it just plain inefficiency? I believe it is at least partly a kind of cringe-worthy self-righteousness and a reluctance to get our hands dirty by "playing politics." I read an article in WaPo recently that said there's nothing wrong with playing hardball every once in a while. I don't suggest we play dirty ball, we can leave that to the Republicans, but the subject of this thread is a good example. Why in the world not clean out the stable? It seems like part of our "clean hands" policy is also about being pleasant, not appearing crude or vindictive or making people uncomfortable. We place great value, as we definitely should, om values and ethics and a sense of caring and equality for everyone and those are truly the important things. But we can't support those things if we don't get elected!! I'm on a rant again. Thank you both for this interesting thread.
A worthwhile discussion. But here's the thing. WE have the power. We need to call our Democratic legislators and tell them what we need them to do. I wonder what the Indivisible folks have to say about getting rid of the Homeland Security guy. I unsubscribed a few months ago because their emails became almost exclusively about fundraising, but the organization is good about mobilizing people.
Just wanted to say that throughout the Jan. 6th. hearings, as well as the 2 impeachment hearings, and all the other offenses Trump has committed and/or been accused of, no member of the White House, cabinet or Congress has ever uttered the phrase "Oh, he would NEVER do that!"
I love the Giving Circles! Each one is a little community fighting for good, asking friends to join them, who then ask their friends...and together, with all size contributions, the group becomes really impactful. If you don't want to start one, you could ask Melissa Walker about joining an existing one. But The States Project makes it really easy to start a Giving Circle. The Giving Circles give me real hope! Also, PostcardsToVoters.org. They are my two favorite ways to flip seats. Right now via PostcardsToVoters.org, we are writing for a Special Election for US Congress in Minnesota on August 9th. We have to mail the postcards (reminding Dems to get out to vote...actually, alerting them since a lot people don't even know about it!) by this Tuesday, August 2nd. After that deadline, we will write for another Special Election for US Congress in NY-19 to fill the seat vacated by Antonio Delgado who was appointed to be Lt. Gov. These are super important races and huge lists of voters, so if you have time to help, we need help! Even just writing five postcards would help because it's a giant, national team effort. If you have never joined, it's easy. You can just email join@tonythedemocrat.org and say you want to join, and they will walk you through joining. We will be doing a lot of important elections Sept. through October. In 2020, we wrote over a million postcards for Jon Ossoff and then almost two million for Ossoff/Warnock. If you join now, you will be ready to help! All handwritten. You just need postcards and stamps!
Remember that Reagan defeated Carter in 1980 when inflation was high and was re-elected in 1984 when inflation was also high.That indicates that inflation is only one factor in decision making by the electorate.
If we pick up Senate seats in WI,PA,OH, and NC and hold on in NH,AZ and NV,we can vote to eliminate the filibuster.If we can also maintain a House majority the following 3 pieces of legislation should be passed to make major changes to the political landscape.
1.Expand SCOTUS
2.Extend statehood to DC and the Virgin Islands,thus adding 4 Senators.
3.Make voting mandatory,thus forcing legislatures to bend to the will of their constituents.
Of course many more positive laws can also be passed.
However,if the 3 above items are put into effect,the changes will be mind blowing and set our country onto a path towards achieving a full-fledged Democracy.
It only requires us to work hard in many ways to achieve this.
The 1980 election (Reagan vs. Carter) is an example of how media meddling (to make a buck) can influence election outcomes. Media created a drumbeat over the Iran hostage situation, blotting out other news, and making Carter look even more helpless – surely helping Reagan win the election. Now they’re at it again: making potential 2024 presidential nominees the big political story, although *an important election is only three months away*! Resist such media reportage.
Agree, but don’t you mean Puerto Rico? I think the Virgin Islands should part of the Sate of Puerto Rico, IF they want to be—they would be a very small part of the state. And it’s not wholly clear that Puerto Ricans want statehood, but it they do, they should have it.
Yes-all for it-however,PR seems to be split over the desire for statehood.Also,DC and The Virgin Iskands will produce 4 Democratic Senators.PR could be split.
Another couple pieces of legislation: mandatory releasing of tax records for presidential candidates; stronger, clearer laws for presidential impeachment; and legislation targeted at limiting presidential powers.
Ron DeSantis continues to disgust and frighten me. His brazen, arrogant, and bullish behavior seems to appeal to so many people and I just don’t understand. None of us would ever want our children to act as he does. I keep wondering if his wife and children, his parents, or anyone in his orbit ever tries to temper his unseemly and objectionable behavior. That being said, what is most disturbing is the way that he runs Florida as if it is his personal fiefdom. I find it so odd that someone who attended the elite universities that he did would be so enamored of the Trump base that he would willingly attack “wokeism”, which I can only assume means “being more aware and sensitive to others”, as a BAD thing. First of all, just like CRT, no one who votes for this guy or Trump knows what “woke” is, but they’ve been taught that it’s something liberals do and thus is worth mocking and destroying. But, how does DeSantis have the authority to target individual businesses, not to mention schools and other government institutions, who don’t suit his personal distorted view of the world. I heard parts of a news story last night about his latest efforts to punish those businesses who are “woke”, and I assume that means some sort of financial penalty or incentives being withheld unless that business stops being compassionate toward its employees or customers, or some such nonsense. How can he use the government’s resources and/or power to take revenge on private capitalists? It’s horrible what he’s doing to schools in Florida, but I thought the GQP loved corporations and the freedom to make as much money as possible. I suppose now in Florida they must adhere to the Fuhrer before they get any state goodies. I don’t understand exactly what DeSantis is doing, and how he can get away with it. Does the legislature just give him free reign? Does Florida have a dictatorship? And why are more Floridians not petrified that he is turning into a little autocrat before their very eyes? If Florida has designs on becoming a tropical version of Hungary, then perhaps their marketing should warn those who just thought they’d like the weather down there. I am utterly amazed that people I know continue to retire to Florida, even those who share my political views? Do they not read the news about this man????? I am so grateful to be in NC right now with a good and decent Democratic governor. Otherwise, we would probably be as horrible as most other Southern states. Please enlighten me more about what is going on in the “free state of Florida.” ( Are there states who are not “free”? All the red states act as if they are small, autocratic countries now…….).
I’ve lived in Florida since 1981, born and raised in Rhode Island…dichotomous states.
Florida has a trifecta,with an extremely vindictive Repub governor and Repub control of House and Senate.
What DeSantis is doing isNOT sustainable.Yes, I do believe it will get worse before it gets better but there are many here fighting back ..working on campaigns,messaging,letters to Ed, postcards,donations+++
Floridians need to shout out what BIDEN’S American Rescue Plan is doing in DeSantis’ Dystopia
Broadband access in rural counties.
77million in job growth grants
500 million for Resilient Florida Trust Fund to fight climate change
Glad to hear this. Florida really seems to be a mixed bag. My brother lives there and was the City Manager for Alexandria, Virginia for a time. He says that politically Florida has a long way to go. It's also a center for some pretty amazing art and some pretty amazing environmental work as well. I'd like to learn more about what is going on in your state and how you think you can move past DeSantis and Co. Thanks.
I live in Florida and he scares me to death there are a lot of us here who are fighting against him. Some of what hes doing is just playing illegal and it hasn't worked its way through a system yet. I guess it's kind of like not being willing to leave the United States but feeling like we need to stay in fight. Having spent my whole life in Florida I love this state And I won't let it go down without a fight.. DeSantis DeSantis is doing the same thing that the republicans are doing everywhere hes biting off his nose despite his face And it will come back to haunt him
We moved to NC too…was not moving to Florida with this guy! But in Florida we saw a lot of “We love Desantis signs” which worries me. I think tRump is on his way out now, but Desantis is even worse!
I was born in Ohio, but I live in Florida. My family moved here in 1956. I love Florida.
There is a good article (by Dexter Filkins)about Ron DeSantis in the June 27th issue of The New Yorker. It’s worth reading. I consider DeSantis to be cross between Donald Trump & Vladimir Putin, combining the worst of both men. He’s ambitious, articulate, intelligent, angry, stubborn, focused, disciplined, a bit reclusive, but not particularly charismatic. He runs Florida like he is the King. The State Senate is composed of 23 Republicans & 16 Democrats; the House, 76 Republicans, 42 Democrats. The legislature had drawn a new congressional map & sent it to the Governor for signature, but he preferred the map that he had drawn & vetoed theirs. Eventually they approved his map. DeSantis sets policies that appeal to the extreme right voters. Many have ended up in court, but DeSantis doesn’t back down.
When we last voted for Governor (2018), the vote was so close that there was a mandatory machine recount. DeSantis won with a margin of 0.4%. Unfortunately, I don’t anticipate a close election this time. DeSantis is very popular with the Trump supporters, & we don’t know yet who the Democratic candidate will be. Our primary is August 23rd.
You are right to worry about Ron DeSantis. I anticipate that he will run for President in another two years, whether or not Trump runs. He doesn’t care about Trump; he cares about his supporters.
Hi, everybody. I'm going to jump in briefly with a complete outsiders view on DeSantis. I try to keep up with him, as I'm doing with all these post-Trump possible presidential candidates. DeSantis is scary, no question about it. He can out-Trump Trump and, as you've pointed out, a big advantage is that he's smart. But DeSantis, for all his smarts, still rants and screams and other outrageous behavior just like Trump, and I think one reason Trump's stock seems to be dropping in value, is that people were getting sick of all that ranting. I am much more worried about Mike Pence, quiet, presentable, actually to the right of Trump, and has devoted a good portion of his political life supporting conversion camps for gay teens. And he has currently come off quite well in the Jan 6 hearings as it becomes clear that he, rather than Trump, was giving orders on that day.
I agree that Pence is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He basically did his job on 1/6, and thank goodness for that. But he is perhaps the most sycophantic individual ever, and he is clothed in “righteousness” which is causing a whole lot of Hell right now in America. The fact that he calls his wife “Mother” is creepy and reminiscent of cult groups’ language. It will be interesting whether the GQP can embrace Pence out loud since he is enemy #1 in Trump land. He is very different from DeSantis, and they’re both not what we need to turn the page on these last degrading 5 years of the Trump era.
I'm afraid we're going to turn that page into another unfamiliar world that has been permanently and radically changed, and I include in that not only the harsh political scene (the capitol stormed etc) but the changes wrought by the pandemic (isolation of individuals) and by technology (Zoom groups for almost anything and the culture-shaking fact of working from home). I think we're going to be om a roller-coaster ride for a generation, at least, and we'd better be prepared for it. That's why I say these old men, Biden as well as Trump and McConnell,; need to step down I'm 2024. I read an article yesterday that said Biden, especially, needs to focus on building his legacy NOW and stop thinking and talking;
about 2024. For myself, I am tired--not tired of what's happening I'm the world and this country today (I get itchy when I don't know)--just plain 76-year-old tired. And I have this magic seven-year-old grandson who stays with me one day and overnight a week and have been in AA for 36 years and work with a lot of women in that program, so there are two reasons to keep on going as long as possible.
I have slid into a complete ramble here. I guess what I'm trying to say is tjat there are still these corners of my life where I can do a little good, and I absolutely believe that these small efforts pour vital good into the stream of the universe. So is this my purpose in this weird world? To cuorrupt a child, urge him toward an awareness of other people, and to the compulsion to sometimes raise hell in defense of the good;
and to help a few women to stay off alcohol, stay off those street corners, and explore a spiritual journey.
I hope that's enough because I can't do one darned thing about what's going on with the human race
Also want to add, that sometimes I draw back from the news, but I never want to be uninformed. I don’t have TV (by choice), so the majority of my information is by reading, so I can chose how much to read/skim on a daily basis. I can watch the J6 Committee on the internet.
No tv at my house except the occasional movie with a friend.
I even cancelled my online subscription to the NYTimes after I don't know how many years. I was getting angrier and angrier at their manipulation of the news, cuupled with their high level of skill at doing it, I was starting my day alarmed and pissed off.
Now I read Mr. Hubbell, HCRz,and The New Yorker, and every once in a while that wonderful and quirky. online magazine, Slate.com. Start my day now--thoughtfulw
I think just the sound of television constantly on would drive me nuts
But that is how the world changes for the good, one person at a time, reaching out to another with a helping hand, giving a stranger a complement, a smile, a kind word. You are doing your part. If everyone were to do what you are doing, then the world would be much improved. Your Grandson is blessed to have you in his life. You can never give a child too much love & attention & caring.
I agree. DeSantis has modeled himself after Trump, because DeSantis wants to be President, & he saw what works for Trump so he’s trying to out-Trump Trump.
I anticipate that DeSantis will be re-elected Governor, as there isn’t a strong Democrat running against him. There is so much going on with the J6 Committee & the DOJ investigations that it’s impossible to see two years into the future. And the MSM keeps harping on the age issue of Trump & Biden, when they should be focusing on the attempted overthrow of our government.
That's a very good question, Jean, and I don't know, but I'm not sure that, in the end, there are going to be that many of them and Pence would absolutely bring out the suburban Republican women who want to stay Republican but just can't stomach these Trump and DeSantis
guys who are, as my dear departed Aunt Dean would have said, "TACKY". Of course, you understand I have no idea what ;I'm talking about. I am 76 years old, have been politically activeve for half a century, and I have never seen anything even remotely like what's going on now. It's an alien landscape out there and I can only; try to find a few familiar signs and; then take a shot at speculation
I’m with you. (I’m 77, so I’m older, but not wiser!) I have tried to understand what goes on in minds of the people who support Trump no matter what, but to no avail. I’ve pretty much stopped trying, & now just think of them as cult members. They are uninformed, but seem unaware of that, & aren’t interested in hearing anything that contradicts what they believe.
Pence isn’t what I would consider a charismatic speaker, so I’m not sure he could draw in those from the Cult of Trump. Pence is a fanatic, however, & I could easily see him burning witches at the stake, or starting an inquisition. I’ve read how, when he was Governor of Indiana, he banned a clean needle exchange, resulting in a massive outbreak of HIV & hepatitis C. He seems to see things in black or white, with no shades of grey.
I am guessing that Trump will run for President again. When he declares, the RNC will quit paying his legal bills, so that will be incentive for Trump to put it off as long as possible. I imagine that Trump thinks that he cannot be indicted if he is a candidate, but I don’t think Merrick Garland agrees with that.
I’m not sure who cursed us with “May you live in interesting times”, but I am not amused. I never thought I would spend my retirement masked and fretting over the possible downfall of our beloved country.
Well, I suppose it could be worse. We could be home reading airport novels or watching daytime soap operas. I can say one thing for our "interesting" times. The whole thing has been a civics lesson. I have never understood so much about the details of how our government works.
Thanks for your thoughts, as someone who is on the front lines. I realize that DeSantis often talks tough, but his policies don’t always go through. Did he actually punish Disney by taking away their special status, or has that just not kicked in yet? This latest scheme about “Wokeism” has already been challenged and hopefully won’t win in Court. Wonder if it ever occurs to the GQP voters in Florida that one day a Democrat may win at the highest levels and turn the tables on these punitive policies. How will they like it if Dems attack Republican businesses, etc? They do not seem to be bothered at all by any sort of moral deterrent. What is the story on the GQP who complained to DeSantis that their bank was discriminating against them because of their right-wing views? How did the bank discriminate? Were they causing problems? I can’t imagine what’s really going on. How would the bank know their political affiliation unless they were trying to stir something up? Just beyond my naive experience……Would love to know the real story. Thanks.
We moved from Texas to NC this year. The more we hear about DeSantis (and others of his ilk) the more we worry about who would run if Trump doesn't. I'm afraid people will vote for those just as a relief from all the Trumpery and then we'll be in real trouble with someone smarter and crafter than he is.
Postcards to Voters has an ongoing campaign to remind Florida Democrats about the state’s Vote By Mail policy. County by county Postcards to Voters is asking Dems to sign up for or renew their vote by mail status. There’s research to show that if you get your ballot by mail, you’re more likely to vote.
Yet another reason to sign up with Tony the Democrat/Postcards to Voters!
(My only affiliation with PTV is that I’ve been writing cards with them since 2017)
You raise some really interesting questions here. Florida as reported in the media seems to get weirder by the day. That said, I met a woman at a workshop I took earlier this summer who described DeSantis as really intelligent. She also referred to me as a "do-gooder." She was a well-educated person and we remained on cordial terms for the remaining two weeks of the workshop, but both comments have lodged in my brain and keep me scratching my head. DeSantis has gone to elite schools, as have so many on the right, but what is it that they learned that has turned them into these autocratic beasts?
This is blunt. DiSantis has shown his colors. He is a Nazi. I only live in Florida part time and am not a Florida voter. I plan to stick with BLUE Illinois and fight to keep it that way. DiSantis sickens me.
I am a daily reader but first-time poster. I am looking for feedback regarding companies who continue to support the January 6 insurrectionists.
As a 40+ year member of USAA and a retired military member, I was shocked to read about USAA's support for insurrectionist politicians via their employee PAC. After several hours of trying to get a response from USAA, I finally got a non-answer from someone in the CEOs office. He basically said, "Monitor our performance (FEC website) going forward before taking your business elsewhere." Does anyone else share my frustration? Does anyone know if they have improved their performance?
I have started weaning myself off USAA's products but they don't seem to notice or care. Any suggestion your readers might have for finding additional info is appreciated.
Judd Legum has a substack newsletter that tracks exactly this the of thing (and other important things). It's called Popular Information, and it's entirely subscriber supported, so independent. You can choose paying or free subscription, and he gives excellent information about who is still funding what, despite their public comments to the contrary.
Just keep writing USAA. Write editorials and comments in places like this. The world needs to hear what you find. Our best way to vote, after voting, is with out wallet. And I would ask you to always say you are retired military.....with honor...and thank you.
Thanks for posting this. I left USAA after 26 years when I learned they turned back on their funding to insurrectionists. USAA doesn't seem open to feedback.
If you haven’t already, sign up for Judd Legum’s Popular information newsletter. He exposes these companies on regular basis! Also Jessica’s Chop Wood, Carry Water daily letter is advocating for contacting some of these companies weekly…she even provides the emails and a script!
I agree with both of these suggestions. Jessica Craven has sent us to a few on the list so far and she makes it easy- you can write your own or send hers. And if we all start doing it…
As a USAA member since 1986 and parent of 4 other members, I am concerned about their using money to influence legislation and elections that are not in my best interest.
As someone deeply committed to the cause of combating climate change for the past decade, I want to offer a salute to Messrs. Schumer and -- yes -- even Joe Manchin for their flexibility in creating the "Inflation Reduction Act." Yes, it includes elements that continue to facilitate the use of fossil fuels and the climate hawk in me wishes it were otherwise. Still and all, it puts gale force wind in the sails of renewable energy that will in short order render it so much cheaper than oil and gas that their death of natural causes will be inevitable. What's more, in finding common ground between the conservative Manchin and the vastly more progressive wing of the party, the pluralistic Dems once again showed the monolithic GOP why its unique ability to foster compromise once made our political system the envy of the free world. It really is a shame that only one side of the aisle is still capable of it.
Nothing will change in America until Citizens United is changed. That ruling "LET THE DOGS OUT" and it is the source of the money that has killed our democracy.
It is 2AM eastern time but 40 years behind the clock in the Federal Response to Monkey Pox, hiding behind the early infections among gay men. In the department of “Here we go again,” it’s a repeat of feckless CDC, FDA & the Surgeon General with as usual no forceful communicators except Harvard’s Dr Zha (spelling?) we have seen this this Shakespearean tragedy time and again. Soft pedaling & evasive & assigning a pandemic to specific groups! Even during the height of the AIDS crisis we had Tony Fauci a damn good scientist but never a forceful communicator as continued in the shameful government response to Covid, hiding behind a maliciousI
& reckless Uninformed President. Yet no one in the govt had the cujones to push the Buffoon off the cameras! It is different now thank god but still confused messages & restrictive processes permitting vaccines for MPox ! Good night. Jonathan Atkin NYC
Unlike Reagan, who never uttered the word "AIDS", Biden has already said "everyone should be concerned about Monkey Pox" and just committed funding for more than 1.2 million vaccines. That is not enough to vaccinate everyone in the US, but it will go a long way to vaccinating those who are at risk / exposed.
Robert: In NYC if I do NOT lie, the strict qualifications to getting an appointment for a Monkey Pox vaccine has 3 sets of criteria and prevents me from getting the first dose. In theory one must meet all three. I meet the first two criteria: The third: Have you had multiple partners in the past 14 days? I could lie and say yes, or tell the truth...which is hell no. I understand the need to limit vaccine availability to those who are most likely to be in an infectious environment...but something is dreadfully wrong with that set of criteria.
Yes, but where is the CDC?FDA? Is Zha now the spokesperson, from Harvard. If you don't know, the role of Johns Hopkins becoming the expertise in Covid infection rates world wide was by accident. I have met some of their young researchers who on a lark decided several yrs ago, to analyze data on their own..which then blossomed into the most authoritative source of Covid info on the planet. SO much for the CDC. If you can't read between the lines, I've never been a fan of Anthony Fauci. He is the only voice and expert the US Govt has had..but woefully inadequate in terms of communication. He has vascillated since the 1980's. Many revere him. Where is the kind of Surgeon General we had with the late Dr. Everett Coop?
"Surgeon General Koop providedfrank and open conversation about HIV/AIDS at a time when the disease was shrouded in fear and misinformation. Dr. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. CDC had just reported the first cases of what later became known as AIDS as Dr. Koop was nominated as Surgeon General in 1981.
In 1986, President Reagan asked Dr. Koop to prepare a report on the new and deadly disease. In response, Dr. Koop developed the Surgeon General’s Report on AIDS (PDF 2MB), writing much of it himself. Released on October 22, 1986, the report provided accurate, nonjudgmental, and comprehensive information.
In his introduction to the Report, Dr. Koop famously cautioned against the terrible stigma associated with the disease, writing: “We are fighting a disease, not people."
A Texas friend since 1970 laughed and said (when I expressed concern and openness for another vaccine) oh you don’t need to worry about THAT!!! ....yea....barely survived 28 years in Texas...sooooo grateful to call Colorado HOME since ‘98!
See many Texas license plates in Colorado now. Spoke to one family that was asking where a good Mexican restaurant is at. Said they moved from Texas just recently as they had enough of the politics there as well as other issues.
Lived to Colorado for 25 years now and very happy to be here.
There was a ruder and funnier way of putting that. Even as a Californian I enjoyed it, but it's about the economic wasichu effect. Mainers look with similar alarm at Southern New England, and we earned that, too.
Yes, count me as another one, but that kind of misleading headline is one of the regular problems with WaPo, don't you think? I wish I could remember the exact headline but it was almost celebratory in tone as it announced that Virginia's new governor was doing a great thing for parents and giving them more of a voice in their children's education. The facts are that he's giving a whole bunch of money to establish model schools (which takes it away from the public schools) where parents will have more say but the bottom line is that this guy ran on his promise to give parents more power in stopping teachers from including "CRT" in their classes. Thank heaven for strong comments sections, their was an outcry because it turns out the woman who wrote it is a well-known right-winger and Trump supporter, none of which was even hinted at in a long blurb on her. I think the bottom line on all this is that the press has turned against Biden and they are controlling the news of the day. It's a scary mess.
I so appreciate and value your work. Thank you and Heather Cox Richardson for keeping me politically sane these last few years.
I want to give a shout out to an inspiring young woman and her non-profit organization. Olivia Juliana took on the odious Republican Florida congressman Matt Gaetz last week when he called women who support abortion rights “obese and ugly.” Olivia turned his own words back at him and raised $1.5 million for abortion clinics around the country. Your readers might want to check out her non-profit, Gen Z for Change. It’s such a relief to see young people banding together for positive change in this world!
I for one am extremely frustrated with our House Republican congressman here in MN-8, Pete Stauber. His constant harping on Biden and Democrats having caused inflation is very dishonest and damaging. The district is deeply red for the time being with weak a wand and poorly financed challenge from the DFL. Problem is his supporters, like so many Republican voters, are firmly ensconced in their bubble and they believe what they are told. Stauber has a long record of lying and fails to even mention the J6 insurrection (especially bad as he is a former cop); is very anti-environment (in the guise of pro-working people, i.e., mining, logging, etc.) and is very good at shading the truth. He's probably typical of red-country Republicans and, like an annoying horsefly, difficult to shoo away or swat.
From his newsletter today:
"Dear friend,
First, I want to address the disappointing yet unsurprising news of the U.S. GDP shrinking two quarters in a row. President Biden and his White House can try to change the definition of a recession and throw all the excuses and technicalities at us they want, but that does not change the harsh reality of what we are dealing with. Despite claims from this Administration, our economy is not booming, and American families know this better than anyone.
We are officially in a recession.
From pain at the pump to monthly grocery bills that look closer to a car payment, we are all suffering the consequences of Biden and Congressional Democrats’ reckless spending. This is exactly what my GOP colleagues and I predicted would happen, and now our fears have become a reality. We know this historic inflation is punishing every American, especially the most vulnerable members of our communities, and as the Democrats continue to push for even more record spending, I will not be supporting any of their unwise spending sprees that will make our economic crisis even worse."
The terrible thing, in addition to your terrible thing here, is that too many of us don't qualify as members of "an informed electorate," and so readers of this garbage don't know enough basic civics and the economics of inflation and recession to realize that it is literally not possible for one president in one year to have any impact at all on the economy of this country. In today's political climate, with the fundamental structures of our democracy under attack, when it already might be too late, we just can't afford not to know.
My Florida congressman, Gus Bilirakis, sends a newsletter with the exact same information. I just delete them now. I will spare Robert's readers any of the commentary.
I'd like EVERY article concerning what Congress is and isn't doing to contact or attach a list of ALL the Congresspeople who voted against the legislation -- generally the 50 Republicans who are preventing progress for the common people. I'd like that list EVERY TIME there's a vote in Congress stopping progress.
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Thank you Robert for your excellent, important work! You and Heather Cox Richardson are my 2 Lullabies in our upside down world. Would love to get a reminder of the organization that you raved about months ago that helps get 18+ high school students/young adults registered to vote....volunteerism that I may have an affinity. Appreciate your and your wife's tireless efforts on behalf of Democracy!!! Gratefully, Lisa Young/Lakewood, Colorado
Thanks! The organization is The Civics Center.
I agree Lisa! This program really speaks to me and makes so much sense in getting young voters involved in our electoral process. Looks like High School Voter Registration Week is coming up September 19-23. I need to see if I can do something at my local High School! Thanks for getting me moving on this Lisa!
https://thecivicscenter.org/
Thank YOU Lynn!!! This Sparks My Joy!!!
I just participated in their workshop to Do this work. It was short and sweet , they send you a list of calls to make it's very well organized Great way to make a difference
Thank you Dianne!! Fantastic feedback!!
Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Hubbell are my mainstays, too! I'll bet there are a lot of us. Hope so. Look what 2 generous and passionate people can do to inform, simplify & support informed activism! So inspiring. So appreciated❤️
Thank you Joan for sharing your thoughts too! Community here soooo validating and reassuring.....we're not alone!
I want to comment on a topic that I’ll bet few readers would select: The absurdity of the Saudi golf tournament at Trump’s NJ golf course. It is such a clear example of Trump’s grifting and corruption that the only response I can muster is laughter. There he is in his MAGA hat and too-small polo shirt and pot belly swinging a golf club with Greg Norman, improperly using the presidential seal all in support getting lots of Saudi money. Talk about grifting! And corruption! All in plain view for all the world to see!
To quote (well, not really) Taylor Swift, grifters gotta grift.
Yes. I checked the definition of grifter and noted it refers to small scale cheating. And this if anything but small scale. I am tempted to get serious but I won’t, except to note that the whole world knows this man can be bribed if he is personally enriched.
I’ve been concerned about the info he can spill. In particular to put our military in harms way. Always grateful Biden stopped having briefings released to him shortly after he left office.
And still, a bunch of people supports this creep. What gives?
Blood money from everyone involved. “Among the players known to have signed with LIV Golf are Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Abraham Ancer, Charl Schwartzel, Paul Casey, Carlos Ortiz, Pat Perez, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Jason Kokrak, Henrik Stenson, Charles Howell III, Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia.” https://thegolfnewsnet.com/golfnewsnetteam/2022/07/29/who-has-signed-with-liv-golf-whos-next-heres-a-list-of-the-names-in-and-out-126467/#:~:text=Among%20the%20players%20known%20to%20have%20signed
$$$$$$$!!! Follow it….people are/were critical of Brittany Griner going to Russia to play basketball to earn extra money? Many times they are same ones supporting these golfers…mostly they are voicing from a position of privilege!??
Why is the Trump-appointed Inspector General still at the Dept. of Homeland Security??
Biden can fire the inspector general for cause after notice to Congress. See https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-legally%E2%80%94and-illegally%E2%80%94fire-inspectors-general
Thanks, Robert. Think it's about time he fires for cause....
I wish somebody would ask Biden that. On second thought, maybe they shouldn't. I don't think I would like the answer.
Biden's a fine president and has accomplished more than he is given credit for, but he and his inner circle don't know how, or they refuse to play hardball. There's truth to the saying that two wrongs don't make a right, but I don't think it's wrong to give the enemy a taste of their own medicine as long as it is justifiable and within the rules.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created by the Republicans in 2002 and quickly evolved into the enforcement arm of the alt-right radical agenda to hunt down and eliminate those who are deemed undesirable. Under a Republican administration the department has been used to do the dirty work of enforcing their extremist ideology. It is clear now that the department has been laced with right wing extremists who serve a cause, not the United States.
It's extraordinary to me that the Democrats did not prioritize purging DHS of its radical element. This is another example of how Democrats don't take the steps necessary to give themselves a fighting chance of winning the hearts of Americans. Democrats first instinct is usually to be reactive, not proactive, which translates into losing battles that they should be winning.
I agree. I think you’re on to something here with the Homeland Security Director. I agree with everything else you said too in regards to the Democratic Party.
I agree entirely that we Democrats somehow, for whatever reasons, fail repeatedly to do what is necessary to thrive in the national political arena. I've thought about it six ways from Sunday for many years. Is it that we react rather than act? Is it fear or timidity? Is it just plain inefficiency? I believe it is at least partly a kind of cringe-worthy self-righteousness and a reluctance to get our hands dirty by "playing politics." I read an article in WaPo recently that said there's nothing wrong with playing hardball every once in a while. I don't suggest we play dirty ball, we can leave that to the Republicans, but the subject of this thread is a good example. Why in the world not clean out the stable? It seems like part of our "clean hands" policy is also about being pleasant, not appearing crude or vindictive or making people uncomfortable. We place great value, as we definitely should, om values and ethics and a sense of caring and equality for everyone and those are truly the important things. But we can't support those things if we don't get elected!! I'm on a rant again. Thank you both for this interesting thread.
A worthwhile discussion. But here's the thing. WE have the power. We need to call our Democratic legislators and tell them what we need them to do. I wonder what the Indivisible folks have to say about getting rid of the Homeland Security guy. I unsubscribed a few months ago because their emails became almost exclusively about fundraising, but the organization is good about mobilizing people.
Just wanted to say that throughout the Jan. 6th. hearings, as well as the 2 impeachment hearings, and all the other offenses Trump has committed and/or been accused of, no member of the White House, cabinet or Congress has ever uttered the phrase "Oh, he would NEVER do that!"
Not under oath, anyway.
I love the Giving Circles! Each one is a little community fighting for good, asking friends to join them, who then ask their friends...and together, with all size contributions, the group becomes really impactful. If you don't want to start one, you could ask Melissa Walker about joining an existing one. But The States Project makes it really easy to start a Giving Circle. The Giving Circles give me real hope! Also, PostcardsToVoters.org. They are my two favorite ways to flip seats. Right now via PostcardsToVoters.org, we are writing for a Special Election for US Congress in Minnesota on August 9th. We have to mail the postcards (reminding Dems to get out to vote...actually, alerting them since a lot people don't even know about it!) by this Tuesday, August 2nd. After that deadline, we will write for another Special Election for US Congress in NY-19 to fill the seat vacated by Antonio Delgado who was appointed to be Lt. Gov. These are super important races and huge lists of voters, so if you have time to help, we need help! Even just writing five postcards would help because it's a giant, national team effort. If you have never joined, it's easy. You can just email join@tonythedemocrat.org and say you want to join, and they will walk you through joining. We will be doing a lot of important elections Sept. through October. In 2020, we wrote over a million postcards for Jon Ossoff and then almost two million for Ossoff/Warnock. If you join now, you will be ready to help! All handwritten. You just need postcards and stamps!
Remember that Reagan defeated Carter in 1980 when inflation was high and was re-elected in 1984 when inflation was also high.That indicates that inflation is only one factor in decision making by the electorate.
If we pick up Senate seats in WI,PA,OH, and NC and hold on in NH,AZ and NV,we can vote to eliminate the filibuster.If we can also maintain a House majority the following 3 pieces of legislation should be passed to make major changes to the political landscape.
1.Expand SCOTUS
2.Extend statehood to DC and the Virgin Islands,thus adding 4 Senators.
3.Make voting mandatory,thus forcing legislatures to bend to the will of their constituents.
Of course many more positive laws can also be passed.
However,if the 3 above items are put into effect,the changes will be mind blowing and set our country onto a path towards achieving a full-fledged Democracy.
It only requires us to work hard in many ways to achieve this.
Let’s Do It.
The 1980 election (Reagan vs. Carter) is an example of how media meddling (to make a buck) can influence election outcomes. Media created a drumbeat over the Iran hostage situation, blotting out other news, and making Carter look even more helpless – surely helping Reagan win the election. Now they’re at it again: making potential 2024 presidential nominees the big political story, although *an important election is only three months away*! Resist such media reportage.
Agree, but don’t you mean Puerto Rico? I think the Virgin Islands should part of the Sate of Puerto Rico, IF they want to be—they would be a very small part of the state. And it’s not wholly clear that Puerto Ricans want statehood, but it they do, they should have it.
Yes-all for it-however,PR seems to be split over the desire for statehood.Also,DC and The Virgin Iskands will produce 4 Democratic Senators.PR could be split.
FYI. My good friends are Puerto Ricans…they want to be a State! Angry because it comes up and “nothing is ever done.”
Another couple pieces of legislation: mandatory releasing of tax records for presidential candidates; stronger, clearer laws for presidential impeachment; and legislation targeted at limiting presidential powers.
that's just a small segment of legislation that should be passed
And break California into 3, 4, or 5 states, whatever they decide. Similar to West Virginia carving itself out of Virginia in 1863
Ron DeSantis continues to disgust and frighten me. His brazen, arrogant, and bullish behavior seems to appeal to so many people and I just don’t understand. None of us would ever want our children to act as he does. I keep wondering if his wife and children, his parents, or anyone in his orbit ever tries to temper his unseemly and objectionable behavior. That being said, what is most disturbing is the way that he runs Florida as if it is his personal fiefdom. I find it so odd that someone who attended the elite universities that he did would be so enamored of the Trump base that he would willingly attack “wokeism”, which I can only assume means “being more aware and sensitive to others”, as a BAD thing. First of all, just like CRT, no one who votes for this guy or Trump knows what “woke” is, but they’ve been taught that it’s something liberals do and thus is worth mocking and destroying. But, how does DeSantis have the authority to target individual businesses, not to mention schools and other government institutions, who don’t suit his personal distorted view of the world. I heard parts of a news story last night about his latest efforts to punish those businesses who are “woke”, and I assume that means some sort of financial penalty or incentives being withheld unless that business stops being compassionate toward its employees or customers, or some such nonsense. How can he use the government’s resources and/or power to take revenge on private capitalists? It’s horrible what he’s doing to schools in Florida, but I thought the GQP loved corporations and the freedom to make as much money as possible. I suppose now in Florida they must adhere to the Fuhrer before they get any state goodies. I don’t understand exactly what DeSantis is doing, and how he can get away with it. Does the legislature just give him free reign? Does Florida have a dictatorship? And why are more Floridians not petrified that he is turning into a little autocrat before their very eyes? If Florida has designs on becoming a tropical version of Hungary, then perhaps their marketing should warn those who just thought they’d like the weather down there. I am utterly amazed that people I know continue to retire to Florida, even those who share my political views? Do they not read the news about this man????? I am so grateful to be in NC right now with a good and decent Democratic governor. Otherwise, we would probably be as horrible as most other Southern states. Please enlighten me more about what is going on in the “free state of Florida.” ( Are there states who are not “free”? All the red states act as if they are small, autocratic countries now…….).
Florida businesses have sued DeSantis and teh legislature over the "anti-woke" act on First Amendment grounds. Those companies will win. See https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/newsus/companies-sue-florida-over-stop-woke-act-alleging-free-speech-violations/ar-AAYVo3J
I’ve lived in Florida since 1981, born and raised in Rhode Island…dichotomous states.
Florida has a trifecta,with an extremely vindictive Repub governor and Repub control of House and Senate.
What DeSantis is doing isNOT sustainable.Yes, I do believe it will get worse before it gets better but there are many here fighting back ..working on campaigns,messaging,letters to Ed, postcards,donations+++
Floridians need to shout out what BIDEN’S American Rescue Plan is doing in DeSantis’ Dystopia
Broadband access in rural counties.
77million in job growth grants
500 million for Resilient Florida Trust Fund to fight climate change
Bonuses for teachers and First Responders
+++
💙Florida and plan to stay here and fight !
Glad to hear this. Florida really seems to be a mixed bag. My brother lives there and was the City Manager for Alexandria, Virginia for a time. He says that politically Florida has a long way to go. It's also a center for some pretty amazing art and some pretty amazing environmental work as well. I'd like to learn more about what is going on in your state and how you think you can move past DeSantis and Co. Thanks.
I live in Florida and he scares me to death there are a lot of us here who are fighting against him. Some of what hes doing is just playing illegal and it hasn't worked its way through a system yet. I guess it's kind of like not being willing to leave the United States but feeling like we need to stay in fight. Having spent my whole life in Florida I love this state And I won't let it go down without a fight.. DeSantis DeSantis is doing the same thing that the republicans are doing everywhere hes biting off his nose despite his face And it will come back to haunt him
We moved to NC too…was not moving to Florida with this guy! But in Florida we saw a lot of “We love Desantis signs” which worries me. I think tRump is on his way out now, but Desantis is even worse!
That worries me too.
I was born in Ohio, but I live in Florida. My family moved here in 1956. I love Florida.
There is a good article (by Dexter Filkins)about Ron DeSantis in the June 27th issue of The New Yorker. It’s worth reading. I consider DeSantis to be cross between Donald Trump & Vladimir Putin, combining the worst of both men. He’s ambitious, articulate, intelligent, angry, stubborn, focused, disciplined, a bit reclusive, but not particularly charismatic. He runs Florida like he is the King. The State Senate is composed of 23 Republicans & 16 Democrats; the House, 76 Republicans, 42 Democrats. The legislature had drawn a new congressional map & sent it to the Governor for signature, but he preferred the map that he had drawn & vetoed theirs. Eventually they approved his map. DeSantis sets policies that appeal to the extreme right voters. Many have ended up in court, but DeSantis doesn’t back down.
When we last voted for Governor (2018), the vote was so close that there was a mandatory machine recount. DeSantis won with a margin of 0.4%. Unfortunately, I don’t anticipate a close election this time. DeSantis is very popular with the Trump supporters, & we don’t know yet who the Democratic candidate will be. Our primary is August 23rd.
You are right to worry about Ron DeSantis. I anticipate that he will run for President in another two years, whether or not Trump runs. He doesn’t care about Trump; he cares about his supporters.
Hi, everybody. I'm going to jump in briefly with a complete outsiders view on DeSantis. I try to keep up with him, as I'm doing with all these post-Trump possible presidential candidates. DeSantis is scary, no question about it. He can out-Trump Trump and, as you've pointed out, a big advantage is that he's smart. But DeSantis, for all his smarts, still rants and screams and other outrageous behavior just like Trump, and I think one reason Trump's stock seems to be dropping in value, is that people were getting sick of all that ranting. I am much more worried about Mike Pence, quiet, presentable, actually to the right of Trump, and has devoted a good portion of his political life supporting conversion camps for gay teens. And he has currently come off quite well in the Jan 6 hearings as it becomes clear that he, rather than Trump, was giving orders on that day.
He scares me badly.
I agree that Pence is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He basically did his job on 1/6, and thank goodness for that. But he is perhaps the most sycophantic individual ever, and he is clothed in “righteousness” which is causing a whole lot of Hell right now in America. The fact that he calls his wife “Mother” is creepy and reminiscent of cult groups’ language. It will be interesting whether the GQP can embrace Pence out loud since he is enemy #1 in Trump land. He is very different from DeSantis, and they’re both not what we need to turn the page on these last degrading 5 years of the Trump era.
I'm afraid we're going to turn that page into another unfamiliar world that has been permanently and radically changed, and I include in that not only the harsh political scene (the capitol stormed etc) but the changes wrought by the pandemic (isolation of individuals) and by technology (Zoom groups for almost anything and the culture-shaking fact of working from home). I think we're going to be om a roller-coaster ride for a generation, at least, and we'd better be prepared for it. That's why I say these old men, Biden as well as Trump and McConnell,; need to step down I'm 2024. I read an article yesterday that said Biden, especially, needs to focus on building his legacy NOW and stop thinking and talking;
about 2024. For myself, I am tired--not tired of what's happening I'm the world and this country today (I get itchy when I don't know)--just plain 76-year-old tired. And I have this magic seven-year-old grandson who stays with me one day and overnight a week and have been in AA for 36 years and work with a lot of women in that program, so there are two reasons to keep on going as long as possible.
I have slid into a complete ramble here. I guess what I'm trying to say is tjat there are still these corners of my life where I can do a little good, and I absolutely believe that these small efforts pour vital good into the stream of the universe. So is this my purpose in this weird world? To cuorrupt a child, urge him toward an awareness of other people, and to the compulsion to sometimes raise hell in defense of the good;
and to help a few women to stay off alcohol, stay off those street corners, and explore a spiritual journey.
I hope that's enough because I can't do one darned thing about what's going on with the human race
Also want to add, that sometimes I draw back from the news, but I never want to be uninformed. I don’t have TV (by choice), so the majority of my information is by reading, so I can chose how much to read/skim on a daily basis. I can watch the J6 Committee on the internet.
No tv at my house except the occasional movie with a friend.
I even cancelled my online subscription to the NYTimes after I don't know how many years. I was getting angrier and angrier at their manipulation of the news, cuupled with their high level of skill at doing it, I was starting my day alarmed and pissed off.
Now I read Mr. Hubbell, HCRz,and The New Yorker, and every once in a while that wonderful and quirky. online magazine, Slate.com. Start my day now--thoughtfulw
I think just the sound of television constantly on would drive me nuts
But that is how the world changes for the good, one person at a time, reaching out to another with a helping hand, giving a stranger a complement, a smile, a kind word. You are doing your part. If everyone were to do what you are doing, then the world would be much improved. Your Grandson is blessed to have you in his life. You can never give a child too much love & attention & caring.
I agree. DeSantis has modeled himself after Trump, because DeSantis wants to be President, & he saw what works for Trump so he’s trying to out-Trump Trump.
I anticipate that DeSantis will be re-elected Governor, as there isn’t a strong Democrat running against him. There is so much going on with the J6 Committee & the DOJ investigations that it’s impossible to see two years into the future. And the MSM keeps harping on the age issue of Trump & Biden, when they should be focusing on the attempted overthrow of our government.
Do you think that the hard-core Trump supporters would support Pence, who “failed” Trump?
That's a very good question, Jean, and I don't know, but I'm not sure that, in the end, there are going to be that many of them and Pence would absolutely bring out the suburban Republican women who want to stay Republican but just can't stomach these Trump and DeSantis
guys who are, as my dear departed Aunt Dean would have said, "TACKY". Of course, you understand I have no idea what ;I'm talking about. I am 76 years old, have been politically activeve for half a century, and I have never seen anything even remotely like what's going on now. It's an alien landscape out there and I can only; try to find a few familiar signs and; then take a shot at speculation
I’m with you. (I’m 77, so I’m older, but not wiser!) I have tried to understand what goes on in minds of the people who support Trump no matter what, but to no avail. I’ve pretty much stopped trying, & now just think of them as cult members. They are uninformed, but seem unaware of that, & aren’t interested in hearing anything that contradicts what they believe.
Pence isn’t what I would consider a charismatic speaker, so I’m not sure he could draw in those from the Cult of Trump. Pence is a fanatic, however, & I could easily see him burning witches at the stake, or starting an inquisition. I’ve read how, when he was Governor of Indiana, he banned a clean needle exchange, resulting in a massive outbreak of HIV & hepatitis C. He seems to see things in black or white, with no shades of grey.
I am guessing that Trump will run for President again. When he declares, the RNC will quit paying his legal bills, so that will be incentive for Trump to put it off as long as possible. I imagine that Trump thinks that he cannot be indicted if he is a candidate, but I don’t think Merrick Garland agrees with that.
I’m not sure who cursed us with “May you live in interesting times”, but I am not amused. I never thought I would spend my retirement masked and fretting over the possible downfall of our beloved country.
Well, I suppose it could be worse. We could be home reading airport novels or watching daytime soap operas. I can say one thing for our "interesting" times. The whole thing has been a civics lesson. I have never understood so much about the details of how our government works.
Thanks for your thoughts, as someone who is on the front lines. I realize that DeSantis often talks tough, but his policies don’t always go through. Did he actually punish Disney by taking away their special status, or has that just not kicked in yet? This latest scheme about “Wokeism” has already been challenged and hopefully won’t win in Court. Wonder if it ever occurs to the GQP voters in Florida that one day a Democrat may win at the highest levels and turn the tables on these punitive policies. How will they like it if Dems attack Republican businesses, etc? They do not seem to be bothered at all by any sort of moral deterrent. What is the story on the GQP who complained to DeSantis that their bank was discriminating against them because of their right-wing views? How did the bank discriminate? Were they causing problems? I can’t imagine what’s really going on. How would the bank know their political affiliation unless they were trying to stir something up? Just beyond my naive experience……Would love to know the real story. Thanks.
We moved from Texas to NC this year. The more we hear about DeSantis (and others of his ilk) the more we worry about who would run if Trump doesn't. I'm afraid people will vote for those just as a relief from all the Trumpery and then we'll be in real trouble with someone smarter and crafter than he is.
Postcards to Voters has an ongoing campaign to remind Florida Democrats about the state’s Vote By Mail policy. County by county Postcards to Voters is asking Dems to sign up for or renew their vote by mail status. There’s research to show that if you get your ballot by mail, you’re more likely to vote.
Yet another reason to sign up with Tony the Democrat/Postcards to Voters!
(My only affiliation with PTV is that I’ve been writing cards with them since 2017)
You raise some really interesting questions here. Florida as reported in the media seems to get weirder by the day. That said, I met a woman at a workshop I took earlier this summer who described DeSantis as really intelligent. She also referred to me as a "do-gooder." She was a well-educated person and we remained on cordial terms for the remaining two weeks of the workshop, but both comments have lodged in my brain and keep me scratching my head. DeSantis has gone to elite schools, as have so many on the right, but what is it that they learned that has turned them into these autocratic beasts?
Almost every day there is another story about how DeSantis takes his petulant anger out on businesses that he doesn't agree with. Here is the latest story from today: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/desantis-citing-a-1947-law-on-crossdressing-seeks-to-revoke-a-restaurant-s-liquor-license-after-a-video-surfaced-of-children-attending-a-drag-brunch/ar-AA107fhN?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e231fa9806b84626f2fcebaacaab91e6
Annette, To the pronoun-a-phobics I’ll say…So, crossdressing is bad but wearing a swastika or carrying an “Expel The Jews in 2022” flag is Ok ??
This is blunt. DiSantis has shown his colors. He is a Nazi. I only live in Florida part time and am not a Florida voter. I plan to stick with BLUE Illinois and fight to keep it that way. DiSantis sickens me.
I am a daily reader but first-time poster. I am looking for feedback regarding companies who continue to support the January 6 insurrectionists.
As a 40+ year member of USAA and a retired military member, I was shocked to read about USAA's support for insurrectionist politicians via their employee PAC. After several hours of trying to get a response from USAA, I finally got a non-answer from someone in the CEOs office. He basically said, "Monitor our performance (FEC website) going forward before taking your business elsewhere." Does anyone else share my frustration? Does anyone know if they have improved their performance?
I have started weaning myself off USAA's products but they don't seem to notice or care. Any suggestion your readers might have for finding additional info is appreciated.
Judd Legum has a substack newsletter that tracks exactly this the of thing (and other important things). It's called Popular Information, and it's entirely subscriber supported, so independent. You can choose paying or free subscription, and he gives excellent information about who is still funding what, despite their public comments to the contrary.
Just keep writing USAA. Write editorials and comments in places like this. The world needs to hear what you find. Our best way to vote, after voting, is with out wallet. And I would ask you to always say you are retired military.....with honor...and thank you.
Pete, thanks for this. We too are in deep with USAA, and I had no idea. They will be hearing from us, and we will be looking for alternatives.
Thanks for posting this. I left USAA after 26 years when I learned they turned back on their funding to insurrectionists. USAA doesn't seem open to feedback.
If you haven’t already, sign up for Judd Legum’s Popular information newsletter. He exposes these companies on regular basis! Also Jessica’s Chop Wood, Carry Water daily letter is advocating for contacting some of these companies weekly…she even provides the emails and a script!
I agree with both of these suggestions. Jessica Craven has sent us to a few on the list so far and she makes it easy- you can write your own or send hers. And if we all start doing it…
As a USAA member since 1986 and parent of 4 other members, I am concerned about their using money to influence legislation and elections that are not in my best interest.
As someone deeply committed to the cause of combating climate change for the past decade, I want to offer a salute to Messrs. Schumer and -- yes -- even Joe Manchin for their flexibility in creating the "Inflation Reduction Act." Yes, it includes elements that continue to facilitate the use of fossil fuels and the climate hawk in me wishes it were otherwise. Still and all, it puts gale force wind in the sails of renewable energy that will in short order render it so much cheaper than oil and gas that their death of natural causes will be inevitable. What's more, in finding common ground between the conservative Manchin and the vastly more progressive wing of the party, the pluralistic Dems once again showed the monolithic GOP why its unique ability to foster compromise once made our political system the envy of the free world. It really is a shame that only one side of the aisle is still capable of it.
Nothing will change in America until Citizens United is changed. That ruling "LET THE DOGS OUT" and it is the source of the money that has killed our democracy.
It is 2AM eastern time but 40 years behind the clock in the Federal Response to Monkey Pox, hiding behind the early infections among gay men. In the department of “Here we go again,” it’s a repeat of feckless CDC, FDA & the Surgeon General with as usual no forceful communicators except Harvard’s Dr Zha (spelling?) we have seen this this Shakespearean tragedy time and again. Soft pedaling & evasive & assigning a pandemic to specific groups! Even during the height of the AIDS crisis we had Tony Fauci a damn good scientist but never a forceful communicator as continued in the shameful government response to Covid, hiding behind a maliciousI
& reckless Uninformed President. Yet no one in the govt had the cujones to push the Buffoon off the cameras! It is different now thank god but still confused messages & restrictive processes permitting vaccines for MPox ! Good night. Jonathan Atkin NYC
Agree, Jonathan. We need to pay more attention to Monkey Pox. Everyone should know that a vaccine is available. Be persistent in asking your healthcare provider if you believe you are at risk or have been exposed (important to get vaccine within 4 days of exposure). See CDC guidance, https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/clinicians/smallpox-vaccine.html . See also https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/28/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administrations-monkeypox-outbreak-response/
Unlike Reagan, who never uttered the word "AIDS", Biden has already said "everyone should be concerned about Monkey Pox" and just committed funding for more than 1.2 million vaccines. That is not enough to vaccinate everyone in the US, but it will go a long way to vaccinating those who are at risk / exposed.
Robert: In NYC if I do NOT lie, the strict qualifications to getting an appointment for a Monkey Pox vaccine has 3 sets of criteria and prevents me from getting the first dose. In theory one must meet all three. I meet the first two criteria: The third: Have you had multiple partners in the past 14 days? I could lie and say yes, or tell the truth...which is hell no. I understand the need to limit vaccine availability to those who are most likely to be in an infectious environment...but something is dreadfully wrong with that set of criteria.
Yes, but where is the CDC?FDA? Is Zha now the spokesperson, from Harvard. If you don't know, the role of Johns Hopkins becoming the expertise in Covid infection rates world wide was by accident. I have met some of their young researchers who on a lark decided several yrs ago, to analyze data on their own..which then blossomed into the most authoritative source of Covid info on the planet. SO much for the CDC. If you can't read between the lines, I've never been a fan of Anthony Fauci. He is the only voice and expert the US Govt has had..but woefully inadequate in terms of communication. He has vascillated since the 1980's. Many revere him. Where is the kind of Surgeon General we had with the late Dr. Everett Coop?
"Surgeon General Koop providedfrank and open conversation about HIV/AIDS at a time when the disease was shrouded in fear and misinformation. Dr. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. CDC had just reported the first cases of what later became known as AIDS as Dr. Koop was nominated as Surgeon General in 1981.
In 1986, President Reagan asked Dr. Koop to prepare a report on the new and deadly disease. In response, Dr. Koop developed the Surgeon General’s Report on AIDS (PDF 2MB), writing much of it himself. Released on October 22, 1986, the report provided accurate, nonjudgmental, and comprehensive information.
In his introduction to the Report, Dr. Koop famously cautioned against the terrible stigma associated with the disease, writing: “We are fighting a disease, not people."
A Texas friend since 1970 laughed and said (when I expressed concern and openness for another vaccine) oh you don’t need to worry about THAT!!! ....yea....barely survived 28 years in Texas...sooooo grateful to call Colorado HOME since ‘98!
See many Texas license plates in Colorado now. Spoke to one family that was asking where a good Mexican restaurant is at. Said they moved from Texas just recently as they had enough of the politics there as well as other issues.
Lived to Colorado for 25 years now and very happy to be here.
We see many of the dreaded Texas license plates in New Mexico. They drove too fast and litter. GO HOME!
Years ago as one drove from California into Oregon, billboards proclaimed “Enjoy your visit. Please Don’t Stay.”
There was a ruder and funnier way of putting that. Even as a Californian I enjoyed it, but it's about the economic wasichu effect. Mainers look with similar alarm at Southern New England, and we earned that, too.
This is why I stopped reading the Washington Post:
"Biden Savors Much-Needed Victories. But Will the Highs Overshadow the Lows?"
That lazy counter-narrative does so much damage to our side.
I had exactly the same reaction when I saw that headline.
Yes, count me as another one, but that kind of misleading headline is one of the regular problems with WaPo, don't you think? I wish I could remember the exact headline but it was almost celebratory in tone as it announced that Virginia's new governor was doing a great thing for parents and giving them more of a voice in their children's education. The facts are that he's giving a whole bunch of money to establish model schools (which takes it away from the public schools) where parents will have more say but the bottom line is that this guy ran on his promise to give parents more power in stopping teachers from including "CRT" in their classes. Thank heaven for strong comments sections, their was an outcry because it turns out the woman who wrote it is a well-known right-winger and Trump supporter, none of which was even hinted at in a long blurb on her. I think the bottom line on all this is that the press has turned against Biden and they are controlling the news of the day. It's a scary mess.
Hi Robert,
I so appreciate and value your work. Thank you and Heather Cox Richardson for keeping me politically sane these last few years.
I want to give a shout out to an inspiring young woman and her non-profit organization. Olivia Juliana took on the odious Republican Florida congressman Matt Gaetz last week when he called women who support abortion rights “obese and ugly.” Olivia turned his own words back at him and raised $1.5 million for abortion clinics around the country. Your readers might want to check out her non-profit, Gen Z for Change. It’s such a relief to see young people banding together for positive change in this world!
I for one am extremely frustrated with our House Republican congressman here in MN-8, Pete Stauber. His constant harping on Biden and Democrats having caused inflation is very dishonest and damaging. The district is deeply red for the time being with weak a wand and poorly financed challenge from the DFL. Problem is his supporters, like so many Republican voters, are firmly ensconced in their bubble and they believe what they are told. Stauber has a long record of lying and fails to even mention the J6 insurrection (especially bad as he is a former cop); is very anti-environment (in the guise of pro-working people, i.e., mining, logging, etc.) and is very good at shading the truth. He's probably typical of red-country Republicans and, like an annoying horsefly, difficult to shoo away or swat.
From his newsletter today:
"Dear friend,
First, I want to address the disappointing yet unsurprising news of the U.S. GDP shrinking two quarters in a row. President Biden and his White House can try to change the definition of a recession and throw all the excuses and technicalities at us they want, but that does not change the harsh reality of what we are dealing with. Despite claims from this Administration, our economy is not booming, and American families know this better than anyone.
We are officially in a recession.
From pain at the pump to monthly grocery bills that look closer to a car payment, we are all suffering the consequences of Biden and Congressional Democrats’ reckless spending. This is exactly what my GOP colleagues and I predicted would happen, and now our fears have become a reality. We know this historic inflation is punishing every American, especially the most vulnerable members of our communities, and as the Democrats continue to push for even more record spending, I will not be supporting any of their unwise spending sprees that will make our economic crisis even worse."
See what I mean? Red meat for the red crowd.
The terrible thing, in addition to your terrible thing here, is that too many of us don't qualify as members of "an informed electorate," and so readers of this garbage don't know enough basic civics and the economics of inflation and recession to realize that it is literally not possible for one president in one year to have any impact at all on the economy of this country. In today's political climate, with the fundamental structures of our democracy under attack, when it already might be too late, we just can't afford not to know.
My Florida congressman, Gus Bilirakis, sends a newsletter with the exact same information. I just delete them now. I will spare Robert's readers any of the commentary.
I'd like EVERY article concerning what Congress is and isn't doing to contact or attach a list of ALL the Congresspeople who voted against the legislation -- generally the 50 Republicans who are preventing progress for the common people. I'd like that list EVERY TIME there's a vote in Congress stopping progress.