Welcome to the Comment section if you are new, and welcome back if you are a regular contributor!
Please help me keep the Comment section friendly and positive by replying to this comment if you see an abusive or inappropriate post. That will allow me to quickly delete abusive posts.
Although I monitor the Comment section throughout the weekend whenever I open it to everyone, I can't do so continuously. Fortunately, abusive posts have been few and far between. Please help me keep it that way! Thanks!
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 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!
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.
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 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.
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
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."
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.
Dear readers,
Welcome to the Comment section if you are new, and welcome back if you are a regular contributor!
Please help me keep the Comment section friendly and positive by replying to this comment if you see an abusive or inappropriate post. That will allow me to quickly delete abusive posts.
Although I monitor the Comment section throughout the weekend whenever I open it to everyone, I can't do so continuously. Fortunately, abusive posts have been few and far between. Please help me keep it that way! Thanks!
Have a good weekend, everyone!
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 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!
Why is the Trump-appointed Inspector General still at the Dept. of Homeland Security??
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.
Let’s Do It.
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.