The Democratic presidential ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota governor Tim Walz continues to gain momentum, with people flocking to their events and pouring money into the Democrats’ campaign: in the first 24 hours after Walz joined the ticket, the party raised $36 million from more than 450,000 donors, more than a third of them giving for the first time.
The Democrats have the popular policies, the momentum, and, most importantly, are on the right side of history.
I am still concerned about the MAGA efforts to seize power by force or fraud.
Force will not work, though some violence is possible. It would be quelled quickly.
But fraud— that is trickier. What mechanisms are being considered to keep corrupt election officials from sending this to an even more corrupt Supreme Court?
Of course it is possible that some red states could flip blue, in which case all their schemes will be for nought…
“What are the laws in the United States that prevent election result certifiers from cheating?“
Here’s what Claude.ai returned, and basically we need to be way out ahead telegraphing that the rule of election law must be respected, and punishment for individuals pulling bullshit will be severe:
“There are several laws and safeguards in place in the United States aimed at preventing fraud or cheating in the election certification process:
1. Federal laws:
- The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 clarified the role of state officials and Congress in certifying election results.
- The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in voting practices.
- The Help America Vote Act established standards for election administration.
2. State laws:
- Each state has its own set of laws governing election procedures and certification.
- Many states have specific criminal penalties for election fraud or tampering with results.
3. Procedural safeguards:
- Bipartisan or multipartisan oversight of the certification process in many jurisdictions.
- Public meetings and transparency requirements for certification proceedings.
- Chain of custody protocols for election materials.
4. Criminal statutes:
- Federal and state laws criminalize various forms of election fraud and interference.
- Penalties can include fines and imprisonment.
5. Judicial oversight:
- Courts can intervene if there are credible allegations of fraud or impropriety.
- Legal challenges can be brought against improper certifications.
6. Decentralization:
- The U.S. election system is highly decentralized, making large-scale fraud more difficult.
7. Audits and recounts:
- Many states require post-election audits or allow for recounts under certain conditions.
While these laws and measures aim to prevent cheating, their effectiveness relies on proper enforcement and the integrity of officials involved in the process. The specific implementation and strength of these protections can vary by state and locality.”
And if that fails, don’t forget the Supreme Court gave the president unchecked power to go righteous dark Brandon on some unrighteous cheaters. It’s good to be the party in power in such constitutional crisis situations, no?
“ First, the rule contradicts state law—which takes precedence. The Georgia state elections board cannot create a rule that supersedes state law. Per Democracy Docket,
That this [new rule] violates state law seems clear. The obligation of county boards to certify elections is mandatory and ministerial. Nothing in Georgia law permits individual members to interpose their own investigations or judgment into a largely ceremonial function involving basic math.
Second, refusing to certify local election results is a sucker’s game. Local officials are not empowered to challenge particular races on a ballot; they must certify (or not) the entire election in their jurisdiction. So, if local officials in Georgia try to delay certification, they do so for every candidate on the ballot—not just for the presidential candidates!
Delaying local certification (in Georgia, for example), could prevent the swearing in of the Georgia delegation in the House of Representatives, members of the Georgia State Senate and House, and four Georgia Supreme Court justices whose terms expire in 2024. If a local official attempts to delay certification to interfere in the presidential election, that state official will likewise prevent certification of every federal and state office that requires a statewide vote.
Can you think of anyone on the above list of federal and state offices who might feel aggrieved by an arbitrary refusal to follow the mandatory duties of state law? And do you think that the first person to the courthouse door to compel certification might be Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger or the State Attorney General? I do.”
When I read this today, I gave a huge sigh of relief. I hope it holds true in other states as well, if they attempt to circumvent their own state laws.
Greg Palast has done a lot of investigation into the voting. A very large number are just thrown out. https://mailchi.mp/gregpalast/whos-sari-now-trump-disses-asian-american-voters-174533?e=a5c7fc1876 Rachel Maddow was just reporting on the right's efforts to place people in the local voting precincts and as the state electors. That explains why Trump is saying no need to vote. This will be "the big steal".
Horrifying. One of the reasons I like to go in person to vote is that I am terrified that I will not sign in the correct space, fold the envelope in the correct manner or do some stupid thing to make it not count. I had to mail a vote once and I checked it over two times and had my husband check it over, also. Then there is the question of will the mail get it there in time? Will it get lost in a mail chute? Fall out of the mail truck?
I understand your concern about mail-in ballots. In WA we’ve had them for a long time. Last election, I failed to sign the outside of the envelope but received a notice and a way to correct it. Easy peasy!
Tuesday night I was an observer for the closing of the ballot box close to me. After the closing, an election truck arrived to transport the ballots to the elections office. However, I don’t know how the ballots sent through USPS are handled by that entity. Hopefully contrary to deJoy’s wishes!
Not sure how it works in your state, but WA bends over backwards to ensure everyone’s vote is counted.
Would like to point out that German billionaire owner of the second largest chain of drugstores in Germany called Rossmanns, went public two days ago saying his company would no longer purchase Teslas because Elon Musk is supporting Trump. I hope more leaders in Europe step forward like this. Europe has a vested interest in Trump not winning and except for Russia and Hungary, everyone has to recognize this. Harris and Walz represent sanity. And weird is code for crazy!
That is great news. The Tesla Board can't be happy with Elon and their 2nd quarter numbers.
What if his net worth drop in half to say $117 billion? He'd be slumming with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Warren learned years ago, not to ever mix business and politics, but Musk is so arrogant (and rich) he could care less. He was dumb enough to buy twitter for over $40 billion and has thoroughly trashed it.
My husband wanted a Tesla when we had to replace our oldest car but I refused because of how much I dislike Musk. I love the idea of electric vehicles, but we needed backup because of our lifestyle. We bought a Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid. Love it! We put 1000 miles on it with only 10 gallons of gas and nightly charges (which we believe cost us about $45 per month). There are options, and they are all better than Tesla now, especially if one doesn't want to support that company's owner.
I thought the Tesla Board was happy with him since they approved his 56 bil pay package. That allows him to own toys like Twitter and have no consequences for tanking it. However, he is appearing to be unpopular in England. At least by Keir Starmer who has made it known that he does not like Musk stirring the pot over the murders of the children in the dance school, by amplifying lies about who did it helping to get right wing groups out committing crimes. So, his net worth does not seem like it will drop just yet, and I think we should all be boycotting Twitter.
If you really want an electric, I found the Lucid Air--which starts at $69k, to be a joy to drive, with beautiful styling, unlike those ugly Teslas (I really find them ugly). But you can greatly reduce your CO2 driving emissions with a plug in hybrid if you do a lot of in town driving, and with that you don't have to face range anxiety.
Musk has accomplished his goal when he bought twitter. He still can communicate with millions of people and now he can eliminate any grouo with whom he disagrees.
Musk redefines arrogant with bad work…I was in a BiMart parking when a car alarm keep going off, as the owner and I walked out he pushed down the front hatch noting it was broken and setting off the alarm. I said this was fixed in a software recall, not the latch. That that T car Musky smell for sure!
The irony of the fact that Teslas are the preferred vehicle of those who have concerns about the Earth...and generally favor progressive ideas...will, I predict play itself out in the market place. Competitive EVs are set to launch. Next year, the very popular Chevy Bolt will land with a new battery pack. The other makers are not asleep. For now, I would rather drive a horse and buggy than a Toxic Tesla. The largest portion of Musk's wealth is in Tesla's stock. I foresee a karmic collapse.
From a Google inquiry about Tesla sales trends:
"However, in July 2024, the Washington Post reported that Tesla's annual sales had declined for the first time in back-to-back quarters. In July 2024, CNN also reported that Tesla's second-quarter profit had dropped more than 40% from the previous year, which was a "stark contrast" for a company that had grown to become the world's most valuable automaker on surging sales and profitability."
I have had two Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids. Most of the driving I do is under the number of miles the battery can handle, so I end up driving primarily on battery for trips to town, to the store, etc. While it's not a "splashy" car, it does the job and I'm happy to have reduced my contributions to pollution.
I don't particularly like most electric cars--I don't enjoy driving them the way I like piston engines. But I'm an old school car nut--learned to drive on a '57 Chevy, and took my first legal drive in a 1965 Peugeot 404 wagon (4 on the tree). I did drive a Lucid Air recently, and quite to my surprise, I loved it. (But the model I drove was the least expensive Lucid, at $69k.)
For some reason I was alerted on a Reddit chain about someone trying to sell the damn ugly Tesla truck. Apparently the thing sells for $100k and he can't sell it for a twenty percent discount. The individual cries that it won't be worth half what he paid for it soon.
I've seen two of them in the last couple of weeks. It's such a ridiculous and as I said, ugly, vehicle.
Tesla did have the only charging plan that made sense, but I wouldn't have one.
The "Cybertruck" is a ridiculous, dangerous piece of garbage. They do not protect the steel frame; the two that I have seen in Oregon are that lovely orange that steel turns when exposed to water. The concept of "crumple zones" are gone on this truck, and the steel exterior paired with the plastic connectors make a crash with a Cybertruck into an edged weapon situation. Just yesterday, I saw a photo a friend of mine shared that when the 10,000 pound towing capacity was tested by someone towing a trailer, it failed miserably, ripping the undercarriage from the frame of the "truck".
My charging plan involves "free" charging at home 90% of the time. I have solar with storage batteries. Tesla has more on-highway chargers, but that matters only if you drive 200+ miles daily... It also helps those living in apartments or condos with short-sighted property managers.
I sure agree about the ugliness of the Tesla truck. Last Saturday, I was delayed on the PA. Turnpike by a 6 car pileup… the first vehicle in that accident, was a Tesla truck!
Tesla is a company that treats employees and customers like garbage, has quality control that is garbage, and rents rolling garbage. Google Tesla build quality if you are interested in horror stories.
"Competitive EVs" have been available for years! I own a Hyundai, a BMW, and a Ford EV. All great cars that I intend to keep a very long time! And, yes, others are being launched soon.
Good. I find Teslas quite ugly--wouldn't want one in MY driveway--and they are still killing people with that "self driving," including recently a motorcyclist in Seattle.
They might be reaching their saturation until countries build more infrastructure for charging them. I imagine the fact that the Chinese really are dominating in the market does not help Tesla in certain parts of the world. In Germany I use public, walk or ride my bike. In the USA I actually live in a walking neighborhood. However, there are places I would drive just for safety. Less of an issue here in Germany. But, we had thought about a Leaf if we got a car here in Germany. Tesla is embedding itself into Germany probably seeing it as the biggest European market. We shall see.
I wish Uncle Sam would grab that unreconstructed South African reactionary by the collar/seat of the pants and toss his useless radical rightwinger butt the heck out the country. (It is a sweet fantasy, but I know that's all it is)
Linda, excellent news. I want more and more people to do the same. I see whiny Musk is also suing advertisers as if they can't refuse to advertise where he wants them to advertise.
Agreed, but I can see why they don't when you see where they put their campaign funds. Rossmann cannot legally fund anyone's campaign, but he can hurt those who are.
Particularly concerning is the ability to display apparently live images of people, such as Kamala Harris, making untrue statements in a perfect reproduction of her voice.
People need to stop using these services. Do not use Twitter and help it to die. Most of us cannot afford Teslas, so that is harder to control. I showed my German architect about Rossmanns because he drives a Tesla and we have discussed that he supported Musk that way. He said when he bought it there was nothing that worked as well. I showed him the articles on recalls for features of Tesla too. So, he is saying he would not get one again. But, that is what it boils down too. No more Teslas. That would mean that region of Germany would go back to having not enough good jobs and they might go more right wing.
Perhaps if Tesla's profits and share price continue on a downward slope the company might look attractive to an outside buyer (VW, a hedge fund, ??) that might be a more enlightened employer and citizen.
Too bad this is so vague. I don't trust AI to explain how to make a ham sandwich. I want to hear from actual lawyers regarding how these laws translate into stopping the Trump Machine from stealing this election.
The decentralized voting system is really crucial for election integrity. A plan to commit widespread election fraud would require a coordinated attach on all 50 states. The Republicans went over the 2020 election with a fine tooth comb. There were very few fraudulent votes. Most of those votes resulted from someone using a dead person's ballot or using a ballot sent to a second residence in another state. It should come as no surprise that Republicans were as likely to commit this type of fraud as Democrats.
Tina Peters is finally on trial in Colorado for her attempt at election interference in her district. She's a Republican. Dominion Voting System successfully sued Mike Lindell for his false claims that they rigged the voting machines to favor Democrat votes.
Our safeguards worked well in 2020. There's no reason to believe they will be compromised this year.
45 is out of office. It would be much harder for him to try to stage a coup this election because President Joe Biden will be in charge of the peaceful transfer to the next administration, President Kamala Harris!!!!
I hope you are correct Ryan. My deepest concern has been fraud. The former guys family has been appointed electors in the state of Florida. What are the chances they will do what the law requires. I’m really grateful Ryan for your information, it gives my some hope. However, I remember what the Supreme Court did in 2000.
I live in a state that is so gerrymandered, republicans do what they want. The districts were drawn by our governor, and have be declared unconstitutional. The court case will not be heard until after the election.
I’m sorry for sounding so hopeless. It’s hard to feel otherwise, most days.
I have no idea why people are moving here. The insurance companies do what they want. I don’t live in a flood zone, but my flood insurance has gone from 150.00 to 1000.00 in the last 18 years. All of the state will be required to have flood insurance by 2027. I’m wondering what it will coast. I would leave, but my only surviving child and my four grandchildren are here.
Sorry Ryan, but I take issue with your statement that our current President has " unchecked power". Sadly the current corrupt Supreme Court would only give that power to a Retruplican president.
It's going to be decentralization that saves us. They can't work their fraud magic everywhere. They'll try it on, of course, because they seem to have no shame.
Nonetheless he may try a violent insurrection before November 5 as it will be clear two weeks in advance that he will lose badly not only in the battleground states but also Az, NC, Tx, Fl. Those states all have large Black populations! You will probably guess wrong, but TX has the largest Black population in the country: 4.5Million. They will participate with pride and enthusiasm in electing Harris and Walz. Trump will be overwhelmed. The FBI and DoJ will be ready this time as Joe will be in charge!
I keep saying that too Ira, and Mango Mussolini said several times, "we've fixed it", I don't need/want your votes" etc. Were those the ravings of a madman, or the revelings of a narcissitic criminal who just can't keep his mouth shut? In any case, we should all be prepared for the next insurrection, and our Executive should not hesitate one second.
The FBI and DOJ were blindsided by January 6rh. Like the rest of us, they couldn’t believe what was happening. This time, they’re ready. Contingency plans with state and local police to respond promptly and bring perpetrators to justice. Anyone who tries to interfere with the election or counting of votes is going to get what they deserve …in a timely manner.
Cheryl, I do not think they were blindsided. I have yet to see an "after action" report on this incident (I am certain they are out there). I do not know if the intel regarding the insurrection was relayed to the local law enforcement agencies that are the first line of defense (in this case, it is Metro DC Police, Capitol Police, and the US Park Police, each having overlapping jurisdictions) or not. What I do know, as a retired cop, that there was a substantial risk for a disturbance that could lead to a riot, and that was just in reading stuff online, in the paper, or watching TV. That there was no SWAT team on standby for that event is inconceivable to me. I don't know if it was a command failure, but it was a failure of the highest magnitude.
Warning signs were all over about 9/11, and there was a novel about flying planes into the World Trade Center and White House. So it's not like it was unimaginable.
Jan6 was unimaginable at the time. I think imaginations are working overtime now.
When I saw the live feeds from the insurrection, it was immediately obvious that Trump and his groupies were responsible, and since then, they’ve made every effort to deny their responsibility for the events, to accuse the FBI, CIA and Trump’s political opponents of responsibility, or minimizing and downplaying the very real violence of the event. It seems the party of personal accountability can’t admit its own members’ responsibility.
While this was going on, Trump was sitting back on his posterior watching the violence going on via television and enjoying every minute of it.
Election fraud and interference is most often perpetrated by Republicans. A vote harvesting scheme was perpetrated by a Republican operative in NC. That scheme was exposed and the Republican candidate lost. A meeting election had to be held.
I agree. I warned people not to go (the whole undertone was one of violent protest)- but they were sold on the maga script and went. I have no sympathy for any who have been charged and convicted.
Maybe some wishful thinking, but hey! a blue tsunami is not the worst fantasy one can have, Dems may well surprise on the upside! Who ever expected to see the Dems pull themselves up the way they have!
A fantastic dream, in every sense. Bringing it to life is another matter. A few million well-chosen, Texas door knocks between now and Nov 5 would give us a chance.
Yes. Good chance in Georgia. It’s over 30% black. So are Mississippi and Louisiana, but no chance there because the white population still successfully represses black voting. Same for Alabama and SouthCarolina, which are over 25% black. No chance in Texas. It’s only 14% black. It’s 28% Latino, which you’d think would put Dems in charge, but 40% of Texas Latinos vote for rethugs, so that puts the kabosh to a Democratic win in Texas, since white Texans go for rethugs by a 40- to 50-point margin. White Texans suck, the vast majority of them, anyway.
It’s hard to stomach the voting patterns in Texas. People don’t understand that voting directly affects them. It’s how our school boards have been flipped upside down! And superintendents get hired without going through the proper channels. It can really be discouraging! If people would just vote their best interests!
I have a lot of relatives in Texas. I warned them beginning in 2015 and it has been a nightmare since, as almost everyone of them is maga - not old school republican, maga. For me untill I see a pro person change of heart, it is a state not to visit. I am thankful I have no females in my immediate family living there.
With all due respect, no they are not succeeding in perpetuating the old racist tropes! Our younger voters by the millions stand for a fair and multi-racial society!
I respectfully disagree with respect to Texas. Remember Betto lost by 250,000 while most of the Black population remained unregistered! The enthusiasm for Harris together with remarkable efforts by the Divine Nine to mount huge VR campaigns may well change the political equation not only in NC and AZ but also in Fl and TX. Let’s renew this discussion on Nov6, shall we?
From the Houstonia: "O’Rourke also founded the PAC Powered by People in 2019 to help Texans with registering to vote and learn more about their rights when taking part in democracy. Since its inception, the organization has signed up 250,000 eligible citizens, mostly face-to-face at community and private events, rather than via less personal emails, calls, texts, and mailers. These efforts give O’Rourke hope when it comes to creating a more just, fair, and equitable Texas for all.
“It’s one thing to say this is the toughest state in the nation in which to cast a ballot. It’s something else to help those who are targeted for voter suppression actually make their ways to the polls,” O’Rourke says. “I think all those are important things we need to do.”
Thank you Ellen; that is very encouraging! What do you see happening or about to happen re Black sororities launching major VR drives inasmuch as you can’t register directly online but have to mail it in? What is the date of the deadline this year? Thanks; please keep us up to date? Finally is Colin Allred working hard? Many thanks
Hope you’re right, but there’s been lots of Democratic optimism in past Texas elections that has proven to be unfounded. So yes, Nov 6 will provide evidence, one way or the other. I suspect low black registration figures are forced in that direction by rethug dirty tricks. Democrats should have put a billion dollars into Texas GOTV. That’s the only thing that counts, really.
They always do that but let’s count on the Divine Nine to set it right! They are obviously very motivated and capable which we really did not have much use of in 16 or even 20! This year is truly a brand new ballgame and praise to Joe for recognizing it and taking one for the team, so to speak! Seriously, the old voting practices no longer apply for the next 90 remarkable days when our Democracy is literally at risk! But we recognize it and various organizational structures are now beginning to take that very seriously! Good news, folks!
Annabel, While I share your concerns and judiciously follow the messaging from such standouts as Elections Lawyer Marc Elias and Voting Rights Journalist Ari Berman regarding initiatives, expressly in battleground states, to enact voter suppression on the backend, more importantly, 90 days out, I say we can’t lose sight that our top priority is spending calories ginning up Democratic votes up and down the ballot. I would add that every time I hear a pundit pontificating on when the Harris/Walz momentum might slow, my rejoinder is that we the people are that momentum.
me, too. i hear all kinds of reporting (from MoJones, democracy now, the Lever, American Prospect and other beleagered (god I wish subS had spell check) journalists that there is
- massive purging of voter polls in swing states/districts $$$$$ using AI to Speed it UP
- very targeted social media as in 2016, but this time I'd guess with Zuck on board
(based on his recent life decisions AND the fact that if I try to say 'moron' or 'Dt' or so many other things I get the "this comment resembles others that have been ____ (insert euphemism for censored) and i have to hit "undo" in order to carefully craft the comment to get around the Big Brother of META and I do apologize if this might affect HCR's rating on META, Alphabet & gods knows what else, but
it Must be said!)
- sneaky anti-voter laws like TX online registration that makes you think you're done, but oops if you scroll down it says you have to Print it and Mail it in at least 30 Days before Election day... sounds like Musk's little criminal bait and switch, no?
- censoring of anti-corporate and anti-christofascist content All even slightly mainstream ie for-profit media and, by the f'n DNC!
(I know - AIPAC been co-opted by RW billionaires but we can't say THAT out loud either!)
and lest we are STILL tempted to go all 2016 "she's got the momentum and he's a Perv"
- let's not forget the Putin/Xi/Kim/Khatib and yes MBS/Bibi/USMIC and entire fossil fuel dependent Patriarchy are fighting our democracy.
So get Out THe VOTE
Preaching to the converted, yes, but I am a Cassandra, and my predictions have been spot on since 1980. And I will "never forget" the 2000 steal
(which we aren't "not allowed to say"
but which is Happening as I write this!)
How can we fight Fascism if we can't say it?
Say It Louder. Like Tim Walz has!
In my opinion, he is Bernie from Nebraska. And more effective. And that is FINE with me.
We Must Not Lower Our Guard.
From everything we've seen since 2000, Swiftboat was just badminton.
We should be ready for 2,000 lb bombs with "U.S." written Clearly on their side.
Our Secretary of State in Ohio, Frank LaRose, just purged 144,000 voters from the Ohio voter rolls. Two recently naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote had their registrations purged in the process, and they are working hard to get their registrations restored. This is precisely why I vote.
I just did that last week, and I voted as recently as a couple months ago, also check out your official ID and make sure that it will still be valid on Election Day, an expired drivers license can prevent you from voting. 🙏
The dead giveaway is "Thank you" and no follow-up. Like that joke Florida on-line voting machine where no matter who you voted for it came out as Jeb Bush.
Just in case something changed recently, I did just try to edit my comment as an experiment, but there is still no edit function in the iPadOS app version of Substack. If I use a web browser on my iPad for Substack, I can edit, but my preference is to use the app.
I don't know - that was hours ago - but all of the above have contributed. Whoever it was used the word "beleagered" and jokingly apologised for lack of spell check. I only use the web version of Substack.
Here are the mechanisms to address likely MAGA election fraud. In some states, the election officials would step in, and in other states, "the courts can step in, at the request of a voter, candidate, or another state official." The stepping in would be done by Marc Elias and his team. Marc Elias won 60 of 61 lawsuits from the 2020 election and is gearing up for November 2024.
It's reasonable to expect a much higher volume of rogue/corrupt election officials planted to deny voting results not in favor of MAGA Republicans. It's prudent to prepare ahead of November 5 for these disruptions. We can spread the word to support Democracy Docket with donations (as to expand his team) and subscriptions.
Ellie, While I find your comment quite helpful, unless I missed it, I saw no mention of Georgia’s just-passed mandate requiring that counties/municipalities enact a reasonable inquiry before certifying election results, a tactic, on one hand, that will delay certification of results and, on the other, could block state certification altogether. Moreover, I don’t expect what happened in Georgia to stay in Georgia.
My point is that, while our supporting Democracy Docket is necessary, I don’t believe it will be sufficient. Communities will have to become more knowledgeable and engaged in their local systems, not to mention somehow balancing said involvement with our GOTV obligations.
Yes, THIS!! Get involved, and get to know WHO the local "officials" are. Make sure it's public knowledge, so they will understand that it is THEY who are being watched!! Mess with our elections, and we are gonna mess with YOU!!
Peter, Thanks for the tip. This weekend, I’ll catch up on my Substack reading. Admittedly, I’m not aware that legally a state election board cannot enact a rule changing the criteria for certifying state election results. Nonetheless, I look forward to being informed otherwise.
Walz is the perfect answer to MAGA. He’s not a counterattack, he’s an open hand. MAGA’s power cannot be drowned out with facts or matched with left-leaning passion.
The answer to MAGA is KAMA: Kindness and Mutual Abundance.
Walz is a master of de-escalation. Even the term “weird” is disarming. It defuses the Right’s rhetoric and invites people to take a second look. Fighting insults with insults does the opposite.
The karma that wins over MAGA won’t be their failure. That only makes them double down. It will require a very Democratic mindset: openness to all. Harris and Walz embody just that.
You'd think. But given the current lack of ethical decision-making by the majority on the SCOTUS, I'm not reassured that they would nullify nullification laws.
Goggle Marc Elias and Democracy Docket. His team has actively been fighting in the courts for us for years now. They are in all the states watching and litigating against all the crap the GOP is throwing at the system to get their way. There are also lawyers actively working within the Democratic campaign system towards this end as well.
We need to be vigilant. Remind people to check on their voter registration and validate that they haven't been removed from the rolls. Do it now, do it often.
When is comes to cheating to win MAGAts have Roger Stone working for them and he knows no bounds. He was convict and should have spent time in prison, but was pardoned. MAGAts believe that all of their sycophants who were found guilty due to a corrupt legal system out to get them.
I read the Daily Kos. Many writers have warned about the republican plan to steal the election. They will contest the results. Then arrange for the House of Representatives or the states to vote for the president. All with the Supreme Court aiding them.
Thom Hartmann wrote a Substack post today about the red states that put voters on their "suspense list", which means that because they failed to change their address or return a card to the voter registrar or haven't voted recently, they will be given a provisional ballot. Such ballots are not counted unless the voter goes to the county registrar's office (or sometimes to their state's secretary of state office) to correct the problem within a few days after the election. Sometimes, they are not counted anyway. Of course, this affects more poor people and college students (and blacks). The numbers of suspended voters (those dropped from voter lists, offten without notice are huge.
Just so everyone understands that curing a ballot is not a uniform process across all states.
Of the many flaws in the ability of the Founders to see into the future, giving each state the authority to manage elections, even those for POTUS, was one of the worst.
Oh and Walz is being attacked for a law in his state that allows convicted felons to vote. Those launching the attacks seem to have suddenly reailized that reversing the law would mean that Trump couldn't vote.
Convicted felons in Florida have a very difficult time getting their civil rights, including voting, restored. And it isn’t the Republican presidential candidate, who is a convicted felon, a resident of Florida these days?
Walz is the perfect answer to MAGA. He’s not a counterattack, he’s an open hand. MAGA’s power cannot be drowned out with facts or matched with left-leaning passion.
The answer to MAGA is KAMA: Kindness and Mutual Abundance.
Walz is a master of de-escalation. Even the term “weird” is disarming. It defuses the Right’s rhetoric and invites people to take a second look. Fighting insults with insults does the opposite.
The karma that wins over MAGA won’t be their failure. That only makes them double down. It will require a very Democratic mindset: openness to all. Harris and Walz embody just that.
And yes! I agree, NADA accurately describes what MAGA offers to all non-billionaires
Shittier and Little Shittier II—off the couch and in your homes, doctor’s offices, polling booth, in your water, air and your car. These are not the master race for sure…sorry Peter and Elon, the PayPals.
Something is up. Trump has one campaign stop this week, on Friday in Montana, which has a whopping four electoral votes that he knows he will win. The theory gaining credence is that Trump isn't physically and mentally able to handle the brutal rigors of a presidential campaign. He's only appearing on right-wing TV for interviews. Biden dropping out has left the Trump campaign without a stockpile of ads. And under his thumb, the Republican National Committee has closed all state field offices, likely to divert funds elsewhere.
It must be dawning of him he will lose, and perhaps in a humiliating landslide. Or is he counting on the widely reported stacking of state election offices in some swing states with MAGA zealots to monkey with voting. Or will MAGAs use violence to intimidate voters in heavily Democratic swing state cities?
One thing is certain — Trump is raging and desperate, a dangerous combination.
I know the media doesn't always choose the most flattering photos to accompany their articles but Trump has been looking particularly tired in the latest photos and video clips. Maybe Biden's stepping down and ruining the campaign plans have taken its toll along with the continuing court cases and the growing stories uncovering more possible crime and the stream of lies.
Ah well, he's not a young man, you know. It's such divine justice - he wrecked President Biden's campaign: ("debate"), "ear", bells, whistles, grand entrance by Melania flicking her smile open, and eyes-shut recitation of prayers at the Convention. And then, only a week later....gurgling down the drainpipe...
I'd say the latter. I find it odd that there has been very little coverage of Rachel Maddow's usual Brilliant take that Trump is just going through the motions because he KNOWS the election is going to be Chaos, and therefor much easier to "win." Her show's recent montage of Donny's declarations of "you don't have to vote! we have plenty of Votes!' on multiple occasions, plus his Truly Weird "dear Christians, you only need to vote this once and we'll have it all taken care of" sermon on the Turning Point Mount certainly go a long way to prove his point. There WILL be CHAOS. And what is the oh so prepared DNC doing about it? probably close to nada.
Prepare to fight for all those who live in purplish states, and for all women who need reproductive care and all asylum seekers and Muslims with green cards (or not!) and leftist "vermin" like most of US in the meantime.
Check your Voter Registration and help others do the same and prepare to create a Tsunami.
Michael, I agree. Over here in the UK this is the first thing people say: he's imploding under very idea of losing to a strong Black woman. I'm counting on the FBI and DOJ being ready for R tricks this time, though.
Ihad sneaky suspicion Putin realized Trump wasn't going to win so he made the prisoner swaps and will try to get out of Ukraine with whatever he can salvage.
Maybe just a dream, but it does now seem like Trump now knows Putin will abandon him, too.
!00% my initial reaction to the timing of the prisoner swaps. Putin has realized the TFG is finished, electorally, and he’s sent him a powerful signal to let him know that he (TFG) has lost Putin’s sponsorship.
I thought the same, but apparently one of the tugs Putin has badly wanted back was in poor health. And he has no respect for dumpty and didn't care if he smacked him a little.
Gary Loft -- I sort of feel that any attempts to lie about Kamala and Tim are overtaken by the ample support and positive comments they are receiving. Trump's past history with lies is well known and documented, so the campaign's lies about Harris-Walz do not really indicate "danger." IMO
He's in Montana to undermine Tester. And bc he can't draw a crowd anywhere, he can blame the long distances people would have to travel on Biden's expensive gas.
I live in Bozeman where the psychopath's rally will be at Montana State University. For several days in open lots there have been people selling his paraphernalia. Bozeman is definitely divided.
The best laugh of tonight's post didn't come from a Dem, but from Liz Cheney. "Former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY)...reposted Vance’s photo of his group of about nine people walking away from Harris’s plane and commented: “Looks like [Vance] brought all his rally attendees to the airport with him today.”
What is it with these MAGA weirdos and their fascination with menstrual hygiene products ??? DeSantis vetoed a popular bill that had overwhelming bipartisan support.
Especially when they had 4 years (2 of which they had control of the White House, Congress and SCOTUS) and did NOTHING to make America great.
CFDT halted the government for 35 days so Congress would pay for his wall and they refused. Meanwhile, families struggled to make ends meet.
Project 2025 wants to replace the dedicated Civil Servants and replace them with DonOld's sycophants. We need to let EVERYONE know what the Leonard Leo and Charles Koch funded Project 2025 will do if DonOld is elected.
Actually, Koch and Leonard Leo wouldn't care who the nominee is. They only want a Republican president they can manipulate to steal the country from everyone else.
As for Project 2025 and cuts to Medicare—they are playing a game that will harm people who have preexisting conditions. By having Medicare Advantage as the default (page 489), any people with preexisting conditions who want to change to regular Medicare will find that their supplemental insurance (to cover the 20% that Medicare doesn’t cover) will cost them so much more that they likely will not be able to afford it or they may be turned down. My friends and relatives who tried to switch to Medicare with Medigap after 1 year of Medicare Advantage found their Medigap premiums had increase from 3 to 4 times what they had been paying.
That's wonderful for you! I'm sure for those whose medical needs are not complicated that it's a great budget plan, but for my mother who needed short-term SNF and assisted living or home health care, it was a nightmare as there were very few options for sites that were willing to accept her, and limited home health visits. She had the other Medicare after she fell and broke her hip and needed a SNF and more aftercare, and got great personalized care, but after she switched to DisAdvantage then had another fall, the previous places said they couldn't take her, and there was also a noticeable difference in the aftercare. Anyway as always people's MMV when it comes to healthcare options.
As a former healthcare worker I've seen the difference in quality of care between prepaid plans and traditional plans (which are disappearing rapidly), and the severe reduction in benefits for my long-term patients with insurance over the decades.
I've never been able to understand the business model behind Medicare Advantage.. The insurance company providing the Advantage plan is simply receiving from the Centers for Medicare Services what they would have normally paid out under the standard Medicare plan, right? So, how can they get that limited money to not only pay for covered goods and services, labor/materials to run the operation just like Medicare, BUT ALSO stock buy-backs, executive compensation packages, and $100-600K salaries for the C-suite horde.
I don't see how an insurance company could possibly carve profit out of that fixed pool of money without finding a way to reduce the amount of medical care they pay for or what compensation they pay to their providers. (Sure, they can also use their tax-payer funded weatlth to get return on investiment in the financial markets, but is that really what we would like to do with our public funds? Besides, squeezing vulnerable patients and using incompetence to wear down medical backoffice staff is an irresistable tool for these folks.)
You are absolutely correct. With the Adbantage program you are forced to choose from the plan’s partners/medical options. So if you have a rare cancer or not getting anywhere with the treatment in the Plan’s chosen facilities you are out of luck if you want to go to MD Anderson or Sloan Kettering. It is not worth having your co-pay or deductible picked up by the Advantage plan. You can thank G W Bush for getting this plan passed and essentially giving away tax/fed money to the Insurers. The best health plan available is the standard Medicare plan especially if you choose a good secondary plan ( the better the coverage, the more expensive).
The business model of Medicare Advantage plans is to require pre-authorization for most services and treatments, through which they then deny, delay, and/or steer to lower cost treatment. That's how the consumer/patient/beneficiary loses control and the corporate plan makes money.
I did learn that Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage is an exception because they are non-profit, and people are generally satisfied with the plan.
Thanks for this info. My mother has Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage and has been quite happy with it. Whenever I come across articles saying Advantage plans are a bust, I've never quite grasped the reason. This makes sense now.
Insurance is one of those weird industries that for the claim side, at least, the more incompetent, inefficient, and underpaid they are, the more money the company makes.
I have had an Advantage plan for years and have never encountered any problems, delays or denials. I once called my provider to see if I needed authorization for a Dexa Scan and was told “ That’s between you and your doctor. Whatever they think necessary is what you should do. “ in addition I pay nothing for routine dental care while I hear people complaining about $300.00 dental check ups. What am I missing?
I'm glad you're happy and I note that many people are with their Advantage plans. I would bet that any algorithmic decisions to delay or deny coverage would be tilted to the most expensive drugs and procedures, the ones you are the most unlucky to require, if only because higher scrutiny there would give them "the most bang for the buck."
Nonetheless, I still don't understand how they can make a profit from the same expenditures while still providing the same level of care. It just seems that the money doesn't add up. Even if they talk about "efficiencies" in care delivery, that must still result in people being denied coverage for medical care that they and their doctor desired.
Thom Hartmann wrote a great little book about it. There is also The Big Myth about how conservatives and libertarians have sold Americans on the concept of the "free market" of unregulated business being the best system of economics.
“According to the Congressional Budget Office, higher payments to Medicare Advantage plans, relative to traditional Medicare spending, are due to three factors. First, the payment methodology is based on benchmarks that are higher than traditional Medicare spending in half of all U.S. counties. Second, Medicare Advantage enrollees have higher “risk scores” than traditional Medicare beneficiaries in part because plans have a financial incentive to code for diagnoses, which increases the amount they are paid per enrollee. Third, Medicare Advantage plans typically receive higher payments based on their quality-based star ratings ($10 billion in 2022, according to KFF analysis), but these bonus payments do not apply to traditional Medicare.”
Sorry to be so late in thanking you for this excellent response, I must have missed in in all the emails. This does partly explain how the Advantage plans can make money, in that they get more from the CMS. Now I'm wondering what the motivation was for Congress to create the Advantage programs in the first place, given that it seems to put a greater strain on the CMS entitlement programs. Who's bread got buttered here?
Project 2025 goal is to totally privatize Medicare.ACO Reach is like Medicare Advantage on steroids. It was started as a pilot program under the previous administration and slightly modified under Biden. It’s also a for-profit model that enables those enrolled in Traditional Medicare to be funneled to a different primary provider, often without their knowledge.These physician groups can be owned by insurance companies and private equity firms.
I’m sorry, but it pisses me off that newspapers and news websites, all across America, don’t have the balls to call Trump out for the blatant liar he is!
The title of the “news” article should read:
“Donald J Trump is a Liar, a Con and a Fraud”
The article should contain a photo of the TruthSocial post Trump did - the one pictured in Joyce Vance’s post today, which begins…..
“I know nothing about Project 2025”
And, immediately after that photo should appear the photo of Trump on the plane with Roberts, and these words should appear under that photo…..
In April 2022, Trump and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, the front man for Project 2025, took a 45-minute private plane flight together to get to a Heritage Foundation conference where the former president was one of the speakers. Trump told the audience that the Heritage Foundation was "going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do."
DONALD J TRUMP is a LIAR, a CON, and a FRAUD.
————
Must be put on the FRONT PAGE every newspaper and on the FRONT PAGE of every news website!!!
Complicit? …they have his balls in a Vice! These are his dark money people, his Eric Princes, his handlers! Without this cabal, and free media, he will deflate!
A very good question. Does Harris not have a security detail/protocol ? This seeming lack of both bodes ill for protection of Harris/Walz from inevitable MAGA aggression and violence at the Convention in Chicago.
Yeah according to reports, her and her motorcade had already left. Trump and JD just reek of "pick me" and troll energy. Apparently, his airplane also pulled in behind her plane because he is following her around the country so it's not like how normal people travel.
Sure he would, so there's part of the entourage. No matter who one is though, I just can't think airport security would be ok with a group hanging out / trolling / strolling around on a tarmac at will. Geez, does it not seem like this guy gets creepier / weirder, the more we learn about him ?
Yes, Republicans run on the vitriol, hate, lies, divisiveness, and fear-mongering Heather cites.
Dems are wise to this. They acknowledge the R scheme, but turn quickly "back to the future." Dems have capable, decent souls at all levels across the land who can stay positive, decent, constructive.
So why do Republicans stay so in the gutter? Let's start with book-banning. They hate books. To make room for more of their abstractions (all in league with the Clarence court's multiple rulings for Handmaid's Tale packaged behavior) they must ban books. So in fear are they of any particular individuals as buoy all our best humanities.
Abstractions, rant, vitriol, demeaning packages, insulting labels -- all that is on the Trump-Vance-Clarence court side of the ledger. And nothing else there -- except loyalty to the rancid billionaires and oceans of dark money that keep paying for these descents deeper into their hearts of darkness.
If -- biggest word in the English language -- if our schools centered humanities, if schools made the personal key to literacy, we'd not cede so much as we have to the corrupt Clarence, the lying, self-centered, hate-filled Trump and Vance, and all their cynical dark money.
If our schools keyed that literacy, imagine the people Americans could be, given the great riches in fact we have.
Phil, you are right about the impact of the retreat from teaching the humanities. The internet challenges our capacity to analyze information. We need well-developed critical thinking skills to do so. Sadly, these skills are not generally taught in high school. If students do not gain a solid understanding of history and how government works, they will be easy pray for future Trumps.
Driving across rural Eastern Washington State today there was a sudden absence of Trump signs and flags. Might this be an early sign of candidate abandonment? 🫰
the fall is happening…science! gas laws, PV=NrT he’s deflating under less pressure, but we hope without that wonderful Bleating balloon sounds…you know when you hold the rubber ring…
Last Saturday Danny Westneat wrote in the The Seattle Times how WA-state's primary has been a sort of bellwether of U.S. politics. Perhaps that's beginning to play out.
I think what he said boils down to these points: • WA's primary is open; all candidates from all parties are listed on the same ballot. • Add up all the votes cast for either party, regardless of candidates, and compare the totals. • He then says, "This broad metric has been a fairly reliable forecast for which party will have an edge nationally going back to 1992." The operative concept is "broad metric." I haven't read yet any analysis of the outcome.
Good question -- what I know happens at dog parks are casual interchanges among various people who might not otherwise meet socially and often, they're people observing and chatting about animal behaviors in congenial ways. Could that be feared as a dangerous breeding ground for common sense to spread among people?
It's a good question, I was wondering the same thing. Such an odd thing to say, or I should say very 'weird'. Seems like he doesn't like pets, or animals in general, probably because they sense the weirdness.
But keep going J.D., alienating so many people that love our cats and dogs and are extremely offended by these remarks among the multitude of so many other despicable things that he says and promulgates.
How in the world can someone standing next to old "bone spurs" smile and say anything negative about a man who has spent decades in uniform... and this from a man-child who 'worked' as a military journalist? Give me a break....Onward and upward Harris and Wolz!
"Military journalist" - Juvenile Delinquent (JD) Vance spent six months "in the rear, with the gear" in an air-conditioned office writing press releases for generals. It's where he learned how to be a hack writer, which is what he is. In Vietnam, they were called REMFs (Rear Echelon Mother F - - - - r"), in World War II they were called "Garritroopers" - too far forward to wear a tie, to far in the rear to get shot at.
Among the hallmarks of some of history’s most awful, authoritarian regimes such as Hitler’s Nazi Germany (extreme right wing fascist), Mao’s Communist China (extreme left wing), and Pol Pot’s (ethnonationalistic Mao-ish communism) is the same urge to dehumanize those they sought to exterminate.
HCR writes in today’s letter “The book, titled “Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them),” calls for purging their enemies from society. “In the past, communists marched in the streets waving red flags,” Vance wrote. “Today, they march through HR, college campuses, and courtrooms to wage lawfare against good, honest people… In ‘Unhumans,’ Jack Posobiec and Joshua Lisec reveal their plans and show us what to do to fight back.”
Unhumans!!! How blatantly, unsubtly dehumanizingly straightforward can you get?!
As Sonny and Cher sang in an entirely different context “The beat goes on…”
“…Roberts ‘rails against birth control, in vitro fertilization, abortion, and dog parks.’” The GOP already has issues with cats. Now dogs are going to be pissed, too.
"Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla,"
Clearly we are talking about an "alternate facts" version of The Constitution here, that Republicans put together as the go. Not to be confused with The Constitution we learned about in school.
The Democrats have the popular policies, the momentum, and, most importantly, are on the right side of history.
I am still concerned about the MAGA efforts to seize power by force or fraud.
Force will not work, though some violence is possible. It would be quelled quickly.
But fraud— that is trickier. What mechanisms are being considered to keep corrupt election officials from sending this to an even more corrupt Supreme Court?
Of course it is possible that some red states could flip blue, in which case all their schemes will be for nought…
I’m concerned about fraud. I asked AI:
“What are the laws in the United States that prevent election result certifiers from cheating?“
Here’s what Claude.ai returned, and basically we need to be way out ahead telegraphing that the rule of election law must be respected, and punishment for individuals pulling bullshit will be severe:
“There are several laws and safeguards in place in the United States aimed at preventing fraud or cheating in the election certification process:
1. Federal laws:
- The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 clarified the role of state officials and Congress in certifying election results.
- The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in voting practices.
- The Help America Vote Act established standards for election administration.
2. State laws:
- Each state has its own set of laws governing election procedures and certification.
- Many states have specific criminal penalties for election fraud or tampering with results.
3. Procedural safeguards:
- Bipartisan or multipartisan oversight of the certification process in many jurisdictions.
- Public meetings and transparency requirements for certification proceedings.
- Chain of custody protocols for election materials.
4. Criminal statutes:
- Federal and state laws criminalize various forms of election fraud and interference.
- Penalties can include fines and imprisonment.
5. Judicial oversight:
- Courts can intervene if there are credible allegations of fraud or impropriety.
- Legal challenges can be brought against improper certifications.
6. Decentralization:
- The U.S. election system is highly decentralized, making large-scale fraud more difficult.
7. Audits and recounts:
- Many states require post-election audits or allow for recounts under certain conditions.
While these laws and measures aim to prevent cheating, their effectiveness relies on proper enforcement and the integrity of officials involved in the process. The specific implementation and strength of these protections can vary by state and locality.”
And if that fails, don’t forget the Supreme Court gave the president unchecked power to go righteous dark Brandon on some unrighteous cheaters. It’s good to be the party in power in such constitutional crisis situations, no?
Robert Hubbell retired attorney posted a similar response. I agree the SC is not to be trusted.
“ First, the rule contradicts state law—which takes precedence. The Georgia state elections board cannot create a rule that supersedes state law. Per Democracy Docket,
That this [new rule] violates state law seems clear. The obligation of county boards to certify elections is mandatory and ministerial. Nothing in Georgia law permits individual members to interpose their own investigations or judgment into a largely ceremonial function involving basic math.
Second, refusing to certify local election results is a sucker’s game. Local officials are not empowered to challenge particular races on a ballot; they must certify (or not) the entire election in their jurisdiction. So, if local officials in Georgia try to delay certification, they do so for every candidate on the ballot—not just for the presidential candidates!
Delaying local certification (in Georgia, for example), could prevent the swearing in of the Georgia delegation in the House of Representatives, members of the Georgia State Senate and House, and four Georgia Supreme Court justices whose terms expire in 2024. If a local official attempts to delay certification to interfere in the presidential election, that state official will likewise prevent certification of every federal and state office that requires a statewide vote.
Can you think of anyone on the above list of federal and state offices who might feel aggrieved by an arbitrary refusal to follow the mandatory duties of state law? And do you think that the first person to the courthouse door to compel certification might be Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger or the State Attorney General? I do.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/roberthubbell/p/another-good-day?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
When I read this today, I gave a huge sigh of relief. I hope it holds true in other states as well, if they attempt to circumvent their own state laws.
Greg Palast has done a lot of investigation into the voting. A very large number are just thrown out. https://mailchi.mp/gregpalast/whos-sari-now-trump-disses-asian-american-voters-174533?e=a5c7fc1876 Rachel Maddow was just reporting on the right's efforts to place people in the local voting precincts and as the state electors. That explains why Trump is saying no need to vote. This will be "the big steal".
Horrifying. One of the reasons I like to go in person to vote is that I am terrified that I will not sign in the correct space, fold the envelope in the correct manner or do some stupid thing to make it not count. I had to mail a vote once and I checked it over two times and had my husband check it over, also. Then there is the question of will the mail get it there in time? Will it get lost in a mail chute? Fall out of the mail truck?
I understand your concern about mail-in ballots. In WA we’ve had them for a long time. Last election, I failed to sign the outside of the envelope but received a notice and a way to correct it. Easy peasy!
Tuesday night I was an observer for the closing of the ballot box close to me. After the closing, an election truck arrived to transport the ballots to the elections office. However, I don’t know how the ballots sent through USPS are handled by that entity. Hopefully contrary to deJoy’s wishes!
Not sure how it works in your state, but WA bends over backwards to ensure everyone’s vote is counted.
I keep reading about ballots being found after the votes were counted, thrown out, etc.
CA does as well. They let you know that your vote has been counted.
Just look out for convicted Roger Stone, famous for dirty tricks.
So, unless it works for Mr Musk, AI cannot tell a lie???
Would like to point out that German billionaire owner of the second largest chain of drugstores in Germany called Rossmanns, went public two days ago saying his company would no longer purchase Teslas because Elon Musk is supporting Trump. I hope more leaders in Europe step forward like this. Europe has a vested interest in Trump not winning and except for Russia and Hungary, everyone has to recognize this. Harris and Walz represent sanity. And weird is code for crazy!
That is great news. The Tesla Board can't be happy with Elon and their 2nd quarter numbers.
What if his net worth drop in half to say $117 billion? He'd be slumming with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Warren learned years ago, not to ever mix business and politics, but Musk is so arrogant (and rich) he could care less. He was dumb enough to buy twitter for over $40 billion and has thoroughly trashed it.
My husband wanted a Tesla when we had to replace our oldest car but I refused because of how much I dislike Musk. I love the idea of electric vehicles, but we needed backup because of our lifestyle. We bought a Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid. Love it! We put 1000 miles on it with only 10 gallons of gas and nightly charges (which we believe cost us about $45 per month). There are options, and they are all better than Tesla now, especially if one doesn't want to support that company's owner.
Better options now for batteries for solar panels, too. Tesla used to be the top-rated brand, but aren't any longer.
I thought the Tesla Board was happy with him since they approved his 56 bil pay package. That allows him to own toys like Twitter and have no consequences for tanking it. However, he is appearing to be unpopular in England. At least by Keir Starmer who has made it known that he does not like Musk stirring the pot over the murders of the children in the dance school, by amplifying lies about who did it helping to get right wing groups out committing crimes. So, his net worth does not seem like it will drop just yet, and I think we should all be boycotting Twitter.
My husband and I boycott Twitter, Tesla, and anything else related to Elon Musk. We always have and will continue to do so.
After getting a Tesla demo I loved it. But I would not buy one under any circumstances because I put Musk in the "despicable" category.
If you really want an electric, I found the Lucid Air--which starts at $69k, to be a joy to drive, with beautiful styling, unlike those ugly Teslas (I really find them ugly). But you can greatly reduce your CO2 driving emissions with a plug in hybrid if you do a lot of in town driving, and with that you don't have to face range anxiety.
Musk has accomplished his goal when he bought twitter. He still can communicate with millions of people and now he can eliminate any grouo with whom he disagrees.
Like "White dudes for Harris."
Musk was following me on Twitter (I loathe the guy). But Twitter lets you get rid of followers, and I got rid of Musk.
I also dislike Teslas, and I find them quite ugly--like Musk. The "self driving" is still killing people.
Musk redefines arrogant with bad work…I was in a BiMart parking when a car alarm keep going off, as the owner and I walked out he pushed down the front hatch noting it was broken and setting off the alarm. I said this was fixed in a software recall, not the latch. That that T car Musky smell for sure!
Gary Loft: I think you mean that Musk "couldn't care less". Lots of people make this mistake.
True
The irony of the fact that Teslas are the preferred vehicle of those who have concerns about the Earth...and generally favor progressive ideas...will, I predict play itself out in the market place. Competitive EVs are set to launch. Next year, the very popular Chevy Bolt will land with a new battery pack. The other makers are not asleep. For now, I would rather drive a horse and buggy than a Toxic Tesla. The largest portion of Musk's wealth is in Tesla's stock. I foresee a karmic collapse.
From a Google inquiry about Tesla sales trends:
"However, in July 2024, the Washington Post reported that Tesla's annual sales had declined for the first time in back-to-back quarters. In July 2024, CNN also reported that Tesla's second-quarter profit had dropped more than 40% from the previous year, which was a "stark contrast" for a company that had grown to become the world's most valuable automaker on surging sales and profitability."
I wonder how many people who work for Tesla because of their concerns about the Earth are having second thoughts.
There are popular bumper stickers on Teslas:
I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy
Workers are treated badly. Can't imagine why they'd stay.
The used T price has plummeted.
Hyundai makes excellent affordable electric cars. I love my Kona and the Ioniq 6 is rated #1 of 3 by Consumer Reports.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/ioniq-6/
Yes they do! And they can be serviced…
I have had two Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids. Most of the driving I do is under the number of miles the battery can handle, so I end up driving primarily on battery for trips to town, to the store, etc. While it's not a "splashy" car, it does the job and I'm happy to have reduced my contributions to pollution.
Whatever I get it will be used and won't be a Tesla.
I don't particularly like most electric cars--I don't enjoy driving them the way I like piston engines. But I'm an old school car nut--learned to drive on a '57 Chevy, and took my first legal drive in a 1965 Peugeot 404 wagon (4 on the tree). I did drive a Lucid Air recently, and quite to my surprise, I loved it. (But the model I drove was the least expensive Lucid, at $69k.)
For some reason I was alerted on a Reddit chain about someone trying to sell the damn ugly Tesla truck. Apparently the thing sells for $100k and he can't sell it for a twenty percent discount. The individual cries that it won't be worth half what he paid for it soon.
I've seen two of them in the last couple of weeks. It's such a ridiculous and as I said, ugly, vehicle.
Tesla did have the only charging plan that made sense, but I wouldn't have one.
The "Cybertruck" is a ridiculous, dangerous piece of garbage. They do not protect the steel frame; the two that I have seen in Oregon are that lovely orange that steel turns when exposed to water. The concept of "crumple zones" are gone on this truck, and the steel exterior paired with the plastic connectors make a crash with a Cybertruck into an edged weapon situation. Just yesterday, I saw a photo a friend of mine shared that when the 10,000 pound towing capacity was tested by someone towing a trailer, it failed miserably, ripping the undercarriage from the frame of the "truck".
My charging plan involves "free" charging at home 90% of the time. I have solar with storage batteries. Tesla has more on-highway chargers, but that matters only if you drive 200+ miles daily... It also helps those living in apartments or condos with short-sighted property managers.
I sure agree about the ugliness of the Tesla truck. Last Saturday, I was delayed on the PA. Turnpike by a 6 car pileup… the first vehicle in that accident, was a Tesla truck!
Looks like a waffle maker or a Commando truck cartoon.
Bill, I grew up in Elkhart County, Indiana, where many people still drive a horse and buggy. Now I can't get that image out of my head.
Tesla is a company that treats employees and customers like garbage, has quality control that is garbage, and rents rolling garbage. Google Tesla build quality if you are interested in horror stories.
Totally agree - what you buy is a reflection on what you value. I do not value what Musk says or does, I do not buy what he sells.
Many cars have passed the Musky T…certainly in quality. And the ‘truck that isn’t’ is sad…
"Competitive EVs" have been available for years! I own a Hyundai, a BMW, and a Ford EV. All great cars that I intend to keep a very long time! And, yes, others are being launched soon.
Good. I find Teslas quite ugly--wouldn't want one in MY driveway--and they are still killing people with that "self driving," including recently a motorcyclist in Seattle.
They might be reaching their saturation until countries build more infrastructure for charging them. I imagine the fact that the Chinese really are dominating in the market does not help Tesla in certain parts of the world. In Germany I use public, walk or ride my bike. In the USA I actually live in a walking neighborhood. However, there are places I would drive just for safety. Less of an issue here in Germany. But, we had thought about a Leaf if we got a car here in Germany. Tesla is embedding itself into Germany probably seeing it as the biggest European market. We shall see.
Thanks for that news! I agree with you wholeheartedly.
I wish the government would wise up and cancel its contracts with Musk’s companies.
I wish Uncle Sam would grab that unreconstructed South African reactionary by the collar/seat of the pants and toss his useless radical rightwinger butt the heck out the country. (It is a sweet fantasy, but I know that's all it is)
Excellent news Linda. Thanks! Weird is also code for extremely dangerous in every degree.
Crazy, fascist, authoritarian, dystopic, misogynist, and racist.
Linda, excellent news. I want more and more people to do the same. I see whiny Musk is also suing advertisers as if they can't refuse to advertise where he wants them to advertise.
This is great news, but would'nt be wonderful if American companies would standup for America and do the same!
Agreed, but I can see why they don't when you see where they put their campaign funds. Rossmann cannot legally fund anyone's campaign, but he can hurt those who are.
I am concerned about Musk and what he is doing/not doing with X and the money he is putting out there. How do we stop him?
Particularly concerning is the ability to display apparently live images of people, such as Kamala Harris, making untrue statements in a perfect reproduction of her voice.
I am looking at this Deutsche Welle article yesterday on how this works. There is a video in this article that discusses it. This calling women who are not fitting into the Christian Nationalist gender role transgender, and men is what they are using. The way they think is so twisted, and weird. This is in English. https://www.dw.com/en/kamala-harris-battles-hate-speech-and-false-claims-online/a-69872700?maca=en-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-xml-newsletter&at_medium=Newsletter&at_campaign=EN%20-%20Daily%20Bulletin&at_dw_language=en&at_number=20240807&r=67371052996962623&lid=3059923&pm_ln=262000
People need to stop using these services. Do not use Twitter and help it to die. Most of us cannot afford Teslas, so that is harder to control. I showed my German architect about Rossmanns because he drives a Tesla and we have discussed that he supported Musk that way. He said when he bought it there was nothing that worked as well. I showed him the articles on recalls for features of Tesla too. So, he is saying he would not get one again. But, that is what it boils down too. No more Teslas. That would mean that region of Germany would go back to having not enough good jobs and they might go more right wing.
Perhaps if Tesla's profits and share price continue on a downward slope the company might look attractive to an outside buyer (VW, a hedge fund, ??) that might be a more enlightened employer and citizen.
Too bad this is so vague. I don't trust AI to explain how to make a ham sandwich. I want to hear from actual lawyers regarding how these laws translate into stopping the Trump Machine from stealing this election.
The decentralized voting system is really crucial for election integrity. A plan to commit widespread election fraud would require a coordinated attach on all 50 states. The Republicans went over the 2020 election with a fine tooth comb. There were very few fraudulent votes. Most of those votes resulted from someone using a dead person's ballot or using a ballot sent to a second residence in another state. It should come as no surprise that Republicans were as likely to commit this type of fraud as Democrats.
Tina Peters is finally on trial in Colorado for her attempt at election interference in her district. She's a Republican. Dominion Voting System successfully sued Mike Lindell for his false claims that they rigged the voting machines to favor Democrat votes.
Our safeguards worked well in 2020. There's no reason to believe they will be compromised this year.
45 is out of office. It would be much harder for him to try to stage a coup this election because President Joe Biden will be in charge of the peaceful transfer to the next administration, President Kamala Harris!!!!
I hope you are correct Ryan. My deepest concern has been fraud. The former guys family has been appointed electors in the state of Florida. What are the chances they will do what the law requires. I’m really grateful Ryan for your information, it gives my some hope. However, I remember what the Supreme Court did in 2000.
I live in a state that is so gerrymandered, republicans do what they want. The districts were drawn by our governor, and have be declared unconstitutional. The court case will not be heard until after the election.
I’m sorry for sounding so hopeless. It’s hard to feel otherwise, most days.
I have no idea why people are moving here. The insurance companies do what they want. I don’t live in a flood zone, but my flood insurance has gone from 150.00 to 1000.00 in the last 18 years. All of the state will be required to have flood insurance by 2027. I’m wondering what it will coast. I would leave, but my only surviving child and my four grandchildren are here.
Sorry Ryan, but I take issue with your statement that our current President has " unchecked power". Sadly the current corrupt Supreme Court would only give that power to a Retruplican president.
What about the purging of Democratic voters in Georgia, Ohio, and Texas + other Republican states?
It's going to be decentralization that saves us. They can't work their fraud magic everywhere. They'll try it on, of course, because they seem to have no shame.
Love this…
Nonetheless he may try a violent insurrection before November 5 as it will be clear two weeks in advance that he will lose badly not only in the battleground states but also Az, NC, Tx, Fl. Those states all have large Black populations! You will probably guess wrong, but TX has the largest Black population in the country: 4.5Million. They will participate with pride and enthusiasm in electing Harris and Walz. Trump will be overwhelmed. The FBI and DoJ will be ready this time as Joe will be in charge!
I keep saying that too Ira, and Mango Mussolini said several times, "we've fixed it", I don't need/want your votes" etc. Were those the ravings of a madman, or the revelings of a narcissitic criminal who just can't keep his mouth shut? In any case, we should all be prepared for the next insurrection, and our Executive should not hesitate one second.
bruce, your answer is "yes".
The FBI and DOJ were blindsided by January 6rh. Like the rest of us, they couldn’t believe what was happening. This time, they’re ready. Contingency plans with state and local police to respond promptly and bring perpetrators to justice. Anyone who tries to interfere with the election or counting of votes is going to get what they deserve …in a timely manner.
Cheryl, I do not think they were blindsided. I have yet to see an "after action" report on this incident (I am certain they are out there). I do not know if the intel regarding the insurrection was relayed to the local law enforcement agencies that are the first line of defense (in this case, it is Metro DC Police, Capitol Police, and the US Park Police, each having overlapping jurisdictions) or not. What I do know, as a retired cop, that there was a substantial risk for a disturbance that could lead to a riot, and that was just in reading stuff online, in the paper, or watching TV. That there was no SWAT team on standby for that event is inconceivable to me. I don't know if it was a command failure, but it was a failure of the highest magnitude.
Blind sided???by whose account! Warning signs were screaming on the internet! Compromised secret service agents abetted the insurrection!
Warning signs were all over about 9/11, and there was a novel about flying planes into the World Trade Center and White House. So it's not like it was unimaginable.
Jan6 was unimaginable at the time. I think imaginations are working overtime now.
My half-sister in Washington State saw at once what was happening. Her short e-mail was headed INSURRECTION!
When I saw the live feeds from the insurrection, it was immediately obvious that Trump and his groupies were responsible, and since then, they’ve made every effort to deny their responsibility for the events, to accuse the FBI, CIA and Trump’s political opponents of responsibility, or minimizing and downplaying the very real violence of the event. It seems the party of personal accountability can’t admit its own members’ responsibility.
While this was going on, Trump was sitting back on his posterior watching the violence going on via television and enjoying every minute of it.
Election fraud and interference is most often perpetrated by Republicans. A vote harvesting scheme was perpetrated by a Republican operative in NC. That scheme was exposed and the Republican candidate lost. A meeting election had to be held.
Many of us knew what was going to happen jan 6. if you were paying attention...
I agree. I warned people not to go (the whole undertone was one of violent protest)- but they were sold on the maga script and went. I have no sympathy for any who have been charged and convicted.
Maybe some wishful thinking, but hey! a blue tsunami is not the worst fantasy one can have, Dems may well surprise on the upside! Who ever expected to see the Dems pull themselves up the way they have!
A fantastic dream, in every sense. Bringing it to life is another matter. A few million well-chosen, Texas door knocks between now and Nov 5 would give us a chance.
Add GA for sure please!
Yes. Good chance in Georgia. It’s over 30% black. So are Mississippi and Louisiana, but no chance there because the white population still successfully represses black voting. Same for Alabama and SouthCarolina, which are over 25% black. No chance in Texas. It’s only 14% black. It’s 28% Latino, which you’d think would put Dems in charge, but 40% of Texas Latinos vote for rethugs, so that puts the kabosh to a Democratic win in Texas, since white Texans go for rethugs by a 40- to 50-point margin. White Texans suck, the vast majority of them, anyway.
It’s hard to stomach the voting patterns in Texas. People don’t understand that voting directly affects them. It’s how our school boards have been flipped upside down! And superintendents get hired without going through the proper channels. It can really be discouraging! If people would just vote their best interests!
I have a lot of relatives in Texas. I warned them beginning in 2015 and it has been a nightmare since, as almost everyone of them is maga - not old school republican, maga. For me untill I see a pro person change of heart, it is a state not to visit. I am thankful I have no females in my immediate family living there.
Their primary interest is to preserve systemic white advantages. They are succeeding.
With all due respect, no they are not succeeding in perpetuating the old racist tropes! Our younger voters by the millions stand for a fair and multi-racial society!
I respectfully disagree with respect to Texas. Remember Betto lost by 250,000 while most of the Black population remained unregistered! The enthusiasm for Harris together with remarkable efforts by the Divine Nine to mount huge VR campaigns may well change the political equation not only in NC and AZ but also in Fl and TX. Let’s renew this discussion on Nov6, shall we?
From the Houstonia: "O’Rourke also founded the PAC Powered by People in 2019 to help Texans with registering to vote and learn more about their rights when taking part in democracy. Since its inception, the organization has signed up 250,000 eligible citizens, mostly face-to-face at community and private events, rather than via less personal emails, calls, texts, and mailers. These efforts give O’Rourke hope when it comes to creating a more just, fair, and equitable Texas for all.
“It’s one thing to say this is the toughest state in the nation in which to cast a ballot. It’s something else to help those who are targeted for voter suppression actually make their ways to the polls,” O’Rourke says. “I think all those are important things we need to do.”
Thank you Ellen; that is very encouraging! What do you see happening or about to happen re Black sororities launching major VR drives inasmuch as you can’t register directly online but have to mail it in? What is the date of the deadline this year? Thanks; please keep us up to date? Finally is Colin Allred working hard? Many thanks
Hope you’re right, but there’s been lots of Democratic optimism in past Texas elections that has proven to be unfounded. So yes, Nov 6 will provide evidence, one way or the other. I suspect low black registration figures are forced in that direction by rethug dirty tricks. Democrats should have put a billion dollars into Texas GOTV. That’s the only thing that counts, really.
Yes that is a major concern I have. He will cause an uprising among his supporters.
Ira Lechner, I am concerned about the purging and suspension of the voters currently happening in Texas.
They always do that but let’s count on the Divine Nine to set it right! They are obviously very motivated and capable which we really did not have much use of in 16 or even 20! This year is truly a brand new ballgame and praise to Joe for recognizing it and taking one for the team, so to speak! Seriously, the old voting practices no longer apply for the next 90 remarkable days when our Democracy is literally at risk! But we recognize it and various organizational structures are now beginning to take that very seriously! Good news, folks!
Annabel, While I share your concerns and judiciously follow the messaging from such standouts as Elections Lawyer Marc Elias and Voting Rights Journalist Ari Berman regarding initiatives, expressly in battleground states, to enact voter suppression on the backend, more importantly, 90 days out, I say we can’t lose sight that our top priority is spending calories ginning up Democratic votes up and down the ballot. I would add that every time I hear a pundit pontificating on when the Harris/Walz momentum might slow, my rejoinder is that we the people are that momentum.
me, too. i hear all kinds of reporting (from MoJones, democracy now, the Lever, American Prospect and other beleagered (god I wish subS had spell check) journalists that there is
- massive purging of voter polls in swing states/districts $$$$$ using AI to Speed it UP
- very targeted social media as in 2016, but this time I'd guess with Zuck on board
(based on his recent life decisions AND the fact that if I try to say 'moron' or 'Dt' or so many other things I get the "this comment resembles others that have been ____ (insert euphemism for censored) and i have to hit "undo" in order to carefully craft the comment to get around the Big Brother of META and I do apologize if this might affect HCR's rating on META, Alphabet & gods knows what else, but
it Must be said!)
- sneaky anti-voter laws like TX online registration that makes you think you're done, but oops if you scroll down it says you have to Print it and Mail it in at least 30 Days before Election day... sounds like Musk's little criminal bait and switch, no?
- censoring of anti-corporate and anti-christofascist content All even slightly mainstream ie for-profit media and, by the f'n DNC!
(I know - AIPAC been co-opted by RW billionaires but we can't say THAT out loud either!)
and lest we are STILL tempted to go all 2016 "she's got the momentum and he's a Perv"
- let's not forget the Putin/Xi/Kim/Khatib and yes MBS/Bibi/USMIC and entire fossil fuel dependent Patriarchy are fighting our democracy.
So get Out THe VOTE
Preaching to the converted, yes, but I am a Cassandra, and my predictions have been spot on since 1980. And I will "never forget" the 2000 steal
(which we aren't "not allowed to say"
but which is Happening as I write this!)
How can we fight Fascism if we can't say it?
Say It Louder. Like Tim Walz has!
In my opinion, he is Bernie from Nebraska. And more effective. And that is FINE with me.
We Must Not Lower Our Guard.
From everything we've seen since 2000, Swiftboat was just badminton.
We should be ready for 2,000 lb bombs with "U.S." written Clearly on their side.
Fight The Powers That Be.
Our Secretary of State in Ohio, Frank LaRose, just purged 144,000 voters from the Ohio voter rolls. Two recently naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote had their registrations purged in the process, and they are working hard to get their registrations restored. This is precisely why I vote.
Everyone should check their voter registration NOW.
And again prior to the registration deadline.
I just did that last week, and I voted as recently as a couple months ago, also check out your official ID and make sure that it will still be valid on Election Day, an expired drivers license can prevent you from voting. 🙏
But very few will. And they wouldn’t need to if Republicans were decent human beings.
The dead giveaway is "Thank you" and no follow-up. Like that joke Florida on-line voting machine where no matter who you voted for it came out as Jeb Bush.
Just click on the edit button and insert a "u" after the "g". (Signed: Your friendly free spellcheck).
Editing is only possible on the web version of Substack. The developers of the mobile versions need to add this functionality immediately.
No, I read on my iPad and I can edit.
Just in case something changed recently, I did just try to edit my comment as an experiment, but there is still no edit function in the iPadOS app version of Substack. If I use a web browser on my iPad for Substack, I can edit, but my preference is to use the app.
Anne-Louise Luccarini -- to whom are you addressing/replying?
I don't know - that was hours ago - but all of the above have contributed. Whoever it was used the word "beleagered" and jokingly apologised for lack of spell check. I only use the web version of Substack.
Here are the mechanisms to address likely MAGA election fraud. In some states, the election officials would step in, and in other states, "the courts can step in, at the request of a voter, candidate, or another state official." The stepping in would be done by Marc Elias and his team. Marc Elias won 60 of 61 lawsuits from the 2020 election and is gearing up for November 2024.
https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/what-happens-when-election-officials-refuse-to-certify-results/
It's reasonable to expect a much higher volume of rogue/corrupt election officials planted to deny voting results not in favor of MAGA Republicans. It's prudent to prepare ahead of November 5 for these disruptions. We can spread the word to support Democracy Docket with donations (as to expand his team) and subscriptions.
Ellie, While I find your comment quite helpful, unless I missed it, I saw no mention of Georgia’s just-passed mandate requiring that counties/municipalities enact a reasonable inquiry before certifying election results, a tactic, on one hand, that will delay certification of results and, on the other, could block state certification altogether. Moreover, I don’t expect what happened in Georgia to stay in Georgia.
My point is that, while our supporting Democracy Docket is necessary, I don’t believe it will be sufficient. Communities will have to become more knowledgeable and engaged in their local systems, not to mention somehow balancing said involvement with our GOTV obligations.
Yes, THIS!! Get involved, and get to know WHO the local "officials" are. Make sure it's public knowledge, so they will understand that it is THEY who are being watched!! Mess with our elections, and we are gonna mess with YOU!!
Team Autocracy can't win unless enough players on Team Democracy are sitting on the sidelines. Politics is not a spectator sport.
Check out Today's Edition, where Robert talks about this very issue. That "mandate" is apparently illegal, per Democracy Docket.
Peter, Thanks for the tip. This weekend, I’ll catch up on my Substack reading. Admittedly, I’m not aware that legally a state election board cannot enact a rule changing the criteria for certifying state election results. Nonetheless, I look forward to being informed otherwise.
Thanks, Ellie. I subscribed to Democracy Docket after reading your informative posts.
Also, thanks for doing election work in LA County and encouraging others with your GOTV work !
❤️🤍💙
Walz is the perfect answer to MAGA. He’s not a counterattack, he’s an open hand. MAGA’s power cannot be drowned out with facts or matched with left-leaning passion.
The answer to MAGA is KAMA: Kindness and Mutual Abundance.
Walz is a master of de-escalation. Even the term “weird” is disarming. It defuses the Right’s rhetoric and invites people to take a second look. Fighting insults with insults does the opposite.
The karma that wins over MAGA won’t be their failure. That only makes them double down. It will require a very Democratic mindset: openness to all. Harris and Walz embody just that.
I terrified of the laws that allow legislatures to nullify votes. VERY dangerous.
Illicit laws.
You'd think. But given the current lack of ethical decision-making by the majority on the SCOTUS, I'm not reassured that they would nullify nullification laws.
Goggle Marc Elias and Democracy Docket. His team has actively been fighting in the courts for us for years now. They are in all the states watching and litigating against all the crap the GOP is throwing at the system to get their way. There are also lawyers actively working within the Democratic campaign system towards this end as well.
We need to be vigilant. Remind people to check on their voter registration and validate that they haven't been removed from the rolls. Do it now, do it often.
When is comes to cheating to win MAGAts have Roger Stone working for them and he knows no bounds. He was convict and should have spent time in prison, but was pardoned. MAGAts believe that all of their sycophants who were found guilty due to a corrupt legal system out to get them.
I share your concerns as well. Trump is trying to pull us down to the same level as Venezuela, Russia, Hungry, Wait!! Those are his idols.
We won. I’m waltzing with Kamala.
The scare of the certification of votes by states is what bothers me. They will not stop at trying to overthrow the democracy 😡🤬
Let's hope for the latter! We don't need a landslide; we need our Blue Votes to be Overwhelming!
The dems must vote in Overwhelming numbers!
I read the Daily Kos. Many writers have warned about the republican plan to steal the election. They will contest the results. Then arrange for the House of Representatives or the states to vote for the president. All with the Supreme Court aiding them.
Thom Hartmann wrote a Substack post today about the red states that put voters on their "suspense list", which means that because they failed to change their address or return a card to the voter registrar or haven't voted recently, they will be given a provisional ballot. Such ballots are not counted unless the voter goes to the county registrar's office (or sometimes to their state's secretary of state office) to correct the problem within a few days after the election. Sometimes, they are not counted anyway. Of course, this affects more poor people and college students (and blacks). The numbers of suspended voters (those dropped from voter lists, offten without notice are huge.
Just so everyone understands that curing a ballot is not a uniform process across all states.
Of the many flaws in the ability of the Founders to see into the future, giving each state the authority to manage elections, even those for POTUS, was one of the worst.
Oh and Walz is being attacked for a law in his state that allows convicted felons to vote. Those launching the attacks seem to have suddenly reailized that reversing the law would mean that Trump couldn't vote.
Convicted felons in Florida have a very difficult time getting their civil rights, including voting, restored. And it isn’t the Republican presidential candidate, who is a convicted felon, a resident of Florida these days?
He can run for president, he just can't vote.
If he votes, it will be fraud
But he could pardon himself on Day One. Nice big chocolate cake? or a hamberder?
pass the ketchup
If you can find any. Wasn't it all on the wall in the White House Jan. 6?
Thanks!
Without lies, projection, racism and misogyny, what would they have? NADA!
Mock the deranged orange narcissist relentlessly! Shitler and Shillbilly.
Violent crime was up under Donald Trump. That's not even counting the crimes he committed!
I can't wait to debate JD Vance. That's if he's willing to get up off the couch and show up.
Have you ever been prouder to be a Democrat? Harris Walz, the Dance of Joy
WE ARE NOT GOING BACK!
WE ARE NOT GOING BACK! and STAY OUT OF MY DAMN BUSINESS!
Walz is the perfect answer to MAGA. He’s not a counterattack, he’s an open hand. MAGA’s power cannot be drowned out with facts or matched with left-leaning passion.
The answer to MAGA is KAMA: Kindness and Mutual Abundance.
Walz is a master of de-escalation. Even the term “weird” is disarming. It defuses the Right’s rhetoric and invites people to take a second look. Fighting insults with insults does the opposite.
The karma that wins over MAGA won’t be their failure. That only makes them double down. It will require a very Democratic mindset: openness to all. Harris and Walz embody just that.
And yes! I agree, NADA accurately describes what MAGA offers to all non-billionaires
I love NADA as a term to replace MAGA!
Shittier and Little Shittier II—off the couch and in your homes, doctor’s offices, polling booth, in your water, air and your car. These are not the master race for sure…sorry Peter and Elon, the PayPals.
raise a glass lol!
HA!
Can vote in Minnesota…what’s the law in Florida?
Something is up. Trump has one campaign stop this week, on Friday in Montana, which has a whopping four electoral votes that he knows he will win. The theory gaining credence is that Trump isn't physically and mentally able to handle the brutal rigors of a presidential campaign. He's only appearing on right-wing TV for interviews. Biden dropping out has left the Trump campaign without a stockpile of ads. And under his thumb, the Republican National Committee has closed all state field offices, likely to divert funds elsewhere.
It must be dawning of him he will lose, and perhaps in a humiliating landslide. Or is he counting on the widely reported stacking of state election offices in some swing states with MAGA zealots to monkey with voting. Or will MAGAs use violence to intimidate voters in heavily Democratic swing state cities?
One thing is certain — Trump is raging and desperate, a dangerous combination.
I know the media doesn't always choose the most flattering photos to accompany their articles but Trump has been looking particularly tired in the latest photos and video clips. Maybe Biden's stepping down and ruining the campaign plans have taken its toll along with the continuing court cases and the growing stories uncovering more possible crime and the stream of lies.
The $10 million payout from Egypt 4 years ago needs more attention.
Isn’t operating as an agent for Egypt what undid Melendez?
The statute of limitations has run out on that one.
But I wonder why we can't prosecute Bill Barr for obstruction of Justice.
I have fixed this post four times and the spellchecker keeps ..ugh
Too late for prosecution but transparency is needed.
Ah well, he's not a young man, you know. It's such divine justice - he wrecked President Biden's campaign: ("debate"), "ear", bells, whistles, grand entrance by Melania flicking her smile open, and eyes-shut recitation of prayers at the Convention. And then, only a week later....gurgling down the drainpipe...
Such an elegant summary! Thanks for this!
He’s looking rather flushed I think, 10 times…at least.
Someone with skills needs to create a deflated Donny…he’s looking more and more like this.
I'd say the latter. I find it odd that there has been very little coverage of Rachel Maddow's usual Brilliant take that Trump is just going through the motions because he KNOWS the election is going to be Chaos, and therefor much easier to "win." Her show's recent montage of Donny's declarations of "you don't have to vote! we have plenty of Votes!' on multiple occasions, plus his Truly Weird "dear Christians, you only need to vote this once and we'll have it all taken care of" sermon on the Turning Point Mount certainly go a long way to prove his point. There WILL be CHAOS. And what is the oh so prepared DNC doing about it? probably close to nada.
Prepare to fight for all those who live in purplish states, and for all women who need reproductive care and all asylum seekers and Muslims with green cards (or not!) and leftist "vermin" like most of US in the meantime.
Check your Voter Registration and help others do the same and prepare to create a Tsunami.
A tsunami and a landslide.
Michael, I agree. Over here in the UK this is the first thing people say: he's imploding under very idea of losing to a strong Black woman. I'm counting on the FBI and DOJ being ready for R tricks this time, though.
Hopefully they’ll be ahead of the curve on election deniers!
Ihad sneaky suspicion Putin realized Trump wasn't going to win so he made the prisoner swaps and will try to get out of Ukraine with whatever he can salvage.
Maybe just a dream, but it does now seem like Trump now knows Putin will abandon him, too.
!00% my initial reaction to the timing of the prisoner swaps. Putin has realized the TFG is finished, electorally, and he’s sent him a powerful signal to let him know that he (TFG) has lost Putin’s sponsorship.
Yes. And it ties in with Putin's sudden pro-Israel intervention with Iran.
I thought the same, but apparently one of the tugs Putin has badly wanted back was in poor health. And he has no respect for dumpty and didn't care if he smacked him a little.
And his wife.
But that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous. His campaign will continue to lie about Kamala and Tim.
They are now attacking Tim's military record. Imagine a 5 time draft dodger daring to attack anyone's service record.
May they become even more desperate as the weeks roll on.
I'm seeing that in the MAGAts that inhabit my facebook feed. They are all over "stolen valor" like nobody's business.
Gary Loft -- I sort of feel that any attempts to lie about Kamala and Tim are overtaken by the ample support and positive comments they are receiving. Trump's past history with lies is well known and documented, so the campaign's lies about Harris-Walz do not really indicate "danger." IMO
I really hope you're right about that. People seem to have short memories especially about DonOld.
He's in Montana to undermine Tester. And bc he can't draw a crowd anywhere, he can blame the long distances people would have to travel on Biden's expensive gas.
I live in Bozeman where the psychopath's rally will be at Montana State University. For several days in open lots there have been people selling his paraphernalia. Bozeman is definitely divided.
As fascism tries to suppress laughter and joy it's invigorating to feel that energy shifting, Professor ⭐
The best laugh of tonight's post didn't come from a Dem, but from Liz Cheney. "Former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY)...reposted Vance’s photo of his group of about nine people walking away from Harris’s plane and commented: “Looks like [Vance] brought all his rally attendees to the airport with him today.”
Damn, might have to donate to her…great comeback.
She has plenty of money and her political views are still in gross error. She is sad that she liked Mike Johnson so much and he didn't like her back.
Agree about her politics, like her spunk though. Still hate Dick with a purple passion
More for Joyful Warriors:
"Tampon Tim Stops the Red Wave" t-shirt:
https://www.threads.net/@lasmoocherinavotes/post/C-ZTjUxRscJ?xmt=AQGzMOEHKPfV7gv2ySfSJtiM11j4joaqL_ko6_8wvLOnjw
DJT's Sharpie edition denial that he ever met Project 2025 author Kevin Roberts:
https://www.threads.net/@covie_93/post/C-ZPN9ouRcu?xmt=AQGzpFzUifru4sevpuyBBvigdOH6h1kUejnR1xSAy-T41Q
That is spit out your coffee funny. Thank you Ellie!
Love it, Ellie ! 😂😂
What is it with these MAGA weirdos and their fascination with menstrual hygiene products ??? DeSantis vetoed a popular bill that had overwhelming bipartisan support.
https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2024-06-13/desantis-vetoes-funding-free-pads-tampons-schools-florida-budget
LOVE the second one in particular!
Those. Are. Gold. I just might have to start up on Threads...
It's getting increasingly difficult for them to sell the idea of being saviours of America.
Especially when they had 4 years (2 of which they had control of the White House, Congress and SCOTUS) and did NOTHING to make America great.
CFDT halted the government for 35 days so Congress would pay for his wall and they refused. Meanwhile, families struggled to make ends meet.
Project 2025 wants to replace the dedicated Civil Servants and replace them with DonOld's sycophants. We need to let EVERYONE know what the Leonard Leo and Charles Koch funded Project 2025 will do if DonOld is elected.
Actually, Koch and Leonard Leo wouldn't care who the nominee is. They only want a Republican president they can manipulate to steal the country from everyone else.
Well said SLR
A hopeful news day. so wonderful. Main event Harris Walz. Side show the repubs. We just need to keep waltzing to the White House. Thanks Heather.
The Beautiful Blue Harris Walz, one-two-three...
I see what you did there, Anne-Louise...I like it!
And also "The Brand New Harris Walz Waltz".
Good to know I am in the good company of some real Jesse Winchester fans.
Thanks for the hopeful news.
As for Project 2025 and cuts to Medicare—they are playing a game that will harm people who have preexisting conditions. By having Medicare Advantage as the default (page 489), any people with preexisting conditions who want to change to regular Medicare will find that their supplemental insurance (to cover the 20% that Medicare doesn’t cover) will cost them so much more that they likely will not be able to afford it or they may be turned down. My friends and relatives who tried to switch to Medicare with Medigap after 1 year of Medicare Advantage found their Medigap premiums had increase from 3 to 4 times what they had been paying.
It more accurately is Medicare DISAdvantage.
I have am Advantage plan nd I couldn’t be happier.
So far, you're one of the lucky ones. For your sake, I hope it stays that way.
That's wonderful for you! I'm sure for those whose medical needs are not complicated that it's a great budget plan, but for my mother who needed short-term SNF and assisted living or home health care, it was a nightmare as there were very few options for sites that were willing to accept her, and limited home health visits. She had the other Medicare after she fell and broke her hip and needed a SNF and more aftercare, and got great personalized care, but after she switched to DisAdvantage then had another fall, the previous places said they couldn't take her, and there was also a noticeable difference in the aftercare. Anyway as always people's MMV when it comes to healthcare options.
As a former healthcare worker I've seen the difference in quality of care between prepaid plans and traditional plans (which are disappearing rapidly), and the severe reduction in benefits for my long-term patients with insurance over the decades.
(edited to correct typos)
I've never been able to understand the business model behind Medicare Advantage.. The insurance company providing the Advantage plan is simply receiving from the Centers for Medicare Services what they would have normally paid out under the standard Medicare plan, right? So, how can they get that limited money to not only pay for covered goods and services, labor/materials to run the operation just like Medicare, BUT ALSO stock buy-backs, executive compensation packages, and $100-600K salaries for the C-suite horde.
I don't see how an insurance company could possibly carve profit out of that fixed pool of money without finding a way to reduce the amount of medical care they pay for or what compensation they pay to their providers. (Sure, they can also use their tax-payer funded weatlth to get return on investiment in the financial markets, but is that really what we would like to do with our public funds? Besides, squeezing vulnerable patients and using incompetence to wear down medical backoffice staff is an irresistable tool for these folks.)
You are absolutely correct. With the Adbantage program you are forced to choose from the plan’s partners/medical options. So if you have a rare cancer or not getting anywhere with the treatment in the Plan’s chosen facilities you are out of luck if you want to go to MD Anderson or Sloan Kettering. It is not worth having your co-pay or deductible picked up by the Advantage plan. You can thank G W Bush for getting this plan passed and essentially giving away tax/fed money to the Insurers. The best health plan available is the standard Medicare plan especially if you choose a good secondary plan ( the better the coverage, the more expensive).
Fortunately our state has a great supplemental plan for retirees…
That's why I chose exactly what you recommend.
The business model of Medicare Advantage plans is to require pre-authorization for most services and treatments, through which they then deny, delay, and/or steer to lower cost treatment. That's how the consumer/patient/beneficiary loses control and the corporate plan makes money.
I did learn that Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage is an exception because they are non-profit, and people are generally satisfied with the plan.
Thanks for this info. My mother has Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage and has been quite happy with it. Whenever I come across articles saying Advantage plans are a bust, I've never quite grasped the reason. This makes sense now.
Insurance is one of those weird industries that for the claim side, at least, the more incompetent, inefficient, and underpaid they are, the more money the company makes.
I have had an Advantage plan for years and have never encountered any problems, delays or denials. I once called my provider to see if I needed authorization for a Dexa Scan and was told “ That’s between you and your doctor. Whatever they think necessary is what you should do. “ in addition I pay nothing for routine dental care while I hear people complaining about $300.00 dental check ups. What am I missing?
I'm glad you're happy and I note that many people are with their Advantage plans. I would bet that any algorithmic decisions to delay or deny coverage would be tilted to the most expensive drugs and procedures, the ones you are the most unlucky to require, if only because higher scrutiny there would give them "the most bang for the buck."
Nonetheless, I still don't understand how they can make a profit from the same expenditures while still providing the same level of care. It just seems that the money doesn't add up. Even if they talk about "efficiencies" in care delivery, that must still result in people being denied coverage for medical care that they and their doctor desired.
Another factor for any insurance plan is risk analysis. Screen out prospective enrollees who appear to be more likely to use the covered services.
Thom Hartmann wrote a great little book about it. There is also The Big Myth about how conservatives and libertarians have sold Americans on the concept of the "free market" of unregulated business being the best system of economics.
Dick, this is a good resource:
“According to the Congressional Budget Office, higher payments to Medicare Advantage plans, relative to traditional Medicare spending, are due to three factors. First, the payment methodology is based on benchmarks that are higher than traditional Medicare spending in half of all U.S. counties. Second, Medicare Advantage enrollees have higher “risk scores” than traditional Medicare beneficiaries in part because plans have a financial incentive to code for diagnoses, which increases the amount they are paid per enrollee. Third, Medicare Advantage plans typically receive higher payments based on their quality-based star ratings ($10 billion in 2022, according to KFF analysis), but these bonus payments do not apply to traditional Medicare.”
https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/what-to-know-about-medicare-spending-and-financing/
Sorry to be so late in thanking you for this excellent response, I must have missed in in all the emails. This does partly explain how the Advantage plans can make money, in that they get more from the CMS. Now I'm wondering what the motivation was for Congress to create the Advantage programs in the first place, given that it seems to put a greater strain on the CMS entitlement programs. Who's bread got buttered here?
Thanks again!
Good. Keep those citations and page numbers coming.
Project 2025 goal is to totally privatize Medicare.ACO Reach is like Medicare Advantage on steroids. It was started as a pilot program under the previous administration and slightly modified under Biden. It’s also a for-profit model that enables those enrolled in Traditional Medicare to be funneled to a different primary provider, often without their knowledge.These physician groups can be owned by insurance companies and private equity firms.
https://pnhp.org/news/physicians-to-hhs-rebranding-wont-fix-direct-contractings-fatal-flaws/
I love my Medicare Advantage! Medigap would have been about 10x more..even considering the minimal copays in my plan.
Me too.
I’m sorry, but it pisses me off that newspapers and news websites, all across America, don’t have the balls to call Trump out for the blatant liar he is!
The title of the “news” article should read:
“Donald J Trump is a Liar, a Con and a Fraud”
The article should contain a photo of the TruthSocial post Trump did - the one pictured in Joyce Vance’s post today, which begins…..
“I know nothing about Project 2025”
And, immediately after that photo should appear the photo of Trump on the plane with Roberts, and these words should appear under that photo…..
In April 2022, Trump and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, the front man for Project 2025, took a 45-minute private plane flight together to get to a Heritage Foundation conference where the former president was one of the speakers. Trump told the audience that the Heritage Foundation was "going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do."
DONALD J TRUMP is a LIAR, a CON, and a FRAUD.
————
Must be put on the FRONT PAGE every newspaper and on the FRONT PAGE of every news website!!!
Yes!!! They are complicit.
Complicit? …they have his balls in a Vice! These are his dark money people, his Eric Princes, his handlers! Without this cabal, and free media, he will deflate!
How and why was JD Vance allowed on the tarmac near Harris’s plane?
A very good question. Does Harris not have a security detail/protocol ? This seeming lack of both bodes ill for protection of Harris/Walz from inevitable MAGA aggression and violence at the Convention in Chicago.
Because he is trolling her, following her around. A real creepy thing to do.
That would be why he wanted to be there, but not why he was allowed to be there.
It's still a valid question though; I mean why was he permitted on the tarmac with an entourage ?
Well, he would have Secret Service, too ..and Harris wasn't there, anymore...not like they were gonna let him sabotage the plane or something.
Yeah according to reports, her and her motorcade had already left. Trump and JD just reek of "pick me" and troll energy. Apparently, his airplane also pulled in behind her plane because he is following her around the country so it's not like how normal people travel.
Sure he would, so there's part of the entourage. No matter who one is though, I just can't think airport security would be ok with a group hanging out / trolling / strolling around on a tarmac at will. Geez, does it not seem like this guy gets creepier / weirder, the more we learn about him ?
I agree. I can’t answer that question but it is a valid one.
Creepy. Vance you know the author of ‘Creepy Clown’ first name is Vance…maybe it’s another guise. horrible by the way…
They were not that close and she was gone.
Yes, Republicans run on the vitriol, hate, lies, divisiveness, and fear-mongering Heather cites.
Dems are wise to this. They acknowledge the R scheme, but turn quickly "back to the future." Dems have capable, decent souls at all levels across the land who can stay positive, decent, constructive.
So why do Republicans stay so in the gutter? Let's start with book-banning. They hate books. To make room for more of their abstractions (all in league with the Clarence court's multiple rulings for Handmaid's Tale packaged behavior) they must ban books. So in fear are they of any particular individuals as buoy all our best humanities.
Abstractions, rant, vitriol, demeaning packages, insulting labels -- all that is on the Trump-Vance-Clarence court side of the ledger. And nothing else there -- except loyalty to the rancid billionaires and oceans of dark money that keep paying for these descents deeper into their hearts of darkness.
One addendum:
If -- biggest word in the English language -- if our schools centered humanities, if schools made the personal key to literacy, we'd not cede so much as we have to the corrupt Clarence, the lying, self-centered, hate-filled Trump and Vance, and all their cynical dark money.
If our schools keyed that literacy, imagine the people Americans could be, given the great riches in fact we have.
Phil, you are right about the impact of the retreat from teaching the humanities. The internet challenges our capacity to analyze information. We need well-developed critical thinking skills to do so. Sadly, these skills are not generally taught in high school. If students do not gain a solid understanding of history and how government works, they will be easy pray for future Trumps.
Driving across rural Eastern Washington State today there was a sudden absence of Trump signs and flags. Might this be an early sign of candidate abandonment? 🫰
Early sign of FALL?
the fall is happening…science! gas laws, PV=NrT he’s deflating under less pressure, but we hope without that wonderful Bleating balloon sounds…you know when you hold the rubber ring…
Last Saturday Danny Westneat wrote in the The Seattle Times how WA-state's primary has been a sort of bellwether of U.S. politics. Perhaps that's beginning to play out.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/was-bloody-mess-of-a-primary-is-something-else-a-bellwether/
Will you elaborate on this? I read the article but not quite sure if I understand
I think what he said boils down to these points: • WA's primary is open; all candidates from all parties are listed on the same ballot. • Add up all the votes cast for either party, regardless of candidates, and compare the totals. • He then says, "This broad metric has been a fairly reliable forecast for which party will have an edge nationally going back to 1992." The operative concept is "broad metric." I haven't read yet any analysis of the outcome.
That's different from my experience. Trump signs went up in my neighborhood right after Biden bowed out.
What city is your neighborhood located in?
A northern suburb of Detroit MI
What does he have against dog parks?
You are not allowed to shoot them there.
Ouch... Or should I say "meow"...
Good question -- what I know happens at dog parks are casual interchanges among various people who might not otherwise meet socially and often, they're people observing and chatting about animal behaviors in congenial ways. Could that be feared as a dangerous breeding ground for common sense to spread among people?
It's a good question, I was wondering the same thing. Such an odd thing to say, or I should say very 'weird'. Seems like he doesn't like pets, or animals in general, probably because they sense the weirdness.
But keep going J.D., alienating so many people that love our cats and dogs and are extremely offended by these remarks among the multitude of so many other despicable things that he says and promulgates.
Well a lot of people spay or neuter their dogs which makes them unable to “produce “ which would not be excepted.
Shark parks I could see! With batteries, in water, salty water…shocking!
How in the world can someone standing next to old "bone spurs" smile and say anything negative about a man who has spent decades in uniform... and this from a man-child who 'worked' as a military journalist? Give me a break....Onward and upward Harris and Wolz!
"Military journalist" - Juvenile Delinquent (JD) Vance spent six months "in the rear, with the gear" in an air-conditioned office writing press releases for generals. It's where he learned how to be a hack writer, which is what he is. In Vietnam, they were called REMFs (Rear Echelon Mother F - - - - r"), in World War II they were called "Garritroopers" - too far forward to wear a tie, to far in the rear to get shot at.
Lol TC !
🤣🤣🤣
Sheehy, Bill -- "Walz."
Okay... altho I blame my fat fast finger we all know it began a long, long time ago in a place far, far away. Walz to the rescue!
As always, great read - your service is inestimable ❤️
Susan, Walzing to the White House - love it!! ❤️❤️
Among the hallmarks of some of history’s most awful, authoritarian regimes such as Hitler’s Nazi Germany (extreme right wing fascist), Mao’s Communist China (extreme left wing), and Pol Pot’s (ethnonationalistic Mao-ish communism) is the same urge to dehumanize those they sought to exterminate.
HCR writes in today’s letter “The book, titled “Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them),” calls for purging their enemies from society. “In the past, communists marched in the streets waving red flags,” Vance wrote. “Today, they march through HR, college campuses, and courtrooms to wage lawfare against good, honest people… In ‘Unhumans,’ Jack Posobiec and Joshua Lisec reveal their plans and show us what to do to fight back.”
Unhumans!!! How blatantly, unsubtly dehumanizingly straightforward can you get?!
As Sonny and Cher sang in an entirely different context “The beat goes on…”
And these writers are Inhuman!
The Republican DEI--Divisive, Evil , and Inhumane.
Sadly, all too human in a thoroughly deplorable way.
“…Roberts ‘rails against birth control, in vitro fertilization, abortion, and dog parks.’” The GOP already has issues with cats. Now dogs are going to be pissed, too.
lol ~
"Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla,"
Clearly we are talking about an "alternate facts" version of The Constitution here, that Republicans put together as the go. Not to be confused with The Constitution we learned about in school.
Do you all not become exhausted, as I do, living inside tfg’s emotional and mental illnesses and suffering for his infinite insecurities??
Yes.
He needs institutional help.