Paul Manafort walking onto the floor of the Republican National Convention yesterday illustrated that the Republican Party under Trump has become thoroughly corrupted into an authoritarian party aligned with foreign dictators.
Rather than being paralyzed with fear, take action—-all actions big or small mean you are not giving in to defeat and still have hope. All those combined positive actions will bring success.
Thanks Heather for tonight’s letter. The entire world order is shifting as we speak. There has been too much hate and greed and that is causing this shift. The best I can tell is to stay grounded and centered through meditation or quiet times for reflection and bring as many people with you as possible to cast your vote in November. And I still believe in President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris. Fear destroys all hope. We must focus on saving our nation and doing what we can. United we can do this 🇺🇸🗽🗳️🕯️🥁💙
If the Democrats, and their Russian bot friends aka the Press were not so focused on sabotaging Biden-Harris, they could focus on Trump. This is exactly what Putin does not want them doing. I am shocked that so many people are falling for the narratives being spun against the Biden-Harris ticket. This is Russian Bot work at its best. Too many Americans are on social media. They need to get off of it, and start spreading the word about Project 2025. There is at least some piece that might interest your friends and neighbors.
I'm dismayed at the dems for abandoning Biden - zero loyalty for a man who has done so much in 4 years. I've been a reluctant democrat bc I see how ineffectual they are, afraid to speak up, afraid to have a real platform of reform that will truly be on the side of the working class. Ever since Clinton they've been courting corporations to the detriment of the people and the party. They need to do much better. I'm afraid the abandonment of Biden will usher in another election of the convicted felon rapist fascist liar.
It won’t happen if all vote BLUE up and down the ticket everywhere. Trump is not strong, never was. It is those who he associates with who are running this show. The felons he has pardoned.
I’m not disputing what you’re saying, but consider the difference between parties. The Democrats permit the flow of ideas and always have—though now I wish they’d quit flowing and shut up instead of leaking out loud ad infinitum. Let us know when the decisions are made. Meantime, tfg has effectively silenced any negativity, or even objectivity, by threats as serious as threats to life. Everyone is afraid, which is just how he likes it.
Even since SCOTUS decided corporations and billionaires could pump as much money in to politics as they cared to, Dems have had to court big biz just to stay even in the money game. Change Congress, change the laws, change the country
I agree with you, Terry. Biden has been a great president as he fulfilled his late son's wish that he take up the call. What's troubling to me is how Jill Biden and his closest advisors clearly witnessed his decline and continued to support his second run for the White House. He should have passed the torch to a younger, more vigorous nominee. Now, if he remains in the race and loses, his legacy will be tainted.
Terry, I am with you. I can't believe their lack of forward vision. If they would back off, Biden's popularity would skyrocket. They are holding him down and making things worse for him. The news is saying 2/3 of Democratic voters will not vote... I find that SO hard to believe. I can't believe ANYONE would vote republican... they really don't understand the situation.
It has nothing to do about loyalty to Biden and everything to do with loyalty to the country. We need to beat trump and that means we need the votes. Harris can do it if we can get behind her and defeat trump and his fascist and Russian friends.
Its the donors who are giving Democratic voters the finger.
They've strong armed Democratic leadership. Biden is right the voters should decide. But that's not the leftist way. They love power more than Democracy.
Terry I do not consider seeking another Democratic presidential candidate is an ‘abandonment’ of President Biden. I greatly admire his accomplishments over to years, especially as president.
To me, he is a baseball pitcher who has given his all. Now is the time to call in a ‘relief pitcher.’ Given the time constraints, Kamala Harris, Biden’s veep choice, seems the most likely replacement.
She has a distinguished service record prior to become vice president. She is an intimate member of the Biden team . She has ‘seasoned’ over the past four years.
She is anathema to the ‘white male evangelicals.’ (So was Biden). Overall, I find her appealing to the critical ‘undecided’ electorate who seek an alternative to Trump’s authoritarianism.
Another Terry who agrees with you. And while my grassroots work keeps me from despairing about all the elections around the country, I don't know what to do about the Dems who are leaking that they want Biden to step down. Stupid polls! Do they talk to real people?
Terry, I wouldn't be so hard on the Dems who are encouraging Joe Biden to step aside. They are looking at polls that are trending more and more toward the Orange Monster. Even worse for them, the donors have stopped giving and this is really bad for down-ballot Dems. I have heard respected pollsters say that Biden has very little chance of winning. As much as I appreciate all the good Joe Biden has done, the problem is electability. Even before the disastrous debate, a large percentage of Dems were saying that they would prefer a younger candidate. Yes, Joe Biden knows more about foreign relations and domestic policy than DT, but he just can't generate the enthusiasm that is needed to win another election. Considering the great job he has done this is a sad fact. The problem is that it is the fact.
If you are sitting behind a bus driver and it's clear that there are problems, replacing them is not "abandoning." On sports teams, when performance falls off, players and even coaches are replaced. What bugs me is that this should have happened a few months back.
My suggestion is for Kamala and Joe to switch places on the ticket. Let Joe "coach."
Project 2025 should have nailed their coffin shut. But still they rise like vampires at dusk. It’s time to kill the monsters, metaphorically of course.
Very much agree Linda. I wish every American could take a class in propaganda methods. The New York Times and Washington Post are leading the charge to unseat President Biden from the campaign and possibly from his Office as President.
I have never seen anything like it. And I quit believing anything that is written with a few exceptions. Jennifer Rubin is a bright light.
Barbara, I can't describe just how furious I am with two newspapers I used to trust, and their weird coverage of Biden vs. Trump. Trump somehow gets all kinds of coverage, some of it rightly pointing out his myriad of flaws, but most of it almost glowing accounts of his brief moments of being "presidential." Then, Biden is a doddering old fool who can't even dress himself or walk (OK, he does ride a bike, but they don't mention that except for the time he hit something and fell - he did get up and go on.) The "Post," NYT, and a few other papers of former renown are fully corporate. They no longer fully embrace covering the truth as it comes to them through investigative reporting; now, it's covering what works for the corporation and it is clear truth takes second place, occasionally raising its little head, but often ignored. When Democrats get into office again, we need to make some changes about things like money being speech and corporations being persons. Neither of those things is true! John Robberts and his Court knew that, but had to please their donors and did and we are all feeling the pain of that really bad decision. It seems the Roberts Court is going to be known for the really bad decisions they made because they made so few good ones.
Wealthy players are using their money to push Biden out because the chaos will weaken the Dems and they’ll get their golden calf in DJT and the Rs who will do their bidding.
I've just finished, Linda, reading the 7-11-24 People Magazine article "What is Project 2025? Inside the Far-Right Plan Threatening Everything from the Word 'Gender' to Public Education." It is easy to read and understand. The first sentence describes the Project. "Trump's allies started Project 2025 as a blueprint for marrying church and State at the highest levels of government if he's elected." https://people.com/what-is-project-2025-inside-far-right-plan-trump-presidency-8622964 Chilling to say the least.
Sandra, I think it is great that so many places and people are starting to inform the public about Project 2025. Another person who makes what is in it plain to understand and who clarifies the goals of the Christian Nationalists and The New Apostolic Reformation if you are not either, is Andra Watkins with her Substack" How Project 2025 Will Ruin YOUR Life helpful. Here is a link to the section for new people to articles on both.
Linda, I agree with you regarding the Democrats sabotaging Biden/Harris and listening to the rabid press. I also do not trust the “polling points” the politicians keep alluding to. This is all being done with no supporting documentation. Who’s actually responding to these “polls”? Are they vetted?
The other thing that is really alarming is all that these 20 Democratic Congressional Reps and 1 Senator can do is sing the “Woe is me” song as they wring their hands about Biden stepping down.
In the mean time no one on Congress appears to be raising a big, red flag and raising the alarm about the extremists on the Supreme Court who have already started implementing Project 2025 with their decisions: Presidential Immunity (that supports a fascist leader), and the Loper Bright Enterprises vs Raimondo that ends the ability of our federal agencies, who follow the science, to regulate corporations. Any issues raised regarding Immunity & Corporate Regulations will go to the Judiciary to decide. Hmmm - what could possibly go wrong?
Heather's last paragraph sums up where I am. This is our country and it's our fight. I am very disappointed by those politicians and media people who are not doing their jobs for America. However, there are many who are fighting the good fight, including Democratic Reps and Senators, and both commercial and independent news media reporters, analysts and commentators. And then there's us. Among other things, I am sharing all the facts and fact based info I can. Because so many have fallen down, this existential fight has been left to the rest of us and I'm all in, peacefully of course. And I see that President Biden has greater core strength than nearly anyone else I've ever known of. Look at all he's gone through and came out stronger for. And look at all he's done as president despite mountains of opposition and interference. I'm gonna keep swinging with him till I see his death certificate. He's a fighter and a winner. United, we win.
I am appalled by MAGA authoritarianism, and I'm appalled by the ineffective response of the Democratic Party, but I also know that we as individuals are all doing what we believe is the right thing, it's just that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So, what do we need to do differently? Here's my suggestion. Follow Albert Einstein's "everything must be as simple as possible and no simpler" advice.
Last night, I turned my anger and frustration into the following "Politics for Preschoolers" idea. Whoever likes the idea, take it and use it in whatever way you see fit.
Imagine you’re taking one of two tour buses, that one bus driver has a valid driver’s license and a stellar driving record, and the other driver doesn’t have a valid beginner’s license because he failed the knowledge test. Which bus do you take?
The first lesson is called "Politics for Preschoolers," which is to think of politicians the way we think of tour bus drivers, that voting is like choosing which bus to get on, that the first criterion is whether the driver has a valid license, and that the first thing the driver must do to have a valid license is earn a beginner's license by passing a knowledge test.
Fortunately, the “Politician’s Knowledge Test” is easy to understand and easy to evaluate because it has precisely one question, precisely two options, and precisely one correct answer, as per the following:
Who matters? Choose one of the following two options (hint: Option 1 is the right answer):
Option 1: Everyone.
Option 2: Not everyone.
The second lesson is called "Politics for Elementary School Students," which is about how the politician earns a full license, and that is by passing the road test, an evaluation of whether the driver is behaving according to the driver’s knowledge. Joe Biden has a full license with a stellar driving record, and Donald Trump is pathologically incapable of passing the knowledge test. So, we’ll start the second lesson when the Republican Party chooses a POTUS nominee with a valid license.
Sorry, I am not a bot, and no friend of Putin, but I believe that Joe Biden should make one more sacrifice for his country and step aside. Although it is late in the day, I believe that Kamala Harris has the best chance to defeat Trump and his co-conspirators. I might be wrong about that, but that is my best judgment. I abhor the way the media has treated Joe Biden, but ascribing the present debate in the Democratic Party to some cabal or conspiracy is killing the messenger. Are there legitimate concerns about Joe Biden’s ability as a candidate, and as a president? Yes. Are there serious questions about his ability to change things around and beat Trump? Yes. Challenging the motives of those who raise those issues, particularly when they are longtime Democratic activists like me, is a way of avoiding those hard questions. That is not productive. It actually aids the other side.
Saying, I am not a bot does not, not a bot make! Well I believe differently. I am a brown skinned woman. I don't believe Harris has as good a chance of winning as Biden. In fact, the best chance the Democratic Party has of winning is not being the party of chaos. Biden was democratically elected together with Harris to be our candidate. Spending energy on this other thing is magical thinking, or Bot thinking. Either way you are functioning as a Bot. Who benefits from the chaos that not 100% backing our candidate 3 months before the election? Do We the People Benefit?NO! Do Democratic candidates now aligned with the party of weak convictions and doubt and chaos win? NO! Does Trump win? YES! Does Putin win? YES! So what is the role of a Bot? That is the role you are taking.
Jon, I am a white suburban woman who has witnessed some really awful racism in my life. Though now retired, I worked in a multi-cultural hospital, and I can tell you that there are PLENTY of white people who would whisper to me about someone of darker skin, all the while being quite pleasant to them in their daily worklife. Is this a good thing--that they could suspend it to work with others, or did they do it because our place of employment put a big emphasis on diversity?
I absolutely believe that there are Pro-Nikki people who will vote for Biden, but WILL NOT VOTE FOR A BLACK/ASIAN WOMAN. Period.
I can only speak for myself (well, and for some like minded friends) but I am NOT worried about Biden's age or abilities because A) HE IS DOING THE JOB RIGHT NOW and B) should he lack that in a few months, or anytime in his second term, I BELIEVE IN OUR CONSTITUTION and that Harris and his cabinet will invoke the 25 IR AND WHEN it is necessary.
So--in other words, like others have said--I'll vote for him even if he is on life support, as I think there is no clear candidate to replace him.
I hope everyone reading thus far will take the time to watch this, as Beau explains in a way I have not seen or read anywhere else.
This is from his Thursday/Sunday "The Roads with Beau" channel, which is a longer format than his daily clips, but this longer one goes into a deep dive and is truly worthy of the watch.
I feel a little bit better. I called the Congressional Switchboard 3X & left messages for Rep. Jeffries, Rep Pelosi, & Sen. Schumer. "If it's true that you are trying to get Pres. Biden to step down, STOP. The press is covering your infighting when they should be hearing unified Dem. messages challenging the terrifying nonsense that's come out of the RNC. Forget the polls; talk to the grassroots Americans who are working so hard for Biden & all Dems. If God forbid something does happen to the pres. we have VP Harris to step in. PLEASE STOP!" Congressional Switchboard number can connect to anyone in House or Senate. 202-224-3121
I think it was photo-shopped..., that 1/8000th os a second shutter-click catching that 'supposed bullet' whizzing past #45... where did it go? Biden - Harris.., Maintain course!
I agree, Democrats in Congress and the Senate need to GET IT TOGETHER. I read that even one of my Democratic Congressmen or Senators cast doubt on Biden's abilities. I haven't been able to trace which one it was but I am going to give him a raft of sh-t when I figure out who it was.
This scares me too.We need to be unified now more than ever behind Biden/Harris if they are to be our candidates.The DNC is doing us no favors with no plan in place before us to proceed but proceed we must.I am staying behind Biden until he tells me otherwise.A disjointed Dem party plays right into Putin’s plan for democracy to fail.The Rs have a very extreme, authoritarian plan for this country and We The People have to stop it pronto.
If the Democrat National Convention is all in on Kamala and (Newsome, Wittmer, Buttigieg, etc.) then they can flip the age script on Trump suggesting he get out of the race. And they can also push the fact that several "fossils" are running for the Senate and House on the Republican side of things.
Gary, "Democrat" is a noun, "Democratic" is the adjective. I know that using "Democrat" as an adjective has seeped into the common usage, but I hate it, since it was spawned by Limbaugh, along with "feminazis" which I despise.
Kathy, Biden remaining guarantees a loss, which is why the drumbeat for him standing down continues. The American people who elect a President are in the middle, and sadly, they vote on feel and momentum of the candidate. Biden cannot regain momentum as he is considered too old and has proven it. The excitement of a new candidate, not Harris, may turn the tide by focusing on his/her life, vision and speaking skills vs the Trump/GOP vision. Without something new and hopeful, the democrats will lose this critical election. And the Biden legacy will be as the last President of the old era of America. Bucking up for Biden won’t do it.
Chip - Don't you think the drumbeat for Biden to stand down is much like putting the cart before the horse. IMO Some of our Dem leaders are in the throes of "Chicken Little" and hand wringing responses.
I don't know about you, but I was taught to shut the hell up unless I have a concrete solution, and throwing names out to see if they stick is not the solution.
WHO WILL BE EXCITED? Not the millions of people who have slogged in the trenches for the Biden-Harris ticket. You are throwing the loyal voters and workers out, in case the most unreliable people get excited. I would say as someone who has taught hundreds of children, and studied human psychology, no excitement from those unwilling to commit for this or that reason. They do not know. That means they have too much going on. Well, what could get them excited if they were not distracted by the party of chaos and all the noise people are creating is learning about Project 2025. Everyone should be reading it, or discussions of it and sharing it. If you do, you will see that there is no need for the Democratic party to overthrow the democracy that they are supposedly supporting, by getting rid of the democratically elected candidate because the Russian bot accounts who are influencing the polls, and the media are influencing them too. Do not fall for the BOTS! Stand up for Democracy. We do not win democracy when we use autocratic methods. That is what you are suggesting. You are part of the voice trying to push a democratically elected candidate out.
See the problem here. Dems are never of one mind, even fighting an existential foe that will change the world, not only for us but for generations to come.
Chip, please let's not talk of "guaranteeing a loss". We must support whomever the nominee is with our strength in numbers. To assume a loss is to depress turnout. Nobody can predict the outcome with certainty, unless Dems and Independents fail to show up.
I disagree, and this clip is much more persuasive than anything I could say. I've been reading/commenting on the LFAA for years, and your name is new to me.
I totally agree with you. Dems such as Obama and Pelosi are doing more damage than they realize. And they are playing right into the hands of the MAGA cult.
The Dems are playing into the hands of the Trump campaign because the wealthy are threatening to withhold dollars. Money trumps everything-even freedom.
Kathy, my problem is I honestly don't know which is the better option -- Biden or someone else. If we lose in November, one faction will point fingers and hurl nasty allegations at the other. We have *no way* of knowing the outcome -- all we can do is observe the process until the decision is made, and get behind that nominee with all our strength, and VOTE! We mustn't give in to predictions of losses, as that will depress turnout.
Agree, and I’m actually pulling my financial support on those who have publicly criticized Biden. This is a closed door topic not to be share with the media.
Yes, Tutone! They continue to demonstrate why that belief is there. Not even the President, who is physically old and frail - he knows why he must do this. He needs moral support, not somebody to help him pull out his chair so he can sit down.
Thank you Tutone for these words of encouragement. I am scared to death at the moment and finding it difficult to remain hopeful. My fear lies with all the fellow Democrats saying Biden should drop out of the race. I personally don’t see this as an option unless Michele Obama or Taylor Swift are going to take President Biden’s place on the ticket. We are too close to the election for a no-name Democrat to be nominated next month.
Dr Richardson, if you read these comments, please pass this message onto the President, please stay in the race, stay the course. There are not only so many American’s counting on him but so is the rest of the free world.
If the Biden campaign focuses on policies not the person, (i.e. focus on the Trump policy of Project 2025 and the Kremlin policy of his previous administration) then Biden will disarm him by not giving Trump the attention he needs to survive.
For example, this morning while at the Dr’s office, unfortunately I caught a glimpse of last night’s Republican convention (the woman at the front desk couldn’t find the remote control) and what performance of insanity. Very creepy Trump kissing the gear of the fireman killed at the rally. And what’s up with the white ear patch?? Did God tell him it was a good look?
Trump being Trump did not disappoint his audience and that is what his small universe is ~ a bunch of angry, hateful people who have such deep rooted feeling of scarcity they are all consumed by hate. Seeing Trump’s fellow convicts on stage supporting him, his repeated threats and lies paints a picture of what the next Trump administration would be. If the waiting room is any indication, people were rolling their eyes and whispering. I got the feeling it wasn’t one of “Yeah!! Go Team Trump” Rather, it was “UGH, here we go again” While I was watching this, all I could hear inside my head was my parents/grandparents saying “tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are” ~ last night was quite a revelation.
My spidy senses tell me the more Trump and his campaign drone on and on about their national abortion ban, massing immigration, hateful rhetoric towards gays and women, etc. people are taking notice and will quietly vote again him in November. Due to the volatility of the subject, people don’t want to talk about the election or politics anymore.
My two cents, which won’t get you on a subway, at this point in time, Biden is the only one who can beat Trump.
Repubs have used fear to unite the MAGAts. They want the bully on their side. The threat is real, Yvette. But keep on trucking. Would be nice if we had leaders who were going in the same direction.
I'm afraid that money talks and that Biden will be forced to walk away to lured many of the big donors back into the tent.
But, I am ALL IN, on Kamala, if Joe does leave the race. As I recall, during the Democrat debates in 2020 she had Biden's number, but did it in a respectful way.
And how easy it will be to flip the age card on Trump while pointing out his message of HARRM (Hate, Anger, Resentment, Revenge and Misinformation).
I believe in the current administration too. My fear is the media is bigger than the admin and the rest of us and are winning the fight.
Has anyone done a deep dive about who, what entity exactly is paying the media to corrupt democracy? Is there solid proof? Can anything be done to reverse course?
Amen! I also can't handle when they start talking about Joe stepping aside. I loved Bernie's interview on Morning Joe....I hope that will bring more people around...on age. When Mika said something about him being 81 and he said I am 82! She was taken back and shocked. There isn't a lot of difference between 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86.... as long as you stay engaged. Joe and Bernie want us to keep our democracy and not move to the other authoritarian side. We need more Democrats to get elected and remove those MAGA brats! Vote Blue....and tell your neighbors!
Instead of "fear destroys all hope," how about this: Fear can destroy all hope, or it can combine with hope and lead us to action that can overcome the thing that we fear. I know we agree. I'm just being a stickler for language.
As the Old Navy Chief once said to me as a young sailor, "When you're so scared you've pissed your pants and crapped your drawers, and you still do your job, that's being a hero." Do you think the guys who landed on Omaha Beach weren't terrified? And still they did it.
Exactly so. I had to use cleaner language: Feel the fear and move beyond it. Control it, don't let it control you.
If you are somewhere between "concerned" and "abject terror" at the proposition of the election of fpotus YOU CANNOT GIVE UP. We must win this election, and for the Democrats and the Democratic Party (two different things, for what it is worth) to continue to engage in perfecting the circular firing squad is suicide.
Being a lawyer, you have a better appreciation of the perilous depth of the risks now before us. Young voters age 18-27yo grew up listening to Trump lies and those 28-35yo have known nothing but GOP lies-obstruction-torture-profiteering first from W Bush and then against Obama in addition to Trump-MAGAism. Young voters think this is 'normal' and are thus inclined not to vote. Terrifying!
Don’t tell your over-generalization to the various GenZ organizations and influencers working to register new voters and Get Out The Vote. To name a few, folks can support
In an interview by Simon Rosenberg on Hopium, Jon Della Volpe said, "With this [young] generation, they feel like they want to be perfect, and want to have all of their homework done and understand not just the office, but each of the candidates who are vying for that local office. And if they don't feel comfortable, they're going to leave that blank."
Ellie, you are the reason I started writing letters and postcards years ago.
Since I consider you to be knowledgeable, perhaps you can answer a question that I posted here a few weeks ago, to which I got no response.
Back when Obama was running the first time, I recall hearing about an online survey that you could take which would indicate which candidate you should vote for. There were a number of questions and I can't recall if there were just two choices to each question, it might have been more like 4. For example, you'd be asked: do you think abortion should be 1)always illegal 2)legal up to 15 weeks 3)legal only if the womans health was endangered or 4) always legal.
This might not be the best example, but you get the gist.
Anyhow, it went through and the computer model calculated your answers and suggested who best fits your answers. I think--perhaps I am just wishing this?--but after it gave your answer, I think it stated the policy of each candidate and highlighted the one that most closely matches you.
I wish that this was out there somewhere! As "Beau of the Fifth Column" frequently points out, when someone is polled about an issue and the PARTY is not attached to it, generally, people favor the liberal/democratic candidate.
I think that some people are so entrenched in personality, it might be eye opening to see the answers they get. Everyone at my workplace took it, and there was one person whose result stated that they could vote either way!
If you know of something like this that exists out there, please let us all know and help it go viral.
If not, and anyone reading this is involved in a group that could recreate this, please do so!
I am not betting against them, long run they will do a better job than Baby Boomers. But polls show extreme apathy and they have the power to decide the election. Taylor Swift for VP?
Young voters have been very engaged in elections the past few years. And they vote Democratic. Please don't underestimate younger people. I talk with younger people a lot. They are extremely savvy and know exactly who trump is.
Half of those young American voters are female and many more of them are of complicated cultural heritage and all of them face a future marred by unfolding man made ecocide and economic iniquity and chaos. In my experience, many of the educated young, be they auto didact or college graduate, see all politicians as merely shills for the corrupt corporate billionaire class. They don’t see any self interest in voting for anyone. Those who are politically involved have been, as you say, raised within a purely material transactional strong man political landscape. They are certainly like to be far worse than their ‘fathers’. However, their self interested motives to conform mean they are entirely ignorant and therefore unprepared for the groundswell grassroots rebellion against MAGA tyranny by the disenfranchised young intelligentsia that will happen sooner or later. The idea of America can not be extinguished as it is not a fixed ideal but a perpetually reinvented dream. This attempt to fix it into a Christo fascist autocracy will serve to strengthen its renewal.
Yvette-we can replace fear with faith. Even after centuries of enslavement African Americans held fast to faith for generations. There’s even a song entitled “We’ve come this far by faith”. Dems can win if we keep the faith and stop beating Joe up.
I am doing Letters to Voters with lists for under-35 registered voters in AZ, GA and NC. Once I finish them, I'll begin on WI and maybe others (if my 80-year-old hands hold out!). Letters are easier than postcards for old hands like mine - check out votefwd.com We have 2+ months to prepare hundreds of letters to mail between Oct. 1-29. I plan to have my packs ready to go on October 1.
I’m terrified. Seriously scared.
Rather than being paralyzed with fear, take action—-all actions big or small mean you are not giving in to defeat and still have hope. All those combined positive actions will bring success.
I’m not paralyzed by it. I Feel the fear but take action anyway. The fear is still there.
Thanks Heather for tonight’s letter. The entire world order is shifting as we speak. There has been too much hate and greed and that is causing this shift. The best I can tell is to stay grounded and centered through meditation or quiet times for reflection and bring as many people with you as possible to cast your vote in November. And I still believe in President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris. Fear destroys all hope. We must focus on saving our nation and doing what we can. United we can do this 🇺🇸🗽🗳️🕯️🥁💙
If the Democrats, and their Russian bot friends aka the Press were not so focused on sabotaging Biden-Harris, they could focus on Trump. This is exactly what Putin does not want them doing. I am shocked that so many people are falling for the narratives being spun against the Biden-Harris ticket. This is Russian Bot work at its best. Too many Americans are on social media. They need to get off of it, and start spreading the word about Project 2025. There is at least some piece that might interest your friends and neighbors.
I'm dismayed at the dems for abandoning Biden - zero loyalty for a man who has done so much in 4 years. I've been a reluctant democrat bc I see how ineffectual they are, afraid to speak up, afraid to have a real platform of reform that will truly be on the side of the working class. Ever since Clinton they've been courting corporations to the detriment of the people and the party. They need to do much better. I'm afraid the abandonment of Biden will usher in another election of the convicted felon rapist fascist liar.
It won’t happen if all vote BLUE up and down the ticket everywhere. Trump is not strong, never was. It is those who he associates with who are running this show. The felons he has pardoned.
I’m not disputing what you’re saying, but consider the difference between parties. The Democrats permit the flow of ideas and always have—though now I wish they’d quit flowing and shut up instead of leaking out loud ad infinitum. Let us know when the decisions are made. Meantime, tfg has effectively silenced any negativity, or even objectivity, by threats as serious as threats to life. Everyone is afraid, which is just how he likes it.
Even since SCOTUS decided corporations and billionaires could pump as much money in to politics as they cared to, Dems have had to court big biz just to stay even in the money game. Change Congress, change the laws, change the country
I agree with you, Terry. Biden has been a great president as he fulfilled his late son's wish that he take up the call. What's troubling to me is how Jill Biden and his closest advisors clearly witnessed his decline and continued to support his second run for the White House. He should have passed the torch to a younger, more vigorous nominee. Now, if he remains in the race and loses, his legacy will be tainted.
Terry, I am with you. I can't believe their lack of forward vision. If they would back off, Biden's popularity would skyrocket. They are holding him down and making things worse for him. The news is saying 2/3 of Democratic voters will not vote... I find that SO hard to believe. I can't believe ANYONE would vote republican... they really don't understand the situation.
It has nothing to do about loyalty to Biden and everything to do with loyalty to the country. We need to beat trump and that means we need the votes. Harris can do it if we can get behind her and defeat trump and his fascist and Russian friends.
Its the donors who are giving Democratic voters the finger.
They've strong armed Democratic leadership. Biden is right the voters should decide. But that's not the leftist way. They love power more than Democracy.
Terry I do not consider seeking another Democratic presidential candidate is an ‘abandonment’ of President Biden. I greatly admire his accomplishments over to years, especially as president.
To me, he is a baseball pitcher who has given his all. Now is the time to call in a ‘relief pitcher.’ Given the time constraints, Kamala Harris, Biden’s veep choice, seems the most likely replacement.
She has a distinguished service record prior to become vice president. She is an intimate member of the Biden team . She has ‘seasoned’ over the past four years.
She is anathema to the ‘white male evangelicals.’ (So was Biden). Overall, I find her appealing to the critical ‘undecided’ electorate who seek an alternative to Trump’s authoritarianism.
Another Terry who agrees with you. And while my grassroots work keeps me from despairing about all the elections around the country, I don't know what to do about the Dems who are leaking that they want Biden to step down. Stupid polls! Do they talk to real people?
Terry, I wouldn't be so hard on the Dems who are encouraging Joe Biden to step aside. They are looking at polls that are trending more and more toward the Orange Monster. Even worse for them, the donors have stopped giving and this is really bad for down-ballot Dems. I have heard respected pollsters say that Biden has very little chance of winning. As much as I appreciate all the good Joe Biden has done, the problem is electability. Even before the disastrous debate, a large percentage of Dems were saying that they would prefer a younger candidate. Yes, Joe Biden knows more about foreign relations and domestic policy than DT, but he just can't generate the enthusiasm that is needed to win another election. Considering the great job he has done this is a sad fact. The problem is that it is the fact.
If you are sitting behind a bus driver and it's clear that there are problems, replacing them is not "abandoning." On sports teams, when performance falls off, players and even coaches are replaced. What bugs me is that this should have happened a few months back.
My suggestion is for Kamala and Joe to switch places on the ticket. Let Joe "coach."
My sentiments exactly.
No kidding! Fickle or what?
Project 2025 should have nailed their coffin shut. But still they rise like vampires at dusk. It’s time to kill the monsters, metaphorically of course.
One would think, right? But as Trump himself said, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it.
Very much agree Linda. I wish every American could take a class in propaganda methods. The New York Times and Washington Post are leading the charge to unseat President Biden from the campaign and possibly from his Office as President.
I have never seen anything like it. And I quit believing anything that is written with a few exceptions. Jennifer Rubin is a bright light.
Barbara, I can't describe just how furious I am with two newspapers I used to trust, and their weird coverage of Biden vs. Trump. Trump somehow gets all kinds of coverage, some of it rightly pointing out his myriad of flaws, but most of it almost glowing accounts of his brief moments of being "presidential." Then, Biden is a doddering old fool who can't even dress himself or walk (OK, he does ride a bike, but they don't mention that except for the time he hit something and fell - he did get up and go on.) The "Post," NYT, and a few other papers of former renown are fully corporate. They no longer fully embrace covering the truth as it comes to them through investigative reporting; now, it's covering what works for the corporation and it is clear truth takes second place, occasionally raising its little head, but often ignored. When Democrats get into office again, we need to make some changes about things like money being speech and corporations being persons. Neither of those things is true! John Robberts and his Court knew that, but had to please their donors and did and we are all feeling the pain of that really bad decision. It seems the Roberts Court is going to be known for the really bad decisions they made because they made so few good ones.
Wealthy players are using their money to push Biden out because the chaos will weaken the Dems and they’ll get their golden calf in DJT and the Rs who will do their bidding.
I quit The NY Times. Couldn’t stand their BS.
I've just finished, Linda, reading the 7-11-24 People Magazine article "What is Project 2025? Inside the Far-Right Plan Threatening Everything from the Word 'Gender' to Public Education." It is easy to read and understand. The first sentence describes the Project. "Trump's allies started Project 2025 as a blueprint for marrying church and State at the highest levels of government if he's elected." https://people.com/what-is-project-2025-inside-far-right-plan-trump-presidency-8622964 Chilling to say the least.
Sandra, I think it is great that so many places and people are starting to inform the public about Project 2025. Another person who makes what is in it plain to understand and who clarifies the goals of the Christian Nationalists and The New Apostolic Reformation if you are not either, is Andra Watkins with her Substack" How Project 2025 Will Ruin YOUR Life helpful. Here is a link to the section for new people to articles on both.
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/project-2025-new-start-here
After reading these articles I was able to understand Project 2025 better. I am currently reading the section on Intelligence Community.
Linda, I agree with you regarding the Democrats sabotaging Biden/Harris and listening to the rabid press. I also do not trust the “polling points” the politicians keep alluding to. This is all being done with no supporting documentation. Who’s actually responding to these “polls”? Are they vetted?
The other thing that is really alarming is all that these 20 Democratic Congressional Reps and 1 Senator can do is sing the “Woe is me” song as they wring their hands about Biden stepping down.
In the mean time no one on Congress appears to be raising a big, red flag and raising the alarm about the extremists on the Supreme Court who have already started implementing Project 2025 with their decisions: Presidential Immunity (that supports a fascist leader), and the Loper Bright Enterprises vs Raimondo that ends the ability of our federal agencies, who follow the science, to regulate corporations. Any issues raised regarding Immunity & Corporate Regulations will go to the Judiciary to decide. Hmmm - what could possibly go wrong?
Heather's last paragraph sums up where I am. This is our country and it's our fight. I am very disappointed by those politicians and media people who are not doing their jobs for America. However, there are many who are fighting the good fight, including Democratic Reps and Senators, and both commercial and independent news media reporters, analysts and commentators. And then there's us. Among other things, I am sharing all the facts and fact based info I can. Because so many have fallen down, this existential fight has been left to the rest of us and I'm all in, peacefully of course. And I see that President Biden has greater core strength than nearly anyone else I've ever known of. Look at all he's gone through and came out stronger for. And look at all he's done as president despite mountains of opposition and interference. I'm gonna keep swinging with him till I see his death certificate. He's a fighter and a winner. United, we win.
I am appalled by MAGA authoritarianism, and I'm appalled by the ineffective response of the Democratic Party, but I also know that we as individuals are all doing what we believe is the right thing, it's just that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So, what do we need to do differently? Here's my suggestion. Follow Albert Einstein's "everything must be as simple as possible and no simpler" advice.
Last night, I turned my anger and frustration into the following "Politics for Preschoolers" idea. Whoever likes the idea, take it and use it in whatever way you see fit.
Imagine you’re taking one of two tour buses, that one bus driver has a valid driver’s license and a stellar driving record, and the other driver doesn’t have a valid beginner’s license because he failed the knowledge test. Which bus do you take?
The first lesson is called "Politics for Preschoolers," which is to think of politicians the way we think of tour bus drivers, that voting is like choosing which bus to get on, that the first criterion is whether the driver has a valid license, and that the first thing the driver must do to have a valid license is earn a beginner's license by passing a knowledge test.
Fortunately, the “Politician’s Knowledge Test” is easy to understand and easy to evaluate because it has precisely one question, precisely two options, and precisely one correct answer, as per the following:
Who matters? Choose one of the following two options (hint: Option 1 is the right answer):
Option 1: Everyone.
Option 2: Not everyone.
The second lesson is called "Politics for Elementary School Students," which is about how the politician earns a full license, and that is by passing the road test, an evaluation of whether the driver is behaving according to the driver’s knowledge. Joe Biden has a full license with a stellar driving record, and Donald Trump is pathologically incapable of passing the knowledge test. So, we’ll start the second lesson when the Republican Party chooses a POTUS nominee with a valid license.
Sorry, I am not a bot, and no friend of Putin, but I believe that Joe Biden should make one more sacrifice for his country and step aside. Although it is late in the day, I believe that Kamala Harris has the best chance to defeat Trump and his co-conspirators. I might be wrong about that, but that is my best judgment. I abhor the way the media has treated Joe Biden, but ascribing the present debate in the Democratic Party to some cabal or conspiracy is killing the messenger. Are there legitimate concerns about Joe Biden’s ability as a candidate, and as a president? Yes. Are there serious questions about his ability to change things around and beat Trump? Yes. Challenging the motives of those who raise those issues, particularly when they are longtime Democratic activists like me, is a way of avoiding those hard questions. That is not productive. It actually aids the other side.
Saying, I am not a bot does not, not a bot make! Well I believe differently. I am a brown skinned woman. I don't believe Harris has as good a chance of winning as Biden. In fact, the best chance the Democratic Party has of winning is not being the party of chaos. Biden was democratically elected together with Harris to be our candidate. Spending energy on this other thing is magical thinking, or Bot thinking. Either way you are functioning as a Bot. Who benefits from the chaos that not 100% backing our candidate 3 months before the election? Do We the People Benefit?NO! Do Democratic candidates now aligned with the party of weak convictions and doubt and chaos win? NO! Does Trump win? YES! Does Putin win? YES! So what is the role of a Bot? That is the role you are taking.
Jon, I am a white suburban woman who has witnessed some really awful racism in my life. Though now retired, I worked in a multi-cultural hospital, and I can tell you that there are PLENTY of white people who would whisper to me about someone of darker skin, all the while being quite pleasant to them in their daily worklife. Is this a good thing--that they could suspend it to work with others, or did they do it because our place of employment put a big emphasis on diversity?
I absolutely believe that there are Pro-Nikki people who will vote for Biden, but WILL NOT VOTE FOR A BLACK/ASIAN WOMAN. Period.
I can only speak for myself (well, and for some like minded friends) but I am NOT worried about Biden's age or abilities because A) HE IS DOING THE JOB RIGHT NOW and B) should he lack that in a few months, or anytime in his second term, I BELIEVE IN OUR CONSTITUTION and that Harris and his cabinet will invoke the 25 IR AND WHEN it is necessary.
So--in other words, like others have said--I'll vote for him even if he is on life support, as I think there is no clear candidate to replace him.
I hope everyone reading thus far will take the time to watch this, as Beau explains in a way I have not seen or read anywhere else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPRxuOWkr1E
This is from his Thursday/Sunday "The Roads with Beau" channel, which is a longer format than his daily clips, but this longer one goes into a deep dive and is truly worthy of the watch.
Why do you and others see KH as the best tool to beat tfg? I am not seeing or understanding this.
Right on Linda. It is a Russian talking point.
We need every vote in November.
I'm not asking people to like Joe Biden, I just want them to vote against Trump's Authoritarian Project 2025. That's all.
Until Trump is beaten, can we all just row the boat in the same direction please.
After that you may resume your petty internecine squabbles.
I feel a little bit better. I called the Congressional Switchboard 3X & left messages for Rep. Jeffries, Rep Pelosi, & Sen. Schumer. "If it's true that you are trying to get Pres. Biden to step down, STOP. The press is covering your infighting when they should be hearing unified Dem. messages challenging the terrifying nonsense that's come out of the RNC. Forget the polls; talk to the grassroots Americans who are working so hard for Biden & all Dems. If God forbid something does happen to the pres. we have VP Harris to step in. PLEASE STOP!" Congressional Switchboard number can connect to anyone in House or Senate. 202-224-3121
Re Rep. Jeffries: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/7/19/2255681/-Anonymous-Lies-Again-House-Minority-Leader-Jeffries-Says-He-s-Team-Biden-Harris?pm_campaign=trending&pm_source=sidebar&pm_medium=web
And ditto to pols believing polls. Stupid! Putin and bots everywhere.
This is also American Corporate Big Boy Donors flexing their power.
My thoughts exactly. I feel so frustrated each new Dem name I hear is trying to persuade the president to step down.
They should be answering all the lies from the RNC!!
I think it was photo-shopped..., that 1/8000th os a second shutter-click catching that 'supposed bullet' whizzing past #45... where did it go? Biden - Harris.., Maintain course!
The damn NYT and copycat Globe and their headlines above the fold.. always about Biden dropping out and never about Trump.
I agree, Democrats in Congress and the Senate need to GET IT TOGETHER. I read that even one of my Democratic Congressmen or Senators cast doubt on Biden's abilities. I haven't been able to trace which one it was but I am going to give him a raft of sh-t when I figure out who it was.
My concern is over people wanting the President to step down, because it guarantees a loss.
This scares me too.We need to be unified now more than ever behind Biden/Harris if they are to be our candidates.The DNC is doing us no favors with no plan in place before us to proceed but proceed we must.I am staying behind Biden until he tells me otherwise.A disjointed Dem party plays right into Putin’s plan for democracy to fail.The Rs have a very extreme, authoritarian plan for this country and We The People have to stop it pronto.
If the Democrat National Convention is all in on Kamala and (Newsome, Wittmer, Buttigieg, etc.) then they can flip the age script on Trump suggesting he get out of the race. And they can also push the fact that several "fossils" are running for the Senate and House on the Republican side of things.
Gary, "Democrat" is a noun, "Democratic" is the adjective. I know that using "Democrat" as an adjective has seeped into the common usage, but I hate it, since it was spawned by Limbaugh, along with "feminazis" which I despise.
George Conway has started a Psycho-PAC to showcase tfg’s mental incompetence. https://www.psychopac.org/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Kathy, Biden remaining guarantees a loss, which is why the drumbeat for him standing down continues. The American people who elect a President are in the middle, and sadly, they vote on feel and momentum of the candidate. Biden cannot regain momentum as he is considered too old and has proven it. The excitement of a new candidate, not Harris, may turn the tide by focusing on his/her life, vision and speaking skills vs the Trump/GOP vision. Without something new and hopeful, the democrats will lose this critical election. And the Biden legacy will be as the last President of the old era of America. Bucking up for Biden won’t do it.
Chip - Don't you think the drumbeat for Biden to stand down is much like putting the cart before the horse. IMO Some of our Dem leaders are in the throes of "Chicken Little" and hand wringing responses.
I don't know about you, but I was taught to shut the hell up unless I have a concrete solution, and throwing names out to see if they stick is not the solution.
There is no one out there with the experience of Biden-Harris and people know it. Exactly who would you prefer Chip??
WHO WILL BE EXCITED? Not the millions of people who have slogged in the trenches for the Biden-Harris ticket. You are throwing the loyal voters and workers out, in case the most unreliable people get excited. I would say as someone who has taught hundreds of children, and studied human psychology, no excitement from those unwilling to commit for this or that reason. They do not know. That means they have too much going on. Well, what could get them excited if they were not distracted by the party of chaos and all the noise people are creating is learning about Project 2025. Everyone should be reading it, or discussions of it and sharing it. If you do, you will see that there is no need for the Democratic party to overthrow the democracy that they are supposedly supporting, by getting rid of the democratically elected candidate because the Russian bot accounts who are influencing the polls, and the media are influencing them too. Do not fall for the BOTS! Stand up for Democracy. We do not win democracy when we use autocratic methods. That is what you are suggesting. You are part of the voice trying to push a democratically elected candidate out.
See the problem here. Dems are never of one mind, even fighting an existential foe that will change the world, not only for us but for generations to come.
Absolutely needs to be Harris
Chip, please let's not talk of "guaranteeing a loss". We must support whomever the nominee is with our strength in numbers. To assume a loss is to depress turnout. Nobody can predict the outcome with certainty, unless Dems and Independents fail to show up.
No. (This was directed at Chip. Substack moved the comment.)
🤬
I agree completely.
I disagree, and this clip is much more persuasive than anything I could say. I've been reading/commenting on the LFAA for years, and your name is new to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPRxuOWkr1E
I totally agree with you. Dems such as Obama and Pelosi are doing more damage than they realize. And they are playing right into the hands of the MAGA cult.
The Dems are playing into the hands of the Trump campaign because the wealthy are threatening to withhold dollars. Money trumps everything-even freedom.
Kathy, my problem is I honestly don't know which is the better option -- Biden or someone else. If we lose in November, one faction will point fingers and hurl nasty allegations at the other. We have *no way* of knowing the outcome -- all we can do is observe the process until the decision is made, and get behind that nominee with all our strength, and VOTE! We mustn't give in to predictions of losses, as that will depress turnout.
This weekend I am going to make the time to email demand critic senators and governors about this very thing. It’s worth the time.
Agree, and I’m actually pulling my financial support on those who have publicly criticized Biden. This is a closed door topic not to be share with the media.
Democratic, not demand critic.
I respect your view - but I feel that the opposite is true. Whoever it winds up being - that decision has to be made soon.
The elder statesmen (and women) evidently think his continuation guarantees us a loss
Yes, Tutone! They continue to demonstrate why that belief is there. Not even the President, who is physically old and frail - he knows why he must do this. He needs moral support, not somebody to help him pull out his chair so he can sit down.
Thank you Tutone for these words of encouragement. I am scared to death at the moment and finding it difficult to remain hopeful. My fear lies with all the fellow Democrats saying Biden should drop out of the race. I personally don’t see this as an option unless Michele Obama or Taylor Swift are going to take President Biden’s place on the ticket. We are too close to the election for a no-name Democrat to be nominated next month.
Dr Richardson, if you read these comments, please pass this message onto the President, please stay in the race, stay the course. There are not only so many American’s counting on him but so is the rest of the free world.
If the Biden campaign focuses on policies not the person, (i.e. focus on the Trump policy of Project 2025 and the Kremlin policy of his previous administration) then Biden will disarm him by not giving Trump the attention he needs to survive.
For example, this morning while at the Dr’s office, unfortunately I caught a glimpse of last night’s Republican convention (the woman at the front desk couldn’t find the remote control) and what performance of insanity. Very creepy Trump kissing the gear of the fireman killed at the rally. And what’s up with the white ear patch?? Did God tell him it was a good look?
Trump being Trump did not disappoint his audience and that is what his small universe is ~ a bunch of angry, hateful people who have such deep rooted feeling of scarcity they are all consumed by hate. Seeing Trump’s fellow convicts on stage supporting him, his repeated threats and lies paints a picture of what the next Trump administration would be. If the waiting room is any indication, people were rolling their eyes and whispering. I got the feeling it wasn’t one of “Yeah!! Go Team Trump” Rather, it was “UGH, here we go again” While I was watching this, all I could hear inside my head was my parents/grandparents saying “tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are” ~ last night was quite a revelation.
My spidy senses tell me the more Trump and his campaign drone on and on about their national abortion ban, massing immigration, hateful rhetoric towards gays and women, etc. people are taking notice and will quietly vote again him in November. Due to the volatility of the subject, people don’t want to talk about the election or politics anymore.
My two cents, which won’t get you on a subway, at this point in time, Biden is the only one who can beat Trump.
Ditto
Repubs have used fear to unite the MAGAts. They want the bully on their side. The threat is real, Yvette. But keep on trucking. Would be nice if we had leaders who were going in the same direction.
I'm afraid that money talks and that Biden will be forced to walk away to lured many of the big donors back into the tent.
But, I am ALL IN, on Kamala, if Joe does leave the race. As I recall, during the Democrat debates in 2020 she had Biden's number, but did it in a respectful way.
And how easy it will be to flip the age card on Trump while pointing out his message of HARRM (Hate, Anger, Resentment, Revenge and Misinformation).
I believe in the current administration too. My fear is the media is bigger than the admin and the rest of us and are winning the fight.
Has anyone done a deep dive about who, what entity exactly is paying the media to corrupt democracy? Is there solid proof? Can anything be done to reverse course?
Amen! I also can't handle when they start talking about Joe stepping aside. I loved Bernie's interview on Morning Joe....I hope that will bring more people around...on age. When Mika said something about him being 81 and he said I am 82! She was taken back and shocked. There isn't a lot of difference between 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86.... as long as you stay engaged. Joe and Bernie want us to keep our democracy and not move to the other authoritarian side. We need more Democrats to get elected and remove those MAGA brats! Vote Blue....and tell your neighbors!
Instead of "fear destroys all hope," how about this: Fear can destroy all hope, or it can combine with hope and lead us to action that can overcome the thing that we fear. I know we agree. I'm just being a stickler for language.
There will always be hate. It's part of being a human. Meditation is for staying in a storm and not freaking out. It's not a magic pill.
I invite you to take a look at my substack where I talk about these things.
🩵🇺🇸🩵🇺🇸🩵
As the Old Navy Chief once said to me as a young sailor, "When you're so scared you've pissed your pants and crapped your drawers, and you still do your job, that's being a hero." Do you think the guys who landed on Omaha Beach weren't terrified? And still they did it.
We are so unworthy to even reference them. What a bunch of cowards the repubs are, with Dems nipping at their heels. Rise up grassroots
Exactly so. I had to use cleaner language: Feel the fear and move beyond it. Control it, don't let it control you.
If you are somewhere between "concerned" and "abject terror" at the proposition of the election of fpotus YOU CANNOT GIVE UP. We must win this election, and for the Democrats and the Democratic Party (two different things, for what it is worth) to continue to engage in perfecting the circular firing squad is suicide.
If you are not fearful, you are delusional.
Being a lawyer, you have a better appreciation of the perilous depth of the risks now before us. Young voters age 18-27yo grew up listening to Trump lies and those 28-35yo have known nothing but GOP lies-obstruction-torture-profiteering first from W Bush and then against Obama in addition to Trump-MAGAism. Young voters think this is 'normal' and are thus inclined not to vote. Terrifying!
Don’t tell your over-generalization to the various GenZ organizations and influencers working to register new voters and Get Out The Vote. To name a few, folks can support
https://www.thecivicscenter.org/
https://dreamforamerica.org/
https://civicinfluencers.org/
Tour to Save Democracy
https://youtu.be/5eTsdi_gmnk?si=PnKKeOSYqKCIjHlN
This from a 4-minute video from Blue Voter Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QCesU7vyaM.
In an interview by Simon Rosenberg on Hopium, Jon Della Volpe said, "With this [young] generation, they feel like they want to be perfect, and want to have all of their homework done and understand not just the office, but each of the candidates who are vying for that local office. And if they don't feel comfortable, they're going to leave that blank."
But this is not just for young people! https://bluevoterguide.org/
Ellie, you are the reason I started writing letters and postcards years ago.
Since I consider you to be knowledgeable, perhaps you can answer a question that I posted here a few weeks ago, to which I got no response.
Back when Obama was running the first time, I recall hearing about an online survey that you could take which would indicate which candidate you should vote for. There were a number of questions and I can't recall if there were just two choices to each question, it might have been more like 4. For example, you'd be asked: do you think abortion should be 1)always illegal 2)legal up to 15 weeks 3)legal only if the womans health was endangered or 4) always legal.
This might not be the best example, but you get the gist.
Anyhow, it went through and the computer model calculated your answers and suggested who best fits your answers. I think--perhaps I am just wishing this?--but after it gave your answer, I think it stated the policy of each candidate and highlighted the one that most closely matches you.
I wish that this was out there somewhere! As "Beau of the Fifth Column" frequently points out, when someone is polled about an issue and the PARTY is not attached to it, generally, people favor the liberal/democratic candidate.
I think that some people are so entrenched in personality, it might be eye opening to see the answers they get. Everyone at my workplace took it, and there was one person whose result stated that they could vote either way!
If you know of something like this that exists out there, please let us all know and help it go viral.
If not, and anyone reading this is involved in a group that could recreate this, please do so!
They may surprise you.
I am not betting against them, long run they will do a better job than Baby Boomers. But polls show extreme apathy and they have the power to decide the election. Taylor Swift for VP?
Young voters have been very engaged in elections the past few years. And they vote Democratic. Please don't underestimate younger people. I talk with younger people a lot. They are extremely savvy and know exactly who trump is.
Half of those young American voters are female and many more of them are of complicated cultural heritage and all of them face a future marred by unfolding man made ecocide and economic iniquity and chaos. In my experience, many of the educated young, be they auto didact or college graduate, see all politicians as merely shills for the corrupt corporate billionaire class. They don’t see any self interest in voting for anyone. Those who are politically involved have been, as you say, raised within a purely material transactional strong man political landscape. They are certainly like to be far worse than their ‘fathers’. However, their self interested motives to conform mean they are entirely ignorant and therefore unprepared for the groundswell grassroots rebellion against MAGA tyranny by the disenfranchised young intelligentsia that will happen sooner or later. The idea of America can not be extinguished as it is not a fixed ideal but a perpetually reinvented dream. This attempt to fix it into a Christo fascist autocracy will serve to strengthen its renewal.
Same for me - I’m taking action but the fear and anxiety are ever present
Another me too
Yvette-we can replace fear with faith. Even after centuries of enslavement African Americans held fast to faith for generations. There’s even a song entitled “We’ve come this far by faith”. Dems can win if we keep the faith and stop beating Joe up.
I am doing Letters to Voters with lists for under-35 registered voters in AZ, GA and NC. Once I finish them, I'll begin on WI and maybe others (if my 80-year-old hands hold out!). Letters are easier than postcards for old hands like mine - check out votefwd.com We have 2+ months to prepare hundreds of letters to mail between Oct. 1-29. I plan to have my packs ready to go on October 1.
Like true soldiers. Convert the fear into courage, and don't cower.