The day started with Trump tweeting that the 75-year-old Buffalo, New York, man shoved to the ground by police and left bleeding and unconscious “could be an ANTIFA provocateur” who might have been part of a “set up.”
The mind boggles why a country like USA cannot have a voting system that works. How have we got to where a vote is not regarded as the cornerstone for democracy? The discussion is limp and people are not motivated to protect this one most important right.
E. J. Dionne and Norm Ornstein make a point that voting should be mandatory. I had always been against that because it seems to me that not voting is as much a right as not voting. But they pointed out that right now the interest of certain states is to STOP people from voting. If it is mandatory, it becomes the interest of the states to make sure people CAN vote. Suddenly, we would have an end to missing apparatus, hard to read ballots, and so on. The difference would be on the part of the states, more than on us. I'm a convert.
I'm all for mandatory voting, especially if it will safeguard our right to vote. Barring that, it seems like it might be time for the US to have neutral election monitors (not local citizens) assigned to polling places the way countries in conflict have. It's absolutely crazy to think that Americans now struggle to make their votes count.
I am in favour of mandatory voting and wish we had it in Canada. If one objected, I expect one could go to the voting booth and then deliberately mark the ballot in such a way that it would be void...and that would be a much clearer statement of one's right to refuse to choose any candidate than simply not showing up, which could mean many different things. I understand that it is still a compulsory action to have to vote but we have many other compulsory actions we are obliged by law to take for the good of our society. Voting is, to me, a fundamental responsibility for all citizens of a Democratic country.
Much as I personally feel that being automatically registered to vote when you turn 18 is the way to go, the hurdle right now is the GOP. And the only way 'we the people' overcome that ever bloating elephant in the living room is to vote in numbers to big to ignore in November. Much as I agree with idealists who insist it shouldn't have to be that way, that is the way it is now. People have to camp out to vote if necessary and put Trump's GOP down with double digits or they will litigate us all into hell.
Ah, autocorrect. I recently tried to answer someone by texting "good." And instead autocorrect spat out "booze." She was a bit confused (but not necessarily unwilling to pursue the idea).
We are very constrained and limited by our two party system in the United States. Some of our "missing voters" are checked out because their opinions are not being expressed. Others are participating in the system, but not truly being represented. (Think of moderate Republicans held hostage by the Tea Party crazies and "Democratic Socialists" shoe horned into the Democrats tent.)
I feel we need a redesign of our patched up system, but really doubt that we can arrive at a consensus. Also, can the disparate regions coexisting so uncomfortably in the current United States come to a workable compromise? It may be better to split up, but I can't see the poorer regions of the Far West and Deep South really making a go of it on their own. Also, the "Rust Belt" needs some help in redeploying its people and assets. It doesn't seem fair or right to abandon our shared history and identity.
Nomi, can you share more about why you think this is a sign of an autocratic state? Several EU countries, Australia, etc. have compulsory voting. Not places typically associated with an being autocratic state.
Yes, I've learned that now, since posting, that there is mandatory voting in democratic countries. However, I was taught that in some autocratic states there is, if not technically mandatory voting (for the ONE party), that you could be in trouble if you didn't vote. So, bad associations. Also, I just do not think we should be made to vote. I feel I should have the choice not to vote, that everyone should.
Yes, even in these times. Even though I am writing as many "postcards to voters" as I can, and doing what I can to help make sure we get people out.
If mandatory voting was in place perhaps administrations with less than democratic goals would be less inclined to mess with the elections. Maybe I am thinking about this on a too simple level, but it seems to me Trump, et al, are going to do whatever they can to bulldoze as many people as possible before and during the election because they can. There isn't a "universal" federal election policy that truly protects voters in the U.S. If nothing else, this administration is showing us where the gaps are in many of the processes we believed to be "safe and sound". Hopefully we can build better safeguards so each vote is counted.
Belgium has mandatory voting too! One could also count non-marked or "spoiled" votes alongside abstentions and impose a mandatory majority of all potential voters to get elected. Where such a majority is not attained the election is rerun with new candidates as all the previous candidates would have been rejected by the majority.
Actually Australia has compulsory voting. This is from the Western Australia Elections Commission web page: Voting at State general elections, by-elections and referenda is compulsory.
If you did not vote at a State election or referendum you may receive an email, text message or notice in the mail seeking an explanation of your apparent failure to vote. Please respond to the electronic message or complete the form and return it in the envelope provided.
Electors who fail to vote at a State election and do not provide a valid and sufficient reason for such failure will be fined.
The penalty for first time offenders is $20 and this increases to $50 if you have previously paid a penalty or been convicted of this offence. If you do not have a valid and sufficient reason for not voting, you can pay the penalty and that will end the matter.
Electors who do not respond to notices or do not pay the prescribed penalty may have the matter referred to the Fines Enforcement Registry and could have their driver's licence suspended.
I don’t think this is a bad idea with the exception of, if it is mandated for state and National elections, even major local ones. But if we are made to run to our tiny little courthouse to vote for every single person who runs for school board or constable, I do have a problem with that.
I beg to differ a bit: it's not the people doing this, it is specifically GOP state houses. The ability and the technology exist to handle voting efficiently. Last week Iowa's primary went off without a hitch so now the Republican state house is seeking to change it so it can be sufficiently screwed up by November to cast down on the results. It can and is being done in places where states are choosing to take the obvious steps, but when people vote the GOP does not win.
send me an email address to my email so i can provide discretely. there are many things that i hear from other sources or don't post because i am just not prepared to spend the necessary time fielding the conversation. if i am not prepared for all that, i don't post it. but my partner is a political analyst and writer so i have that sounding board.
It's not so much that it *cannot*, but that there are powerful forces who's goal is to assure that is *does* not, at least not permanently. I'm about halfway through HCR's latest book which details the long history of the work against the notion of one person, one vote. It seems that every step toward the ideal is met with resistive forces driving a back step. The resistance is patient and opportunistic. It took nearly 50 years to defang Voting Rights Act of 1965 with Shelby v. Holder decision, but just look at the back-stepping that has occurred in the past 7 years. The saddest part is that had the VRA been upheld in tact in 2013, the key function for protecting voter's rights fell to the DOJ. It requires little imagination to see how that might have played out under the current administration.
What to do? The news from Georgia yesterday cited a statistic on the average age of poll workers--somewhere well north of 60. Those workers were obviously concerned for their well-being. Imagine if even a fraction of the people who took a day out of their routine to join recents protests would take a day out of their routine to volunteer as a poll worker.
I beg to differ. We finally took redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and crated neutral districts in California. Right now they reflect the dominance of Democrats in the state, but that will change over time.
It is noteworthy that ordinary voters in Michigan accomplished the same thing, but are being fought in court by the Republican party seeking to maintain its minority stranglehold on the state. Poisoned water supplies and collapsing dams do not speak well for Republican control. The citizens of Michigan simply want elected leaders who will respond to their concerns.
Similar movements are underway in several other states where gerrymandering is thwarting voters wishes. We Americans can be quite effective and resourceful at leveraging our voting power. It turns out that we are much more compassionate and less racist than the minority that the forces of money and power have mobilized in their effort to dominate the political landscape.
I attended a conference on the math of gerrymandering in San Francisco a year or two ago, and one of the sessions was a panel made up of the members of the board charged with setting district boundaries for California. They told how they were selected (Dems, Reps, NoPartyPref-NPP), some of the research they did, visiting small towns, checking out geography, hosting hearings all over the state, and the process they used. It was fascinating!
I appreciate all of the sensible ideas on improving our voting system. But you realize none of these ideas will be adopted as long as Mitch McConnell and the GOP control the Senate. For Republicans to hold on to power, they need voter suppression, Gerrymandering and an Electoral College - all to parlay a minority of votes into a majority in power. They’ll never allow democratic reforms of voting. And now they have a Republican majority in the SCOTUS which endorses their unconstitutional suppression of one-person-one-vote.
I hear you, but am hoping that the voters in Kentucky come to their senses and send Mr. McConnell into retirement. We really do need to get serious about handing off power to the younger people who be living with any reforms.
You do call attention to the fact that the U.S. Constitution in its very conception was designed to allow a wealthy elite to control the government while providing for limited democracy through the House of Representatives. It appears to be working despite nearly two and a half centuries of tinkering.
Did you see the story about Merriam-Webster plans to update definition of racism? This is happening because a young black woman got tired of racism deniers using the old dictionary definition to defend their position. As Heather often points out, words matter. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52993306
Trump is an actor, a man who must be on stage every day; these outrageous statements divert attention away from the real work of governing, a role he has no desire to play well.
Do you remember the SNL skit from the 1980s with Reagan who doesn't know he's not in a film as he's being the president? I found it chilling, even as a kid.
Except that Steven Miller is creating inhumane immigration policies, Betsy Devos is gutting public education, then there is Mnuchin who keeps giving the 1% more money...not to mention all the judges who are getting lifetime appoints. It is overwhelming the destroying our democracy. What are you thoughts on what will be left if he ever DOES leave?
When John Cornyn (R-TX), the #2 in the Senate says, “You know a lot of this stuff just goes over my head,” and thinks that is the best available response -- essentially "I don't get it" -- you know things are tough in toyland.
Unfortunately he is my Senator along with Senator Cruz. My motto right now is Re-Elect No One. Especially those who put Patrons and Party above Country and Constituents. These guys aren't stupid; they just love power and have been bought by big donors. It goes over their heads when they are ducking the issue.
Actually Gayle, Texas is becoming a swing state with all the Californians moving in and large Latino families changing the demographics. And, the large cities are heavily Democratic now. Beto O'Rourke came very close to unseating Senator Cruz in 2018. Think he was just one election too early.
yeah, i am a political nerd and i know texas is on the bubble. doing all i can to spread fact based data, probably more vigilant than other state. i even ran the obama campaign in '08 in walker county and points beyond. but i've lived most of my adult like in manhattan and i prefer. it's easier to be different here. but i am cheering for texas.
The gaslighting about his opponents has been one of Trump's lifelong practices--it didn't start with his political "career". The man in Buffalo is only the tip of the iceberg. It is a staple of the culture of toxic masculinity. I am currently far more worried about Georgia and the very obvious and real move to suppress the vote. And without a Supreme Court that values truth and morality, they will get away with it. And other states will follow their example, if they are not already doing so.
I've noticed that too. I've also notice the glaring absence of Stephen Miller since his wife got sick. Is it just possible that the virus is in the house and lordy, how bad that would be for the spin machine?
I read somewhere that Stephen Miller is drafting the speech about race relations that Trump is threatening/promising to give. I'm somewhat hoping he does give the speech even though I'm sure it will be disgusting but maybe bad enough that it will turn off even more of his lukewarm supporters.
I wrote about this story last night-- it was broken by April D. Ryan-- but there isn't any independent confirmation of it... or there wasn't last night. Would they really ask Miller?!? I mean.... Sigh.
Presumably at this point if Trump gave an Oval Office address on this subject, the Democrats (unlike with the COVID speech) would demand equal time for a reply, most likely by Biden, perhaps by someone else (John Lewis?). I would think the major broadcast and cable networks (except one, perhaps) would feel obligated to grant such time and so advise the White House. That might be enough to ensure it doesn’t happen.
Update: Apparently now Trump, rather than make an Oval Office address, is going to address the subject when he speaks at a fundraising dinner in Denver tomorrow night. According to the report, he is going to discuss police reforms that ‘everyone can accept’, whatever those are.
oh, i'm sure if he still breathe he's pushing this crap, but that does not negate the likelihood that he and/or the wife are really sick. and they can't spin that if it gets out.
What does Trump gain by promoting these fringe (and frankly, insane) conspiracy theories? Surely even the lost 40% don't all buy into it. It just makes him sound like a lunatic; I can't figure it out.
In this case, it's all of the above: flooding the zone, trying to support his "antifa" theory, and defending his supporters in the police forces. But I also wonder if part of it isn't magical thinking. He so badly wants this version of events to be true, he's susceptible to anything that seems to support it.
Magical thinking...the mind of a 3 year old. My main worry is what this country will look like if he somehow manages to win the election. Nothing will stop him including the threat of another impeachment. Very scary
It is not really possible. He may rant and rave and try to dispute the legitimacy of the election, but his term ends at noon on January 20, 2021. I suspect that there is a large segment of the Secret Service, FBI, and Civil Service that is sick to death of his act and really wants him gone.
Despite the recent rosy announcements, I suspect that events over the next four months will not help Donald Trump get reelected.
yeah, i don't want to occupy someone else's space here and i am heather knows this better than i do, but...the constitution states that no president can call off an election--at least not without extraordinary circs and approved by congress--and that should that happen, after the date of the next inaugural, the house speaker will occupy the oval until the next election. if a president refuses to leave as of midnight at the end of his term, the same secret service detail that has protected him will remove him physically. i think this whole conversation is a distraction to rattle people.
It's in the laws. I did a video on this. Congress controls when there can be an election. It could change that... but the House won't ever sign on right now. For me, the question was: what will happen if he won't leave? Will the military support the commander in chief? I think the past week answered that question, and it's a big relief.
Same. What if he loses and does not vacate. Some say his term ends on January 20 and if he stays, he is escorted out (by the military?). But if the fascist trend continues, then maybe he wouldn't be escorted out.
Over the course of 3+ years DJT has continually ramped up the outrageousness of his rhetoric to the point that the public is numb.
More to the point, his goal is deflection and distraction. (Reminds me of Dug the dog in Pixar's Up. SQUIRREL!) In an interview DJT once referred to the approach as "flooding the zone" if I recall correctly. It is effective in the sense that COVID-19 stats, IG firings, Pompeo's Saudi arms deal, his emoluments violations, his golf outings, the number of non-confirmed acting cabinet and other officials, his mental health, and his yet-to-be-seen tax records just to name a few are no longer front and center in the headlines. The situation begs for a "But his <fill in the blank>" campaign to remind voters of his cumulative atrocities.
I doubt that he knows the words "deflection" or "distraction". He is a purely narcissistic sociopath who wants to look great all the time and who cannot get enough praise. I hope that in the future there will be some sort of "mental fitness" criteria to avoid destructive narcissists.
Please don't forget a lot of these conspiracy theories originate in Russia including the 75 year old man being ANTIFA. So, this could at least in part be Putin controlling his susceptible asset.
as i believe HCR said of june 1, he spoke early in the morning with putin. then my friend mina said, 'that's where he got his marching orders.' i suspect that is true.
Right....and he doesn't even hide the fact that he starts the day with a call to Putin. This is not normal and it leaves me wondering what does his cabinet think? If Obama did it - they would be going nuts.
the ship on all of it has sailed. can't sweat for a moment why he thinks or does what he does, he just doesnt' care. and i try not to waste bandwidth on threads down rabbit holes that are meaningless.
I hate to say this but my very well educated, though quite elderly inlaws, believe Donald walks on water. In a phone conversation with them today the subject of consuming disinfectants came up and I swear to God my mother in law not only defended Donald's insane suggestion but said that the disinfectant idea had been one well worth considering. Trust me, what with Donald 's conspiracy theory ravings coupled with Fox commentary, my inlaws most likely believe the poor guy was the king of antifa. It's sad because every conversation with them is loaded with "landmines" .
I know you're right. My father and I used to talk all the time, but these days even a conversation about the weather feels loaded ("Those damn Democrats are running this country into the ground with all their environmental regulations!"). I didn't believe he'd buy a conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old Antifa instigator, but now that I think about it, who knows? And he didn't even start off a Trump supporter, but after 3.5 years of constant Fox viewing I'm pretty sure he's all in now.
I parted ways with a very good friend of mine last week...Her requirement was that we could remain friends if we did not discuss politics (she supports Trump)...I did that for a long time...but I just could not hold to that any longer... A shame...as she is otherwise a very nice person...
The problem is..as I told her...this is Not just about differences in policies between the parties...It is about the Very Real possibility of losing Democracy...That says it in a nutshell..If it were not so serious a situation, I would not have even considered parting ways....As far as I am concerned Trump is not only completely amoral..but has a strong autocratic type style of leading...At any rate...the loss of the friendship is more than unfortunate...but the price I have to pay...
Oh yes they do, I just had an argument with 2 different people on Fb who are convinced that if you played the video of the 75 year old man being pushed you could see that he was definitely using a scanner to disrupt police communications. I presented lots of proof yet I’m certain they were unconvinced.
Dear HCR, if this post violates the rules of the page, please remove it.
As an American Citizen living abroad I am very concerned about my vote counting. This far, I've not had any problems voting on line and having my vote accepted in Colorado. Democrats Abroad is hosting a forum on June 18 regarding voting rights of those of us outside the US. Here's a link with info...
My congratulations to General Charles Brown on his confirmation as Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Very much appreciated his remarks on being the first black and his experience as an African-American in the Air Force. https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/06/09/charles-brown-first-black-military-service-chief-mh-orig.cnn It was amazing to me that as a woman who broke the glass ceiling as an engineering manager in a Fortune 100 computer company, I could used almost exactly his words and replaced African-American with Woman and given the same speech. Being the only woman in the room, being underestimated, all that. Loved the film "Hidden Figures". But, at least I never felt my life was in danger. I certainly want to actively support the transformation of our country so no one ever has to feel that.
Heather: you mentioned during yesterday's Chat that there's someone on FB keeping a list of the stories about which you've said "I can't get into that now because it's [too far OT/too long/other] but it's a great story...some of my *favorite* stuff." :D
Praise them with great praise! I'm almost ready to start a list for myself about what I'd like to read in Heather's Other Substack Column (Code name PieCupboard)
The rest of you delightful people: Are you interested in having a hashtag here for "I'm curious about this & want to hear more"? I can't quite yet commit to collecting all that and keeping a list...but thinking about it.
Several years ago I was a substitute instructor for a colleague who taught sociology (my field is English literature, but she was desperate). In preparing for the class discussion, I read the assigned chapter of the textbook (something about Politics and Power--now I recall that I wasn't that crazy of a choice for her because I had gotten involved in local and state politics as a candidate for the state house and as an elected city council member), and I remember clearly the chill I received as I read the following (summary, not quote): the future of the United States will remain precarious until three things change. The electoral college has to be dismantled, money has to be separated from politics, and the two-party system has to go away. Without these things, the authors stated, the US will be plagued with serious problems as it tries to remain a democracy. Watching Heather's videos has made me want to add another thing: impartial and fact-checked news that is readily available, and a moratorium on news as entertainment.
Back to the voting issue. Vote by mail is gold standard -- it gives you time to research initiatives, people and positions, and think. Oregon has had it for as long as I have been here.
I'm writing from France but my heart is somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. Currently we are getting no better leadership on this side of the Atlantic. For instance the local Minister of the Interior (Head of the Police) the other day said very clearly on national television that in certain circumstances "emotion is more important than the law". He was referring to protests and some looting with regard to Black Lives Matter demonstrations which had been officiall banned (but left to go ahead) because of Covid 19 problems of large groups.
The mind boggles why a country like USA cannot have a voting system that works. How have we got to where a vote is not regarded as the cornerstone for democracy? The discussion is limp and people are not motivated to protect this one most important right.
E. J. Dionne and Norm Ornstein make a point that voting should be mandatory. I had always been against that because it seems to me that not voting is as much a right as not voting. But they pointed out that right now the interest of certain states is to STOP people from voting. If it is mandatory, it becomes the interest of the states to make sure people CAN vote. Suddenly, we would have an end to missing apparatus, hard to read ballots, and so on. The difference would be on the part of the states, more than on us. I'm a convert.
I'm all for mandatory voting, especially if it will safeguard our right to vote. Barring that, it seems like it might be time for the US to have neutral election monitors (not local citizens) assigned to polling places the way countries in conflict have. It's absolutely crazy to think that Americans now struggle to make their votes count.
I am in favour of mandatory voting and wish we had it in Canada. If one objected, I expect one could go to the voting booth and then deliberately mark the ballot in such a way that it would be void...and that would be a much clearer statement of one's right to refuse to choose any candidate than simply not showing up, which could mean many different things. I understand that it is still a compulsory action to have to vote but we have many other compulsory actions we are obliged by law to take for the good of our society. Voting is, to me, a fundamental responsibility for all citizens of a Democratic country.
Much as I personally feel that being automatically registered to vote when you turn 18 is the way to go, the hurdle right now is the GOP. And the only way 'we the people' overcome that ever bloating elephant in the living room is to vote in numbers to big to ignore in November. Much as I agree with idealists who insist it shouldn't have to be that way, that is the way it is now. People have to camp out to vote if necessary and put Trump's GOP down with double digits or they will litigate us all into hell.
I typed "democratic" with a small "d" but it was auticorrected to a capital. I meant the form of government, not the U.S. political.party.
Ah, autocorrect. I recently tried to answer someone by texting "good." And instead autocorrect spat out "booze." She was a bit confused (but not necessarily unwilling to pursue the idea).
I would be willing too!! 😁
Agree. And, unless mail-in voting becomes the national standard, Election Day should be on a weekend day, or it should be made a national holiday.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/world/australia/compulsory-voting.html
Hmm, points I hadnt considered.
Mandatory voting is what autocratic states do. I would hate to see us go that way.
We are very constrained and limited by our two party system in the United States. Some of our "missing voters" are checked out because their opinions are not being expressed. Others are participating in the system, but not truly being represented. (Think of moderate Republicans held hostage by the Tea Party crazies and "Democratic Socialists" shoe horned into the Democrats tent.)
I feel we need a redesign of our patched up system, but really doubt that we can arrive at a consensus. Also, can the disparate regions coexisting so uncomfortably in the current United States come to a workable compromise? It may be better to split up, but I can't see the poorer regions of the Far West and Deep South really making a go of it on their own. Also, the "Rust Belt" needs some help in redeploying its people and assets. It doesn't seem fair or right to abandon our shared history and identity.
Australia has mandatory voting, I believe.
Nomi, can you share more about why you think this is a sign of an autocratic state? Several EU countries, Australia, etc. have compulsory voting. Not places typically associated with an being autocratic state.
Yes, I've learned that now, since posting, that there is mandatory voting in democratic countries. However, I was taught that in some autocratic states there is, if not technically mandatory voting (for the ONE party), that you could be in trouble if you didn't vote. So, bad associations. Also, I just do not think we should be made to vote. I feel I should have the choice not to vote, that everyone should.
Yes, even in these times. Even though I am writing as many "postcards to voters" as I can, and doing what I can to help make sure we get people out.
i don't think you can force people to vote but you can register them automatically and make it easier and more feasible in the reality of their lives.
I think what is troublesome is that even when folks do vote they are faced with situations like Georgia.
Of course that's troublesome.
If mandatory voting was in place perhaps administrations with less than democratic goals would be less inclined to mess with the elections. Maybe I am thinking about this on a too simple level, but it seems to me Trump, et al, are going to do whatever they can to bulldoze as many people as possible before and during the election because they can. There isn't a "universal" federal election policy that truly protects voters in the U.S. If nothing else, this administration is showing us where the gaps are in many of the processes we believed to be "safe and sound". Hopefully we can build better safeguards so each vote is counted.
Belgium has mandatory voting too! One could also count non-marked or "spoiled" votes alongside abstentions and impose a mandatory majority of all potential voters to get elected. Where such a majority is not attained the election is rerun with new candidates as all the previous candidates would have been rejected by the majority.
no, that's not really true.
Actually Australia has compulsory voting. This is from the Western Australia Elections Commission web page: Voting at State general elections, by-elections and referenda is compulsory.
If you did not vote at a State election or referendum you may receive an email, text message or notice in the mail seeking an explanation of your apparent failure to vote. Please respond to the electronic message or complete the form and return it in the envelope provided.
Electors who fail to vote at a State election and do not provide a valid and sufficient reason for such failure will be fined.
The penalty for first time offenders is $20 and this increases to $50 if you have previously paid a penalty or been convicted of this offence. If you do not have a valid and sufficient reason for not voting, you can pay the penalty and that will end the matter.
Electors who do not respond to notices or do not pay the prescribed penalty may have the matter referred to the Fines Enforcement Registry and could have their driver's licence suspended.
I don’t think this is a bad idea with the exception of, if it is mandated for state and National elections, even major local ones. But if we are made to run to our tiny little courthouse to vote for every single person who runs for school board or constable, I do have a problem with that.
I beg to differ a bit: it's not the people doing this, it is specifically GOP state houses. The ability and the technology exist to handle voting efficiently. Last week Iowa's primary went off without a hitch so now the Republican state house is seeking to change it so it can be sufficiently screwed up by November to cast down on the results. It can and is being done in places where states are choosing to take the obvious steps, but when people vote the GOP does not win.
Gayle, if you have a chance, I'd love it if you'd email me or DM me info about what's going on on this topic in the Iowa state house.
send me an email address to my email so i can provide discretely. there are many things that i hear from other sources or don't post because i am just not prepared to spend the necessary time fielding the conversation. if i am not prepared for all that, i don't post it. but my partner is a political analyst and writer so i have that sounding board.
Use heather.richardson@bc.edu for this, please. Or DM Heather Cox Richardson on FB (that's dicier. FB is weird about what it shows me).
Andrew, if you don't know Carol Anderson's One Person, One Vote, I'll bet you'd like it.
It's not so much that it *cannot*, but that there are powerful forces who's goal is to assure that is *does* not, at least not permanently. I'm about halfway through HCR's latest book which details the long history of the work against the notion of one person, one vote. It seems that every step toward the ideal is met with resistive forces driving a back step. The resistance is patient and opportunistic. It took nearly 50 years to defang Voting Rights Act of 1965 with Shelby v. Holder decision, but just look at the back-stepping that has occurred in the past 7 years. The saddest part is that had the VRA been upheld in tact in 2013, the key function for protecting voter's rights fell to the DOJ. It requires little imagination to see how that might have played out under the current administration.
What to do? The news from Georgia yesterday cited a statistic on the average age of poll workers--somewhere well north of 60. Those workers were obviously concerned for their well-being. Imagine if even a fraction of the people who took a day out of their routine to join recents protests would take a day out of their routine to volunteer as a poll worker.
I beg to differ. We finally took redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and crated neutral districts in California. Right now they reflect the dominance of Democrats in the state, but that will change over time.
It is noteworthy that ordinary voters in Michigan accomplished the same thing, but are being fought in court by the Republican party seeking to maintain its minority stranglehold on the state. Poisoned water supplies and collapsing dams do not speak well for Republican control. The citizens of Michigan simply want elected leaders who will respond to their concerns.
Similar movements are underway in several other states where gerrymandering is thwarting voters wishes. We Americans can be quite effective and resourceful at leveraging our voting power. It turns out that we are much more compassionate and less racist than the minority that the forces of money and power have mobilized in their effort to dominate the political landscape.
The CA redistricting by a neutral board seems to me very interesting.
I attended a conference on the math of gerrymandering in San Francisco a year or two ago, and one of the sessions was a panel made up of the members of the board charged with setting district boundaries for California. They told how they were selected (Dems, Reps, NoPartyPref-NPP), some of the research they did, visiting small towns, checking out geography, hosting hearings all over the state, and the process they used. It was fascinating!
March 2018
I appreciate all of the sensible ideas on improving our voting system. But you realize none of these ideas will be adopted as long as Mitch McConnell and the GOP control the Senate. For Republicans to hold on to power, they need voter suppression, Gerrymandering and an Electoral College - all to parlay a minority of votes into a majority in power. They’ll never allow democratic reforms of voting. And now they have a Republican majority in the SCOTUS which endorses their unconstitutional suppression of one-person-one-vote.
I hear you, but am hoping that the voters in Kentucky come to their senses and send Mr. McConnell into retirement. We really do need to get serious about handing off power to the younger people who be living with any reforms.
You do call attention to the fact that the U.S. Constitution in its very conception was designed to allow a wealthy elite to control the government while providing for limited democracy through the House of Representatives. It appears to be working despite nearly two and a half centuries of tinkering.
Did you see the story about Merriam-Webster plans to update definition of racism? This is happening because a young black woman got tired of racism deniers using the old dictionary definition to defend their position. As Heather often points out, words matter. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52993306
I had not seen this. This is very cool.
Trump is an actor, a man who must be on stage every day; these outrageous statements divert attention away from the real work of governing, a role he has no desire to play well.
Do you remember the SNL skit from the 1980s with Reagan who doesn't know he's not in a film as he's being the president? I found it chilling, even as a kid.
Apparently having Actors as president's doesn't work out so well. c.f. Reagan.
"American Presidents who were more showmen than politicians" is now a topic I'm curious about.
Except that Steven Miller is creating inhumane immigration policies, Betsy Devos is gutting public education, then there is Mnuchin who keeps giving the 1% more money...not to mention all the judges who are getting lifetime appoints. It is overwhelming the destroying our democracy. What are you thoughts on what will be left if he ever DOES leave?
When John Cornyn (R-TX), the #2 in the Senate says, “You know a lot of this stuff just goes over my head,” and thinks that is the best available response -- essentially "I don't get it" -- you know things are tough in toyland.
Yeah. Someone responded that this is not exactly comforting coming from a Senator.
Unfortunately he is my Senator along with Senator Cruz. My motto right now is Re-Elect No One. Especially those who put Patrons and Party above Country and Constituents. These guys aren't stupid; they just love power and have been bought by big donors. It goes over their heads when they are ducking the issue.
yeah, i am a texas expat so i absolutely hear you. could not pay me enough to live there again.
Actually Gayle, Texas is becoming a swing state with all the Californians moving in and large Latino families changing the demographics. And, the large cities are heavily Democratic now. Beto O'Rourke came very close to unseating Senator Cruz in 2018. Think he was just one election too early.
yeah, i am a political nerd and i know texas is on the bubble. doing all i can to spread fact based data, probably more vigilant than other state. i even ran the obama campaign in '08 in walker county and points beyond. but i've lived most of my adult like in manhattan and i prefer. it's easier to be different here. but i am cheering for texas.
As a Texan, I was disgusted but not surprised
The gaslighting about his opponents has been one of Trump's lifelong practices--it didn't start with his political "career". The man in Buffalo is only the tip of the iceberg. It is a staple of the culture of toxic masculinity. I am currently far more worried about Georgia and the very obvious and real move to suppress the vote. And without a Supreme Court that values truth and morality, they will get away with it. And other states will follow their example, if they are not already doing so.
Where has VP Pence been? I haven't seen photos of him or mention of him in the past two weeks or so--since the protests began. What has h been doing?
I've noticed that too. I've also notice the glaring absence of Stephen Miller since his wife got sick. Is it just possible that the virus is in the house and lordy, how bad that would be for the spin machine?
I have wondered the same.
I read somewhere that Stephen Miller is drafting the speech about race relations that Trump is threatening/promising to give. I'm somewhat hoping he does give the speech even though I'm sure it will be disgusting but maybe bad enough that it will turn off even more of his lukewarm supporters.
I wrote about this story last night-- it was broken by April D. Ryan-- but there isn't any independent confirmation of it... or there wasn't last night. Would they really ask Miller?!? I mean.... Sigh.
Presumably at this point if Trump gave an Oval Office address on this subject, the Democrats (unlike with the COVID speech) would demand equal time for a reply, most likely by Biden, perhaps by someone else (John Lewis?). I would think the major broadcast and cable networks (except one, perhaps) would feel obligated to grant such time and so advise the White House. That might be enough to ensure it doesn’t happen.
Update: Apparently now Trump, rather than make an Oval Office address, is going to address the subject when he speaks at a fundraising dinner in Denver tomorrow night. According to the report, he is going to discuss police reforms that ‘everyone can accept’, whatever those are.
oh, i'm sure if he still breathe he's pushing this crap, but that does not negate the likelihood that he and/or the wife are really sick. and they can't spin that if it gets out.
Stephen Miller writing a speech about race relations...oh boy!
What does Trump gain by promoting these fringe (and frankly, insane) conspiracy theories? Surely even the lost 40% don't all buy into it. It just makes him sound like a lunatic; I can't figure it out.
In this case, it's all of the above: flooding the zone, trying to support his "antifa" theory, and defending his supporters in the police forces. But I also wonder if part of it isn't magical thinking. He so badly wants this version of events to be true, he's susceptible to anything that seems to support it.
Magical thinking...the mind of a 3 year old. My main worry is what this country will look like if he somehow manages to win the election. Nothing will stop him including the threat of another impeachment. Very scary
My worry is that he loses, but chooses not to leave.
It is not really possible. He may rant and rave and try to dispute the legitimacy of the election, but his term ends at noon on January 20, 2021. I suspect that there is a large segment of the Secret Service, FBI, and Civil Service that is sick to death of his act and really wants him gone.
Despite the recent rosy announcements, I suspect that events over the next four months will not help Donald Trump get reelected.
yeah, i don't want to occupy someone else's space here and i am heather knows this better than i do, but...the constitution states that no president can call off an election--at least not without extraordinary circs and approved by congress--and that should that happen, after the date of the next inaugural, the house speaker will occupy the oval until the next election. if a president refuses to leave as of midnight at the end of his term, the same secret service detail that has protected him will remove him physically. i think this whole conversation is a distraction to rattle people.
Where in the Constitution does it say that the president can't call off an election? I can't find it.
It's in the laws. I did a video on this. Congress controls when there can be an election. It could change that... but the House won't ever sign on right now. For me, the question was: what will happen if he won't leave? Will the military support the commander in chief? I think the past week answered that question, and it's a big relief.
OR....he makes the entire election process corrupted. That is more likely....he has even said voting by mail would not be good for republicans.
nothing that encourages more people to vote is good for GOP: when people vote, dems win.
Which is why they were in no hurry to fix the voting machines in Georgia?
Same. What if he loses and does not vacate. Some say his term ends on January 20 and if he stays, he is escorted out (by the military?). But if the fascist trend continues, then maybe he wouldn't be escorted out.
that is a straight up coup and there is not evidence that the military would participate for allow such a thing.
Hopefully. He manages to bring people over to his side, whatever his hold on them is--they cave.
Magical thinking in the mind of the true narcissist, however, believes that reality bends to his way of thinking.
Oh, I think his cultish followers will largely buy into it. The lawyer was right to call it a dangerous accusation.
Over the course of 3+ years DJT has continually ramped up the outrageousness of his rhetoric to the point that the public is numb.
More to the point, his goal is deflection and distraction. (Reminds me of Dug the dog in Pixar's Up. SQUIRREL!) In an interview DJT once referred to the approach as "flooding the zone" if I recall correctly. It is effective in the sense that COVID-19 stats, IG firings, Pompeo's Saudi arms deal, his emoluments violations, his golf outings, the number of non-confirmed acting cabinet and other officials, his mental health, and his yet-to-be-seen tax records just to name a few are no longer front and center in the headlines. The situation begs for a "But his <fill in the blank>" campaign to remind voters of his cumulative atrocities.
I suspect you're right - didn't he once say there's no such thing as bad publicity?
I doubt that he knows the words "deflection" or "distraction". He is a purely narcissistic sociopath who wants to look great all the time and who cannot get enough praise. I hope that in the future there will be some sort of "mental fitness" criteria to avoid destructive narcissists.
Please don't forget a lot of these conspiracy theories originate in Russia including the 75 year old man being ANTIFA. So, this could at least in part be Putin controlling his susceptible asset.
as i believe HCR said of june 1, he spoke early in the morning with putin. then my friend mina said, 'that's where he got his marching orders.' i suspect that is true.
Right....and he doesn't even hide the fact that he starts the day with a call to Putin. This is not normal and it leaves me wondering what does his cabinet think? If Obama did it - they would be going nuts.
the ship on all of it has sailed. can't sweat for a moment why he thinks or does what he does, he just doesnt' care. and i try not to waste bandwidth on threads down rabbit holes that are meaningless.
I'm trying to find out what Heather's course is for the two references to morning talks with Putin.
I hate to say this but my very well educated, though quite elderly inlaws, believe Donald walks on water. In a phone conversation with them today the subject of consuming disinfectants came up and I swear to God my mother in law not only defended Donald's insane suggestion but said that the disinfectant idea had been one well worth considering. Trust me, what with Donald 's conspiracy theory ravings coupled with Fox commentary, my inlaws most likely believe the poor guy was the king of antifa. It's sad because every conversation with them is loaded with "landmines" .
I'm sorry. This is miserable to deal with, I know.
I know you're right. My father and I used to talk all the time, but these days even a conversation about the weather feels loaded ("Those damn Democrats are running this country into the ground with all their environmental regulations!"). I didn't believe he'd buy a conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old Antifa instigator, but now that I think about it, who knows? And he didn't even start off a Trump supporter, but after 3.5 years of constant Fox viewing I'm pretty sure he's all in now.
Fox News Channel has poisoned so many minds. It's desperately sad, as well as everything else.
I parted ways with a very good friend of mine last week...Her requirement was that we could remain friends if we did not discuss politics (she supports Trump)...I did that for a long time...but I just could not hold to that any longer... A shame...as she is otherwise a very nice person...
I have done the same; can't get past this simple idea; if you back a traitor, you are a traitor.
The problem is..as I told her...this is Not just about differences in policies between the parties...It is about the Very Real possibility of losing Democracy...That says it in a nutshell..If it were not so serious a situation, I would not have even considered parting ways....As far as I am concerned Trump is not only completely amoral..but has a strong autocratic type style of leading...At any rate...the loss of the friendship is more than unfortunate...but the price I have to pay...
Oh yes they do, I just had an argument with 2 different people on Fb who are convinced that if you played the video of the 75 year old man being pushed you could see that he was definitely using a scanner to disrupt police communications. I presented lots of proof yet I’m certain they were unconvinced.
It’s almost impossible to change people’s mind if they “believe” a certain way.
Dear HCR, if this post violates the rules of the page, please remove it.
As an American Citizen living abroad I am very concerned about my vote counting. This far, I've not had any problems voting on line and having my vote accepted in Colorado. Democrats Abroad is hosting a forum on June 18 regarding voting rights of those of us outside the US. Here's a link with info...
https://www.democratsabroad.org/claudiavarney/democrats_abroad_voter_protection_call_and_twitter_storm_action?utm_campaign=voter_protection_june_2020&utm_campaign=voter_prot_june_2020_noncc&utm_medium=email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=democratsabroad&utm_source=democratsabroad
I don't have any rules yet, except "don't be a jerk" and "be fact-based." We'll develop them from there as we need them. :)
Love the norms....wish we could apply them more broadly!
You should take a look at John Scalzi's well-developed positions on these things:
https://whatever.scalzi.com/about/site-disclaimer-and-comment-policy/
https://whatever.scalzi.com/about/publicity-blurb-and-unpublished-work-guidelines/
His language is perhaps more blunt than yours, but the ideas almost certainly map.
My congratulations to General Charles Brown on his confirmation as Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Very much appreciated his remarks on being the first black and his experience as an African-American in the Air Force. https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/06/09/charles-brown-first-black-military-service-chief-mh-orig.cnn It was amazing to me that as a woman who broke the glass ceiling as an engineering manager in a Fortune 100 computer company, I could used almost exactly his words and replaced African-American with Woman and given the same speech. Being the only woman in the room, being underestimated, all that. Loved the film "Hidden Figures". But, at least I never felt my life was in danger. I certainly want to actively support the transformation of our country so no one ever has to feel that.
Heather, so glad to be a subscriber! Hope you get tons of us in here. Who controls/owns/manages OANN network? Thanks!
It's owned by Robert Herring, Sr., a pro-Trump man. He's from California.
Heather, I read you every morning to keep calm and carry on. It's become a ritual. So glad you are opening this up.
Heather: you mentioned during yesterday's Chat that there's someone on FB keeping a list of the stories about which you've said "I can't get into that now because it's [too far OT/too long/other] but it's a great story...some of my *favorite* stuff." :D
Praise them with great praise! I'm almost ready to start a list for myself about what I'd like to read in Heather's Other Substack Column (Code name PieCupboard)
The rest of you delightful people: Are you interested in having a hashtag here for "I'm curious about this & want to hear more"? I can't quite yet commit to collecting all that and keeping a list...but thinking about it.
Several years ago I was a substitute instructor for a colleague who taught sociology (my field is English literature, but she was desperate). In preparing for the class discussion, I read the assigned chapter of the textbook (something about Politics and Power--now I recall that I wasn't that crazy of a choice for her because I had gotten involved in local and state politics as a candidate for the state house and as an elected city council member), and I remember clearly the chill I received as I read the following (summary, not quote): the future of the United States will remain precarious until three things change. The electoral college has to be dismantled, money has to be separated from politics, and the two-party system has to go away. Without these things, the authors stated, the US will be plagued with serious problems as it tries to remain a democracy. Watching Heather's videos has made me want to add another thing: impartial and fact-checked news that is readily available, and a moratorium on news as entertainment.
Back to the voting issue. Vote by mail is gold standard -- it gives you time to research initiatives, people and positions, and think. Oregon has had it for as long as I have been here.
So appreciative of the opportunity to subscribe and for more engagement. Thank you.
I'm writing from France but my heart is somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. Currently we are getting no better leadership on this side of the Atlantic. For instance the local Minister of the Interior (Head of the Police) the other day said very clearly on national television that in certain circumstances "emotion is more important than the law". He was referring to protests and some looting with regard to Black Lives Matter demonstrations which had been officiall banned (but left to go ahead) because of Covid 19 problems of large groups.