I attended homecoming events at my husband's college alma mater last week. On two different days, I walked by an on campus voting site that had a line that snaked around one building and past another. Seeing all those young people waiting to vote gave me hope.
I was surprised to see that, at Texas A&M, which had voting at the Memorial Student Center when I was in college and every year since then, until yesterday,, moved the voting off campus to downtown Bryan, Texas. Which is about 7 miles away. Same thing across Texas. Voting was moved off campus at all campuses.
For busy engineering students, like I was, this would mean I definitely would not have voted. To take a bus or walk out to the parking lots miles away? Forget it. No time for that.
So, it seems like Ted Cruz, when he is not eating pizza, which by all appearances, is not often, is afraid of young people and so is Abbott and Republicans now cower in fear at the possibility of Democracy in Texas that includes young people.
Plus, young people are not sitting in front of Fox News, all day, every day, being basted in far right propaganda like retired folks.
I say to folks in Texas, let the young people vote and don't be afraid of Democracy down there.
John Adams was not fearful of young people, why should Ted Cruz be?
Ted is afraid of his own shadow, and chump. Tx (and Fl) passed so many voter “integrity” laws, they were assured of no opposition win. Beto was screwed before he started. We must break the chains around us.
Repubs are overtly doing their best, in many states, to "rig the game". It is even more profoundly alarming that many SCOTUS decisions appear to be in lock step with the effort. Once again, I am reminded of the odious politics of both Gingrich and Hastert in the 80's-90's. There is nothing wrong with wanting to win. But please, please... just give us a representative democracy, a competition of ideas, not this "bloodsport" handed down from unfortunate predecessors.
How Newt Gingrich Destroyed American Politics - The Atlantichttps://www.theatlantic.com › archive › 2018/11 › newt...
Republicans are enemies of democracy. They have to be. So don’t pretend that they will support free and fair elections. Fortunately, it will be well-nigh impossible for the Extreme Court to overturn state constitutional provisions, enacted by the voters, that forbid gerrymandering. And if such proposals are on the ballot, they will pass in almost all (or maybe all) states.
Many potentially persuadable Republicans would not vote for him because of his previous military style weapon buy-back plan. That left a very sour taste in Texans’ mouths. If he had never held that position, he may have received more of the Republican vote. IMO that one position set him up for failure.
Cancun Ted needs to fear young voters. His only protection from them is deliberate voter suppression
Texicans know this. “Make the voting lines long and far away”. The Supreme Court will rule that each state legislature can legally make these rules with no Federal Interference or State Court allowed
Don't forget - the GOP voter suppression tactics include
***limit options for voting
***flood everywhere with push polls and "fake" polls
instead of actually having or explaining policies to solve problems
***one reason they push ID to vote is because they will decide WHICH ID is valid. It is well documented that some will accept a Gun Permit but NOT Student ID. ID also discriminates against WOMEN, who are more likely to have a name change. They need to be FREE - getting birth certificates, taking time to go to apply or receive the most common form of ID - a driver's license - at the DMV takes additional time and resources, and non-drivers and seniors who no longer drive lack those IDs.
***they have started purging voter rolls.
This conveniently prevents infrequent voters, anyone who has moved, and anyone with housing instability
from exercising their Constitutional rights.
Inconvenient and discouraging obstacles put in voters' paths.
***and that is in no way the complete. list.
If possible, they would go back to poll taxes, grandfather clauses, literacy tests, primaries that guarantee the outcome, or asking people to "guess" grains of rice in a jar or bubbles in a bar of soap.
In 2024, every state that does not have a constitutional provision outlawing gerrymandering should have a proposal on the ballot to do just that. I’m going to start work right away. If you know of people already working to that end, or would like to join me, email jjmargolis@yahoo.com.
As I understand it, Allonetheline favors "nonpartisan" commissions (which are actually very partisan). I have come to believe that a better approach is to forbid districts drawn with the "purpose or effect" of favoring or disfavoring one party or group, and to provide that the courts shall enforce that. Let the legislature draw district lines, but give the state court the final say. Not perfect, but I think more efficient and in the end more effective than the additional step of creating and operating a commission. (Most states have elected judges--which I think is a terrible idea--and a judge who refuses to enforce an anti-gerrymandering provision is handing her/his opponent a very good issue.)
has done some heavy lifting with gerrymandering reform nationwide. They helped Virginia establish a more party neutral redistricting body. Still have some kinks to work out, but progress for sure.
I have become skeptical of "nonpartisan" redistricting commissions. They add and extra step, and these days they tend to be one more place for partisanship to play out. A simple constitutional provision saying that districts at any level cannot be drawn with the purpose or effect of favoring or disfavoring any party or group, and that the courts can enforce that principle, is easy to understand and has an enforcement mechanism built in--one that the Extreme Court would not be able to block.
Shouldn't this be a national effort? So the playing field is level? If the blue states do the right thing (regulate against gerrymandering) and the red states don't, wouldn't that increase the advantage red states already have in Congressional and Presidential elections?
I don't believe so. Polls consistently show that the voters do not approve of gerrymandering. State level constitutional provisions would keep the Extreme Court from butting in. And like abortion (and Medicaid expansion--see South Dakota this week), voters are very likely to approve anti-gerrymandering amendments if they it's clear what they do. Part of my idea is to provide simple and readily understood language that can be used in all states where an anti-gerrymandering provision is not in the state constitution (and in those where it might not be clear).
Congressional Representatives were elected yesterday despite the gerrymandered districts from which they were elected having been found to be unconstitutional by courts. This was made possible because the wheels of justice turn so s-l-o-w-l-y that the rule of law can be disregarded. Many states have such constitutional provisions right now that governors and legislators get away with ignoring. It's like getting away with driving at 70 mph when the sign says the speed limit is 65 mph. Even the troopers won't bother to pull you over.
Likely those provisions have too much “play.” I’m thinking of something like, “No district shall be drawn with the purpose or effect of favoring or disfavoring any political party or group. The courts of the state shall have the power to enforce this provision.” It would be hard to get around such language, although I’m always happy to have suggestions.
Here in NH, a few years ago when we had a Democratic majority legislature, we passed an independent redistricting commission bill but the Republican governor vetoed it twice. Unfortunately he was re-elected for the 4th time this week. Grrr!
My in laws have a piece of property in Hempstead. Two of their sons went to A&M. Back around the time of the bonfire collapse.
Bryan isn’t really close. If you have a kid that’s busy or nervous about voting, that’s too hard now. I did hear up in Denton the TWU and UNT kids voted big time! Probably to help make marijuana legal in Denton! Ha!
I abhor these damn politicians in TEXAS . I cannot understand why people vote these worthless people into power...... Probably something to do with these MEGA churches on every corner
That and the cheating. I am poor from donating for the opposition, but the deck has been stacked since 1994, when Karl Rove came to turn Texas into a Republican swamp. I remember.
On election day, I sat outside the polling place to hold candidate signs. If a voter came with a child/children, I made sure to give the parent positive reinforcement such as thanking the parent for "training them up right" about the importance of voting.
Heard an analogy that applies to Fox/Faux viewers and the media.
Faux has created an "alternative" dystopia (not reality, not facts).
The GOP mantra is "crime, inflation, taxes" on a loop.
Their attack ads could be generic for ANY opponent, and specifically aim to trigger emotional fear and/or outrage.
The "job" of an informed voter - as well as the media - is when someone tells you it is raining, you go to the window and look out to see if it is true.
DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES.
The GOP complains about every ill in the world, but they are not proposing any actions to fix those problems.
"They vote no, but take the dough."
Voters should also be reminded of two things:
*Follow the money.
*If they get you to hate someone else (or a group) they are probably going to eventually come after you as well.
If the voting sites are moved off college campuses, I would hope that some organization (or several) would charter buses and provide transportation to the polls!
Shout out to Trinity University in San Antonio, whose students showed up to vote in very large numbers! Trinity provided free shuttles to the polling center during early voting which helped greatly as did successful campus mobilization efforts.
Republicans can only finagle the system for so long. These MAGAts are going to age out while the strength in numbers of young voters will only continue to get larger. Republicans now want to raise the voting age to 21. There are many more young people yearning to control their own fates and not having crude-ite (my word) old white men telling them what to do. Every single day someone turns 18 and every day, too, some MAGAt becomes senile and/or dies off.
If kids aged 18 are old enough to be cannon fodder, then by the gods, they are old enough to vote on whether their government SHOULD be making them into cannon fodder. ANY legislation that proposes the forfeiture of even more rights might end up being a very difficult mouthful to chew, indeed.
And as for the "erudite" old white guys....which old white Senators and Representatives do you think erudite? Cruz? Johnson? Paul? Grassley? I will agree that there are many--way too many--old white guys in Congress, but I would NEVER call them erudite!
Why did the Democrats do better than expected? Because for two years they have governed as liberals. They’ve governed as whacked out lefty nut jobs. You know what that did? That excited their base. That excited a bunch of young voters..
No, Victoria, my apologies. I thought about it quite a bit after I made my comment and realized that I had misinterpreted your words. You weren't referring to the MAGAts as erudite, only the old white men in power (there is definitely some overlap there, though!). So, I'm sorry for jumping to the incorrect conclusion that the two were linked. In my defense, I was uncaffineated at the time. Treatments have begun, and I'm in much better shape now. And I do love the "crude-ite" Didn't Fetterman serve those on election night???
In states like WI and FL, one party, through calculated gerrymandering and increasingly favorable legislation, ad infinitum, theoretically may be able to maintain state control in perpetuity. It's a chilling forecast. Desperately needed is a new Voting Rights Act protecting the viability of "one person, ONE vote" before more states follow suit. Of course, the enormous amounts of $$$ flowing from large corporations and 1%ers exerting undue influence over government policy, thanks to Citizens United, must be addressed as well. This was a pivotal SCOTUS decision for me. It's been downhill ever since. Until there is a serious judicial course correction, people will say, not without some truth..."my vote doesn't really count...what's the point?" Don't panic, I realize we must never give up.....
Let's not forget that SCOTUS members are trained by the Federalist Society which takes dark money. (Ergo: the current RW majority of SCOTUS is bought and paid for.)
It may be "too many percent". Lest us not forget that we have a wonderful Older White Male and a brave and powerful Older White Female at the helm before we indulge too much age bashing. Nevertheless, I do applaud the next generation's step up.....
Yesterday we saw the beginning of the end of the MAGA revolution. It took a few years for it to spread its blight so consistently across America. And we’ve watched in horror as it grew in leaps and bounds and sheer blackness of heart.
So it will take another election cycle or two to pick up the smashed crockery and air out America. But MAGA is done.
As for Trump, he’s done like dinner. Stick the proverbial fork in him. We have a bit of his braying yet to listen to and he may never be indicted (thank you Merrick Garland). But when Republicans get their act together, their fury will turn on him and his enablers with astonishing force. He will be unloaded unceremoniously - an exorcism of sorts for America.
I assume your question is rhetorical. As in, NC republicans limit the number of polling places in blue locations to suppress the vote. NC is also one of the most heavily gerrymandered states in the US, giving Republicans a 10 point or more advantage.
No kidding. No one should have to wait hours to vote. Half an hour should be the max. More polling places are needed, and -- maybe more important -- it needs to be easy to vote either early or by mail.
'Exit polls from last night show voters in the 18–29 age bracket making up about 12–13% of the vote and preferring Democrats by much larger margins than any other group:..' (Letter)
Who are they? Who are the young American Voters, more than any other age group, voted for the Democrats and for our Democracy most of all.
-- '89% of Black youth and 67% of Latino youth voted for a Democratic candidate in the midterms'
‘The strongest support for Democrats came from youth of color. Young white voters were more evenly split across party lines with 58% supporting Democrats and 40% backing Republicans.’
-- 63% of young Americans voted for a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House, while 35% of young Americans backed Republican candidates.’
‘Americans ages 18-29 were the only age cohort to support Democrats for the U.S. House by such a large margin. Voters ages 30-44 split their votes more evenly, 51% for Democrats and 47% for Republicans
(Sources: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts (CIRCLE) and CIRCLE’s analysis of the Edison Research National Election Pool exit poll)
“It’s never been just about Trump for us. It’s about stopping the climate crisis, protecting our reproductive freedoms, and ending gun violence in our classrooms,”
____ Ellen Sciales, Sunrise Movement’s 25-year-old national spokesperson.(TeenVogue) See link below.
Super Link FERN; the 18-29's will in fact bring in the AZ Senate race for Dems as they are voting 70 to 20 percent for Senator Kelly per Jay Kuo's Substack. AZ Update. 1i to 29's voted up 56 percent for KELLY. Gen Z will carry in others on their strong shoulders.
Bryan Sean, Wonderful to see you and you bring great news to us! I am happy, Bryan. The day here in NYC is beautiful, and Democracy is in the air as well as the fragrant scent of brown crispy leaves...and the colors!
Thank you Heather and Fern. I have been so apprehensive about this election that l have waited until today to look at the results. In my heart l so wanted a victory for those issues and candidates who supported progres and solutions that move our democracy forward. I am grateful for young people who support these concepts. It may be a rocky road from here, and it will take time and persistence on the part of all of us to get past the nonsense that the Magas have spouted. I am thankful for those who have turned out to vote for democratic ideals.
I am 82 and have seen many missteps by government, but l am more hopeful than l have been in a long time that things can get better.
Fortunately here in NH, the state Supreme Court decided that the horribly gerrymandered proposed redistricting maps needed to be redrawn. It took a couple tries. Not perfect but better than the planned maps for the eastern part of the state that would guarantee a Republican would dominate that part of the state for the next 10 years. (Their original plan was to shift 75 towns&cities/365 K voters to the western part of the state.)
Get a free nasal swab for Covid as you drive through! That would keep the conspiracy theorists away. Or make it more attractive with " would you like fries with that?" 😍
I need to write up an opinion on the pandemic one of these days. I have some unusual opinions on our reaction. The run on toilet paper was the first sign of a mass hysteria event.
Every day I look forward to reading Heather Cox Richardson. Her analysis of today’s events, together with the depth of her historical knowledge, always provides great context. She’s also a great stress reliever when things get tough.
Yes! Heather’s LFAA is a North Star. I hail from West Michigan, and this election has been hard fought for our Dem victories. Leadership Matters, and Michigan stepped up and unequivocally said “Yes It Does!”
I live in the NW Lower. The MAGA cult here is astoundingly entrenched in the poorest of counties. Rah rah rhetoric with no substance rules the polls except in pockets where a more urban population has developed ( Traverse City/ Leelanau area)
Its perplexing, but it can be directly traced to Fox Entertainment propaganda, every single time
When we lost the FCC, we lost the ability to demand that lies not flourish
Lying is now embraced as a necessary skill in politics
I am, too, and yesterday was a mostly beautiful day over here in some locales but not others. In the city of Holland, we defeated two far-right-wing women who ran for school board, backed by an organization called Ottawa Impact. A lone Democrat survived as a county commissioner. Unfortunately, though, OI candidates won in three or four other school districts (anti-maskers, anti-"CRI", pro parent "control," anti-inclusion, potential book banners). The Jamestown library millage went down to defeat--again--and the library is not likely to rescued by contributions this time.
Ottawa County remains a tenacious fight. The Jamestown Library defeat rather sums up the mentality we are fighting against. That a few books in a local library could make a majority of that community shake with fear is humorous. Dark, and sadly humorous. How long was the line of children waiting to sign those books out? I forgot? Wasn’t it close to zero before the parents went batshit crazy about it?
That's generous of you, but when the millage was turned down last year--by the same crowd--donations came in, including $50,000 from an author. At that time, the library said the donation model was not sustainable beyond a year and it would close if the millage failed again. I believe they are now trying to discern what to do with their collections. If I hear anything different, I will post a comment on HCR.
HCR has been a sanity saver since trump's first impeachment madness! I was hooked from the beginning. She pulled so many of us off the edge of the precipice. I have also found hitting a ball (pickleball, golf) provides an additional stress buster layer. 🤣
Thank you. I do the first two things and they help enormously! I think I need to get more athletic and work on pickle ball and swimming laps! Does line dancing count as athletic???🤣
I thought I understood the significance of the election after consuming much news and commentary today. Silly me. I needed Heather Cox Richardson to tie all the seemingly disparate elements together into a cohesive big picture to REALLY understand.
Also, by bringing into sharp focus how severe the gerrymandering has become — and with states even ignoring court rulings ordering fixes — we know that correcting this problem would change everything. It would mean representation in government would far more truly reflect the makeup and desire of the majority of people. As in democracy.
Michael, Regrettably, the matter of gerrymandering, which, in the large sense, dilutes the impact of everyone’s vote nationwide, won’t resolve until we elect more democrats, particularly at the federal level, to enact federal voter protection safeguards that would supersede state law in conflict with any of its stipulations. Meanwhile, for the past 24 hours, I have become increasingly convinced of the import of building on the outcomes of the 22 midterm election that, in my view, include a renewed definition of ourselves as citizens—something closer to the nation of active stakeholders that leaders like Thomas Jefferson had in mind.
Yes... it’s happening slowly, but steadily. The foot draggers are giving way and as they fall back we will witness the passage and implementation of more of the policies the majority of us want and need. Democracy always prevails given enough time and support. As President Biden said at his news conference yesterday, full implementation of much of the legislation passed this year has yet to occur. As it does, more people who self identify as “ independents” will vote to elect democrats and the tide will turn even more decisively in favor of the will of the majority. Lots of good work ahead. Forward....
@KD, While I resonate to your reply, the one remark that gives me pause is your statement “Democracy always prevails…” I don’t imagine there are many countries that are impervious to a fatal weakening of their civic institutions or to a leader eager, and under the right circumstances, able to consolidate power, wherein the rule of law could be subjugated to an individual.
ABSOLUTELY, Barbara Jo... Brava!! We've needed these things since 1860s at least.
We have ourselves some sort of Civil War now ... cuz those states' rights dudes are NOT gonna let go. At all. They have sunk their teeth in super deep.
Suz-an, For me, the biggest take-away from Tuesday’s midterm was the decisive defiance of MAGA extremism, largely due to the historic number of GenZ voters (18-29). By 2024, millions more will be eligible to vote, a trend I believe substantially will drive up Democratic wins in federal, state, and local elections.
Um, foreigner requires an explanation of gerrymandering. I know what it is, but why is it OK to keep moving the goalposts? Even flouting a court order?? (Rule of law??) Do Democrats do it too?
Anne-Louise, clearly it’s not OK and as an American I don’t understand how those states can flout a court order either. I think state laws and practices may differ, but again, not sure. Perhaps HCR could devote a letter to this situation to help us all understand this huge issue better and find out what we as citizens can do. And yes, both parties do it, but Republicans seem to do it “better.”
From the NY Times: If Democrats Lose the House, They May Have New York to Blame
Republicans flipped four congressional seats in New York, the most of any state in the country. How did this happen in one of the nation’s most liberal states.
Yes Democrats do it too, also in NJ where they a seat flipped Republican because of Democrat controlled gerrymandering last year to make other districts "safer" for Dems. All of those districts were won with margins of 9% or more. So they got what they wanted in the short term but may have lost the big prize, Democrats having control of both houses of Congress for the next two years.
Ms. Fisanick: "How did this happen in one of the nation’s most liberal states."
Answer:
1. Kathy Hochul gave $600 million dollars to one of her Buffalo hometown donors, the Pegula family and owner of the Buffalo Bills, to build a new stadium. That would be my tax money (I live in NY).
2. Kathy Hochul gave an extra $337 million dollars, compared with California, to a middleman campaign donor, to buy Covid tests. Californial paid $300 million compared to NY which paid $637 Million for the same 200,000 covid tests from the same company. Nobody knows what happened to the extra $337 million dollars received by the middle man? Swiss Bank accounts for Kathy Hochul and other Dems maybe?
So, people like me paying attention? They are tired of watching a high tax state give away their money to campaign donors and crooks.
Now, mind you, I don't mind seeing my money go to poor folks not as lucky as me, or roads and bridges, or educational support for public schools. Not a bit.
I DO mind seeing Democrats just waste my tax money or graft and corruption.
Look for Republicans in NY to make more inroads if the Dems don't clean up their pretty nasty act here.
I think that Hochul’s actions in the Buffalo Stadium are more in line with the growing American Sports related Plutocracy than her own decisions.
Frankly she didn’t have a choice given the open bag of moneyed support given to team sports at every level.
I think the accusation in the Covid test money is extreme. I read that at the time the terms for the sale were arranged Hochul was unaware of the seller and acted in good faith to ensure of ample supply.
Considering her character I think insinuations of developing hidden wealth is inappropriate.
I got bored with Professional Sports in the 1960’s and rarely know what’s going on.
But in Buffalo’s case the obnoxious blood sucking Pegula’s protecting their fortune and passing on LEED format for the stadium has truly ignited my disdain.
I’d like to know how this country got suckered into using tax money for the playpens of these Plutocrats. Ridiculous overall but I doubt insidious action by Hochul. She does have mountains of self pride.
The idea that New York is one of the nation's most liberal states isn't quite accurate. New York City may be liberal, but much of upstate -- minus, perhaps, large cities like Albany and Buffalo -- is very conservative. Hence the successful reelection campaign of Elise Stefanik and other Republicans in Congress.
The roads where I live were papered with Liz Joy for Congress signs, and I was worried that she'd beat the incumbent, Paul Tonko, this time. But he was able to eke out a win, probably due to constituents in the urban areas of our congressional district.
Because... they can. Major struggle between federal and state laws has been central to our American legacy since the beginning. Civil War ... should have and didn't totally end it. (Heather's book, "How the South Won the Civil War" lays it out.)
"States' rights" more and more mean we (states) can - and will! - do whatever we want.
Then ... IQ45 yelled (from the Oval!!) Look Ma! NO rules. NO boundaries.
The fundamental flaw is that state legislatures are in charge of election district boundaries, which of course makes it a partisan exercise that favors the party in power. Some do so more aggressively, especially in red states. And in Florida, Ron DeSantis arbitrarily took over the role and obliterated a longstanding district that elected Blacks to Congress.
A handful of states partly use guidance from non-partisan advisory groups. Clearly, something the system needs reform.
Becky-Thanks for posting this link to Ira Glass’ deep dive into how duplicitous state legislators in Ohio managed to circumvent the state’s constitutional amendment intended to prevent gerrymandering. What a colossal waste of taxpayer money and time, and a disservice to Ohio citizens. Ohio is going to have to have another ballot measure that cures the loopholes.
State maps should be drawn by independent commissions of citizens who are not politicians and do not hold elected offices. Colorado was one of the first states to pass constitutional amendments in 2018, which require that district maps be drawn by two independent, non-politician commissions, one for determining the state legislative map and one for the congressional map.
The states handle redistricting based on census data. There is plenty of gray area when it comes to establishing these cultural boundaries. When a state is predominantly red, the lines will favor to a small degree red candidates, and vice versa for blue states. The decisions can be appealed in court.
The court ruling is final after all appeals are exhausted.
The state legislatures do. There can be an independent commission in each state set up to draw maps without the political pressure currently in play in five states.
I live in Ohio and it's so infuriating-- in spite of a voter referendum, Republicans on the map committee created illegal maps over and over which the Supreme Court rejected repeatedly until they ran out the clock and we had to use the illegal maps for the election. They are only in place through this election and now they have to go back to the drawing board-- BUT the newly elected Supreme Court is all Republicans so I fear that they will just rubber stamp whatever the Republicans want to do-- and Jim Jordan's famous DUCK district will remain.
has done some heavy lifting with gerrymandering reform nationwide. They helped Virginia establish a more party neutral redistricting body. Still have some kinks to work out, but progress for sure.
We need the aid of professional scholars and we need encouragement to tie things together ourselves, sufficiently for government by and for the people to function,
Janet, we need teachers of high quality both with knowledge and love/respect for a democratic form of governance available to teach our children at the youngest stages of development. Children and young adults need to study history and civics to discern for themselves the differences between countries ruled by dictators compared to the rule of governments ruled by the people, and for the people through the opportunity of fair elections. This also means being personally engaged, not taking someone else's word without studying and taking time to observe the character and actual behavior of candidates as well as the consequences of their/our decisions .
We must remember the life's blood and devotion that has given us freedom in the past or we will be misused by those who only seek personal power. The time is already late but not too late. I am waiting for each and every vote to come in ..... I will not be disheartened but will do all I can for freedom, for respect for the wellbeing of this country.
Today, others are shedding their blood throughout the world to enjoy the opportunity for freedom found in Democracy. We must work together as a country to keep strong political parties with various views but each one truly, ultimately for the wellbeing, freedom and respect of all its citizens.
I see at least that Louisiana followed the State Supreme Court ruling, but what about these other states. The fact check fails for Louisiana, what about the others? I don't have time right now, but where one is wrong, I have cause to suspect the others may also be.
Interesting article. Yes, models can be manipulated to favor a certain result. It reminds me of climate models.
The legislature will need to adopt a model prior to the election, and stick with it. Again, this is a State issue, and the voters of that state need to elect their leadership wisely. It's not something that voters from other states should be interfering with.
"I don't have the answer. Like you I fear they have spent so long in this gutter of their own making they've forgotten how to lead"
BK, one of the best, most well written posts capturing Republican approach I have read.
Thank you.
However, a problem with Republicans is that, when they DO lead, they offer only two things in the last 40 years.
1. Tax cuts for the rich, coupled with a lie that the tax cuts will "pay for themselves with increased tax revenue". An approach appropriately labeled as "VOODOO ECONOMICS" by none other than George HW Bush.
2. Illegal wars, in countries that offer no threat to the US, coupled with GIGANTIC spending on war contractors like Haliburton.
So, me? I am TOTALLY OK with Republicans focussing on books in the library, school curriculum, and ginning up fear about folks cross dressing.
That stuff has no real impact on me at all. I am President of the Friends of my local Library. Somebody wants to mess up our library? They have to walk through me, which, of course is possible, but, can be highly unpleasant and wrought with conflict.
But real Republican policy leaves us at war and broke along with a lot of dead brown people in other countries and bombed out schools and hospitals in other countries.
Looks like people would have had enough with W/Dickie. Body bags galore, and trillions down the tube, but chump led any opposition to this down a rat hole even worse. Go figure the “greatest generation” leaning toward Nazis
Yes, that would be the increasingly aged generation of free love and drugs which was abducted by the Democrat party. The party of Jim Jones. Most of those aged hippies are the most miserable and bitter I know. They never grew up and realized that their party had been abducted by thugs. I was one of them, but I grew up, made a family and realized how ugly the Democrat party was becoming.
It's really amusing to see these "free thinking liberals" now supporting monopolies like Pfizer and defense contractors. The free love Democrats have become on one hand prudes, attacking candidates for being sexually active, and on the other hand supporting the injection of alternate sexuality to pre pubescent children. Turning a blind eye to its own party leaders who are likely on a list of Epstein pedophilia island clients. What a confused bunch!
Then there is the utter audacity of claiming that having an abortion carries some sort of moral superiority over those who love the institution of family and the rights of unborn women and men to have a chance at life.
Ah, read this after your one-liner below. So much to consider here, but your last paragraph, it renders any truth in the first two paragraphs meaningless. Have you had an abortion? Do you know any woman who has had an abortion and claims moral superiority over those who haven't?
Mike S writes: " I am TOTALLY OK with Republicans focussing on books in the library, school curriculum, and ginning up fear about folks cross dressing. That stuff has no real impact on me at all."
I would suggest that Republican focus on libraries, schools and diversity dramatically impacts everyone. Libraries, public education and diversity are all inherently part of the foundation of a civilized society. Their attacks on these institutions and marginalization of certain groups degrade our society and result in uneducated, unthinking and closed minded citizens.
Trump is an isolationist because he is a narcissist. He has no interest in anyone but himself. That doesn't mean he wouldn't have gotten us into a war due to his vast ineptness on foreign policy and his tendency to run off at the mouth. I think Biden understands more than most modern presidents, the costs of war because of having a son in the military, who served in a war zone.
If you mean Biden is trying to get us into war because of his position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I wonder how you would have looked at the US (reluctantly and surreptitiously) choosing to arm Britain before entering WWII. Trump wasn't bent on withdrawing US troops around the world because he's a pacifist, but because he wanted to clear the path for Russia. Look what happened when he withdrew our forces from Syria.
Thank you for your observation. Trump actually did not keep us out of war.
He started a trade war with China which has resulted in widespread inflation in farm products and the collapse of some farm products that were exported to China.
Also, Because of Trump's trade war relations with the Chinese are at an all time low.
War is not just shooting up schools and hospitals for fun and profit.
Yes, I agree that tariffs had an economic effect. They are much better than shooting wars.
The tariffs were one of many Trump policies with which I disagreed, but they were part of the package. We pay these tariffs.
The hope with tariffs is that they would either bring some jobs home, or would stimulate other nations to develop industries to compete with China. That has materialized to some degree, but Covid thwarted it's greater success.
I'm still hopeful that more benefits will be seen, but it has to be a long term commitment. We certainly need to be producing and exporting petroleum. That will help our trade imbalance and help europe to fight off Russian energy meddling.
You are kidding yourself if you think the military industrial complex does not want war.
And as Biden said in his speech, his policy-agenda will begin to take effect starting next year. People will start to see the results of this going forward into 2024. Thanx for your insight BK.
Been waiting for decades for repubs to become human. Fool’s quest, I fear. They hate the right people, simple dynamic. May the haters bite it. Sadly, there are many…
thank you for pointing all this about the lack of a platform out again -- and yes I hope the Republicans get a grip and continue to help our country like the Democrats have these last 2 years --if not then we Democrats should have a good chance to retake some of the positions lost this time.
I was a poll worker yesterday… great experience, nice people but a long 14 hour day. I was too tired to look at the national results when I got home but looked at the local results that I cared about.
So a pleasant surprise greeted me in the am. No “red wave”. I had tuned out the polls and pundits and worked hard campaigning for local candidates and hoped that people wouldn’t be drawn into the Republican nonissue hysteria.
A 40 year old friend sent a text about the election and she said that people were not paying attention to “saving” democracy and abortion. They were worried about inflation, paychecks putting food on the table and gas prices.
This text made me think back to the 70s during the Carter area, when I had no money, we had the Arab oil embargo and we were all in long gas lines ( and that was shocking), inflation climbed and then followed by a recession, jobs were hard to come and thinks were looking bleak. In 1980, Ronald Reagan ran, harping about the black welfare queen, trickle down economics, Phyllis Schfally trying to vote down the equal rights admendment and screaming about abortion and murder, the Moral Majority with Jerry Falwell and evangelicals Christians started their long crusade to blur the lines between religion and politics. Many parallels between then and now.
I did not vote my pocket book although the economy was awful because I felt like the Republicans were gaslighting Americans. A lot of people did vote on economic issues and that ushered in Reaganism and the battle for 50 years we have been fighting to keep our rights. And they were slow, plodding and persistent and they have finally succeeded in taking some of them away, like abortion.
Dobbs, the insurrection and the Big Lie, got young people off of Tik Tok long enough to vote for their rights. People want some normalcy and the Democrats and Biden despite the pandemic and inflation are offering that. The Republicans were offering more years of crazy. So relieved that people didn’t buy into the gaslighting.
Ahhh...the memories...I so well recall the gas lines based on your license plate numbers, Schafly, Falwell, Buchanan, and the rest. Guess we’re supposed to call them “the good ole days”. Thanks for giving your time to be a poll worker, a decent civic duty.
Generalized appeals to some lost, golden past (such as MAGA) is just wishful thinking or a con, but I think there are things we are losing that are well worth recapturing and/or protecting. One to examine is that prior to Reagan, both Nixon and Carter took substantive actions to protect our environment. I also think that while politics and lies know no restriction of nation or era, the level of outright, utterly fabricated lying we now see throughout most of the Republican Party is novel, at least in my lifetime. And big lies can kill, as we have been seeing in recent years.
Racism, sexism and homophobia are manifestations of particularly persistent lies that have largely been more on the defensive as the years have progressed, despite the regressive moves by the "GOP". Recent generations seem more impatient with those sorts of lies than most. What, when we are really forced to make choices, really, really matters most? What is worth protecting? When aggressive wars are launched, that's someone's choice. When individuals or communities are oppressed, that's a choice too. What kind world do we want to live in, and/or leave behind? It seems like a question that rarely gets serious consideration because we are so busy with what is happening now; so we drift.
I don't know if what we need is normalcy, but we sure need wisdom. A lot a trouble is brewing and it''s going to take some novel thinking and efforts to adapt and move proactively. I have trouble thinking of a major, serious problem that Republican ideology has not crated or made worse, climate change and pandemic responses among them. The "middle class" was expanding and some progress toward reducing poverty was being made prior to the made-for-TV "Reagan Revolution"; the point of which seemed to be that "The Gilded Age" was the "good old days", and that government of the people, by the people, for the people was an alleged pathetic farce. In the last four decades we moved quite a way in that direction as a society, and many things have become worse; but so many trapped in a hole want to dig it far deeper. Ladders anyone?
I registered as a Republican at 18 in 1976 because my parents were both liberal Republicans (they’d be Dems today). But in 1980, I became of Democrat after the GOP took the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment off their platform. I am repulsed and sickened by what GOP has become. It is certainly “old” but not very “grand “. A new acronym is sorely needed.
I too am old enough to remember when 18 yr olds got the vote, home interest rates were over 12%, American autos that were junk by 50,000 miles, auto injuries a major cause of death, when a good household income was $5000 per year, the rise of lunatic economic beliefs with Reagen, and have watched my retirement portfolio/benefits decrease by 30-40% three times, including in the present. I am hopeful that Gen-Z voters turned out as they did and voted for causes INA MID-TERM. Like you (though we couldn't work polls this time), I have tried to know who was running and voted for those who were on the side of what I valued and hoped for, not my bank account or present economic straits. Over the years I got to work with many in government as a private citizen as a result who worked on writing, implementing, and enforcing social policies. I am more hopeful today than I was on Monday.
Republicans openly shut down support for workers and the common good, abandoned anti-trust, and encouraged massive off-shoring of manufacturing jobs, mega-mergers and "downsizing", regressive taxation and tax cuts for the rich (Warren Buffet saying that without tax trickery, he paid less of a percentage of his income in tax than the woman who emptied his wastebaskets) dropping defined benefit pensions, pulling public support from primary and public education, turning steady and benefited jobs into busking (gig employment) etc. Add the "Supreme" Court defining de facto bribery as "free speech" (free for those with enough money). So we got our "rust belts" and small farms displaced by grotesque factory farming, and the primary economic victims turned into rabid supporters of The Republican Party. Go figure.
Remember those days well, and equally well that we never succumbed to the Republican gaslighting. A memory of those times and filling our tanks. My husband had to take me to local gas station and teach me how to fill my tank. I car pooled with another teacher, and we had alternating licenses so we felt safe. What was alarming by school rules now, I had my newspaper editor leave campus and go fill my tank. He had my keys, my car, my gasoline credit card, and left campus during the school day. Wrong on so many levels...but I stayed mobile.
Remember those too. For most of my career, the keys were in our cars, even on campus, at least util 2005 when, as we were to turn over our car for a newer one, at the dealer my wife found a glass pipe and parfailia in the seat cushions. She discretely dropped the junk in trash as we went into the dealer. Glad he didn't ask how many miles the car was driven high. Some good memories coming back. May the Bong be with you. PS. They weren't ours.
It was a great day in New Mexico. All three House seats are now held by Democrats. One of the seats was held by a MAGA Republican and was flipped. Our Democratic Governor was re-elected as well as our Secretary of State. So grateful people got out and voted.
The problem, from this Floridian’s perspective, besides the obvious that he’s still Governor, is that Desantis’ big win has emboldened him and his loyalists to continue in their ugly bullying behavior and attack on Democracy. I’ve always felt he was worse than Trump with his intentional cruelty, his ability to read his racist, misogynistic, undereducated supporters, and his laser focus on the Oval. He is a clear and present threat to our Constitution if he takes public office, but I fear his success yesterday makes him a prime target for dark money and resources to pour his direction to buy his way into the White House. The alarm bells need to be rung in our country-while there were some successes in this election, we still have a huge way to go to secure a future that protects the rights of ALL Americans. Just my opinion, of course, but watching his actions as Governor have awakened a fear in me for our nation that I’ve never felt before. Thank you, Professor, for always teaching us the truth about our political landscape and giving it a historical context. Thank you.
I think the voter fraud police had a lot to do with the vote in Florida. I would love to see a good fight between death star and DeSatan. I have to say that I am happier that I thought I would be. I did tip a single malt neat to Tina Kotek the D next governor of Oregon and gave thanks that it would not be Dracula Dragon. Machine Gun Betsy hardly counted. Some races still not called, partly because the dolt Clackamus County clerk is doing a swan song and not making results known until tonight. She was soundly defeated, btw, so goodbye to that incompetent death star twit.
Me too… happier than I expected to be. David Jolly pointed out that the outcome can be viewed as a rejection of Florida-style politics in most other states. I tip a Lagavulin to you, Michele, for your uplifting commentary.
I hope more will be reported about violence and the impact of juries and judges convicting the purveyors in 2020. I believe it has helped to establish that justice still matters. Now if we can send the chief perpetrators to trial.
You are very welcome. I am breathing a sigh of relief in some ways. We did also pass the strictest gun measure in the country although a surprising number of people voted against getting slavery out of the Oregon constitution. I actually think this may have to do with inmate crews which is not what this measure was addressing. I rarely drink, so it's nice to enjoy a single malt neat (no pollution please) on behalf of being saved from having a R governor. Still some races not called yet. The gal in Washington's third district (Vancouver and environs) is leading the death star nut case and I hope she prevails. She is an interesting person, young and owns a car repair shop with her husband.
The two arguments that I heard against 112 were that the Constitution already got rid of slavery so why bother (state's rights, anyone?) and the adverse impact it would have on inmate work programs, both at the state and local level. My limited knowledge is that participation in both local and state work programs for inmates was voluntary (and based on an inmate's appropriate conduct and/or behavior.)
I do not consider 60 percent that big a win given how he gerrymandered the state, cut people off the rolls, many Floridians probably are still dealing with misplacement from hurricane Ian, so did they vote, or try to survive? There was intimidation in districts that were heavily democratic because the Feds were denied the ability to poll watch, and of course DeSantis had $190 mil of which he needed to still spend $100 mil to win. Think whether he would have won if he had not done all that. Or if hurricane Nicole had swept through a few days ago instead of holding off until tomorrow. And, his fight with Trump, who also lives there, might be that Trump starts taking him to court on all sorts of things as Trump is wont to do.
Either way, Florida does not the USA make, and DeSantis has now helped to move a lot of people to other states who may be voting by the time he needs them, and they will not be eager to support him. The story of DeSantis the teacher is not going to help his national reputation either.
The state telling the feds they were denied access is a problem that should have been resolved by DOJ before Tuesday.
As for maga, the best thing that can happen now is Trump finishes the job of destroying the Republican party, and hopefully take Desantis down with it.
Given climate change and swamp-draining which has made much of Florida "land" swiss cheese, most of the state is likely to be underwater in a generation or so.
That is what I heard Biden said too. He was asked whether he felt Trump or DeSantis was the stronger challenger and he responded with, it will be interesting to watch the two of them go at it.
Also, the analysis by the commentator on NPR is that Trump may no longer be the 800 lb gorilla, but he is still at least a 700 lb gorilla. In a fight with DeSantis they see Trump winning, but then, he could not win the presidency.
A few people posted that MAGA is dead based on last night. I feel like I was puncturing a balloon with my answer. But not acknowledging a clear and present danger is for fools.
It won't go away until Trump goes away, and possibly not even then. This is a war, and this was one battle. We didn't outright win it, but we didn't lose, either. We held the line.
It started before Trump and will contacter Trump. The 74 million Trump voters are still there, still horrid, and still voting, so we still have to outvote them.
DeSanctimonious is doing things that garner support and yet go unnoticed by opponents. This leaves Liberals blindsided when he does well at the polls. Exhibit A: the environment. After Charlie Crist left office the GOP made it their mission to undo, trash and rape the environment because these things had been a priority to Crist, after JEB 'Low Energy' Bush did his best to destroy the environment and Crist to clean it up. GOP mantra in Florida was climate change is a hoax, drill in the Everglades and off-shore, give Big Sugar whatever they want as the pollute/destroy/obstruct Everglades and Florida Bay restoration and develop develop develop. DeSanctimonious barely won his first election and he did it with the endorsement of the Everglades Foundation and environmental groups being perhaps what pushed him over the top. He had promised to be their champion. He has delivered in spades! For the first time since really Bob Graham and Crist to a lesser extent, preservation of the environment had a devoted champion. Not a reluctant 'ok here is what I promised with a few things shaved off', but a real strong advocate. People come to Florida for the environment, the beaches, fishing, outdoor recreation and the economic impact of environment related tourism is huge. All of these environmentalists would have been stanuch Dems but are now ENDORSING DeSanctimonious. (See press release below). Just trying to put the complete picture into focus. Certainly democracy comes first above all else, but this has an impact. Instead of 'Hurricane Ian devastated us and the Governor is a climate change denier' (Scott, Bush) it is 'I have been fighting climate change, I have done more than anyone else before me and I will do more'. Point is DeSanctimonious co-opted an important GOP weakness and turned it into a strength here in Florida. https://rondesantis.com/governor-desantis-endorsed-by-everglades-trust/
"Your donation will be used solely for generating attention and action, not for Everglades Trust operations or political work. The Everglades Trust is a non-partisan, political nonprofit — 501(c)4 — so donations are not tax deductible."
They're a business front, easily confused with the legitimate Everglades Foundation, which is a legitimate IRS 501(c)3 non-profit charity. The board of directors of The Everglades Trust is a bunch of fat-cats and their mouthpiece lawyers.
I think it is important to be writing in the public forum the problems with DeSantis. Of course, the people who do not want to see reality will just pretend like it is not harming Florida to have a climate denier as governor. All of the developers are happy. However, if ProPublica can do a series on what is going on with the state, which has too many tall condominiums that are not being serviced often enough and the potential to have sink holes all over. People need a lot of educating. I also think we need to attack him on immigrants. Who does he think is going to be doing the clean up from the storm? Get this news out there. Who is working in the fields of the horrid sugar industry?
Also, the use of slave labor in Florida should be targeted. Get the youth fired up and going after the big ideas. They are the future. Florida has responded by having the first Gen Z er in Congress. He might portend a wave that washes over Florida. What does the youth think?
He may be bad, but he isn't dumb. Anyone who wants to move to Florida needs to think things through carefully. I did see that a 25 D won a seat In Congress which is the one good thing from Florida as posted below by Linda.
Jen, I have felt the same for a few years regarding DeSantis. Several years ago I wrote a list of R's to watch out for and stuck it to the wall near my desk. I forget what made me do this but I just looked at it and the top 3 are (in this order) DeSantis, Abbott & Jordan. They are so obviously dangerous to our Democracy. And knowing more now than I did when I wrote the list, my intuitions were correct. I didn't put T on the list because that just goes without saying. How can people be so blind?
However, Trump is super likely, if he lost against DeSantis, to start his own party and take a lot of votes from him. I see Trump running as an INDEPENDENT or for the MAGA party which I can see him creating. The guy is all about his own ego. Messages to spread about DeSantis are that he is a poor steward of the environment and is not protecting the Florida coast from global warming and he is allowing developers to destroy wetlands. Tie that into the ever present hurricanes and the devastation from it. This message needs to be beaten like a bongo drum, so that Gen Z gets out there and protests and claims their land.
His negatives are not well-known enough, but the MSM blathers non-stop about how he and Abbott pulled off spectacular wins. They don’t mention how they suppressed votes to do it. Come on free press, don’t screw us again.
I am drumming this message to friends who are all despairing because they think that DeSantis will win as next president. I have said, national elections are not Florida elections. Stealing Florida does not mean he can do this nationwide. I think we need to keep our messages clear. I am going to harp on ProPublica writing about Florida. I made myself a list at one time of all of their journalist and what their topics are, which one can find on their website. They like one to target journalists with topics that fit their areas. This just helps me to be more quick about figuring out whom I might ask.
In any case, I often see their stories picked up by the AP, which I subscribe to, and the Washington Post, and the New York Times. It just depends what it is. Right now I have given them two topics to report on.
1. Florida uses illegal immigrant and slave labor in agriculture and illegal immigrants to clean up from their hurricanes, although DeSantis claims that he goes after all illegal immigrants, in truth he is being a hypocrite about it.
2. Florida is destroying more wetlands than any state and the developers are thriving under DeSantis who is deregulating but wetlands protect from the kinds of storm surge we are seeing hitting the coast, and they also are important eco-systems. I also laid out what some other people are doing to live in harmony with the water. I feel that FEMA can play a big role in how this is handled.
3. I am going to be harping to our government that I think that all costal areas who are hit by floods should have restrictions placed on their FEMA funds if those are needed to rebuild. I have been researching the initiatives elsewhere. So, I have begun to write about the need to require people either to rebuild away from the coast, or build floating homes and communities, and the need to require replacement communities to be fossil fuel free, meaning that they use renewable energy sources as well as that they must have insurance. I have already written this message to the White House. Will be doing this regularly, as well as all of the democratic elected representatives. ---
Arizona has gone for Mark Kelly, so we need one more seat to retake the Senate! Catherine Cortez Mateo needs money to make sure that every vote is counted in Nevada.
This is one of two stories that I asked ProPublica journalists to write about regarding Florida and DeSantis. The other one was that DeSantis is making a big stink about illegal immigrants, but he is dependent on them for the huge agri-businesses in Florida and apparently they are doing the clean up from these various hurricanes too. Everyone is apparently using them. He is calling them out. The reporter said he would look into it.
Great point. I read an article 10 or 15 years ago in Nat Geo about how the US needs immigrants more than they need us. A decent immigration policy would be awesome but republicans will never agree since they need something to whip Dems with - non stop.
I agree, but also avoid the importance of elections taking too much attention from the a day to day aggregate demand for those we entrust with public responsibilities and powers to tell the %#@$& truth, as least as far not being an provable goddamn liar. Nixon was condemned even by members of his own party for abuse of power and dishonesty. We have become too inured to lies and liars is positions of grave responsibility.
"Exit polls from last night show voters in the 18–29 age bracket making up about 12–13% of the vote and preferring Democrats by much larger margins than any other group: as much as 70%."
Republicans got a major if soul-rending boost by pandering to disgruntled ex-Democratic hyper-racists. Democrats may well improve their fortunes by much stronger engagement with the young.
JL, thank you & HCR for highlighting the 18 to 29 year old voters, Gen Z, if you will. Earlier today, I posted on Jay Kuo 's Substack. (The Status Kuo) that "Gen Z may have saved the Country". The voting data will be deconstructed soon enough but, I am aware the young had a big part of the smashing victory of the 1st Woman Governor in Massachusetts, MAURA HEALEY. ( I guess Abigail Adams never ran for MA Governor.) Certain Gen Z Folks: smart, mobile, tech savy, large female co-hort, have color, vote blue & are colorful. Hat Tip FERN. 1st Gen to experience mass murder at school with associated drills. The young must be a greater part of our body politic.
I think childish impulses are part an parcel of human nature, but adult responsibilities call on us to manage them. There always seems to be an audience for those who praise and cultivate narcissistic emotions, in others and harness them to their own narcissistic ends. We need to get smarter about spotting and resisting that pattern.
"I think if they win, I should get all the credit. If they lose, I should not be blamed at all.” That's kind of his whole pathetic life right there, isn't it?
Yeah, me too. Also the kind who take credit for the work of others and lie about their own credentials. Elon Musk, for whom I have never worked (fortunately) is a good example.
"Gaming the system sets up a structural problem for democracy, of course, but also for the party in power. In safe districts, candidates don’t have to worry about attracting voters from the other party and so worry only about being challenged by those more extreme than they are in the primaries (which are always dominated by the most fervent partisans). The party becomes more and more extreme and can stay in power only by continuing to manipulate the system.
Eventually, though, they become so extreme they lose even members of their own party, as the Republican Party has done since Trump took it over."
I found this the most important concept of the letter, when paired with the recognition that such extremism can only thrive where a party can simply ignore the courts as they did in four states and gerrymander the populace without restriction or consequences. These cases represent a fact: in the USA, a party, which is a corporation, can overtly regulate and overrule the government. Please, don't ever accept this as either a "democracy" or a "representative democracy."
I love that you point out how peaceful the elections have been so far Dr. Richardson. I am of the opinion that getting the Feds out to poll watch and protect people who were harassing helped, as did the fact that there have been trials for the insurrectionists of Jan 6, and many are now doing prison time. This is a testament to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice and the January 6 Committee who took on the brave work of finding out what happened even when facing threats from the Trump camp! It is powerful to see justice happen to people who are unjust! -- This is an exciting day, because even though I knew with the gerrymandering of the states and districts dems could not win as many as they should and need to, I have been pleasantly surprised at how well Dems and democracy have done! It is democracy, and abortion rights have been a part of that, which have driven many people's votes. As I said, the press just lazily says, everyone is voting on the economy as if that means that they cannot consider anything else important, or that they would believe that the economy would be better under Republicans. For every person who voted for an extremist, sane, rational Democrats and Republicans turned Dems, have tried to get out and vote for someone else. I have been a part of this in my state of IL, and now I am urging people to support Rev. Rafael Warnock for the senate seat in Georgia with money and time to the degree that you can. I hope most can give $5 or $10. Millions of those donations will add up. Also, ask everyone you know to give time or money if possible. It is my understanding that Walker, despite being the cretin that he is (either he is too stupid to know he supported the abortions of these women with a check and proud of this stupidity, or he is a liar, but I tend to think he is both), has a war chest of $50 mil. I can easily see people like Ken Griffin, ex-IL billionaire returned home to FL to help groom his buddy DeSantis for the White House, will probably throw some millions his way. Warnock needs all the help he can get. https://www.warnock.senate.gov/
I am hoping that Biden, Obama and Kamala will stump for him in Georgia. Let their KKK stay away from the runoff election in total, since their principals and beliefs should make it untenable to vote for either. ---As for Trump, given that he is not willing to vacate his property of Mar-a-lago when it lies in a zone in danger from Hurricane Nicole, we don't know whether he is going to be around to have any impact on future elections. Right now lots of his former allies in the Republican Party are against him, and he has a lot of legal troubles, so he might be tempting fate on purpose. It appears he is holding off from making his big announcement. ---Still, while DeSantis may have gerrymandered his win in Florida, which I am presuming has lost a lot of voters to the damage from hurricanes Fiona and Ian, Florida is not the USA and the rest of us are not going to be such pushovers for his Russian tactics. DeSantis is also fortunate that Nicole has held off until after the elections, or he might not be looking so good and his constituents might not have the wearwithall to vote at all.
I have suggested that the White House insist on changes to fund the rebuilding of coastal states. My list is something like this:
1) must move people inland when rebuilding
2) should be building floating houses and communities for those who are going to be near the water
3) should insist that everyone rebuilding must have insurance for floods and storms
4) Should insist that every newly build building with any Federal monies be fully carbon free, with sustainable energy built in and sustainable energy grids should be replacing any new infrastructure that is developed.
So, I am feeling much lighter tonight than I have for a long time, although I think we should all be egging the democratic party on to fight the gerrymandering that the Republicans have been given a green light signal from the Supreme Court to do. We should also start thinking of clever ways to thwart the Republican party just as they have become experts in doing this while Democrats were in charge.
Too bad the Dimocraps in New York State Legislature weren't as good as Republicans at doing a big gerrymander. They tried, got their head handed to them by a court, then an independent redistricting map just blew them out of the water with four seats handed over to the GOP today, including Sean Patrick Maloney.
On one hand, this southern Californian likes my second-most-disliked-state (after Texas) getting set on its arrogant ass, but the practical political person is pissed that we now look like we will have to put up with the monkeys throwing their feces at the crowd for 2 years of nothing but Performantive Ignorance.
The NY Democrats thought they could do what DeSantis did in Florida, and all they accomplished was pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.
Yes, that was very upsetting. Maloney is a decent fellow and I was very sorry he lost. Hopefully, he will be back. Still, his work was responsible for pushing Dems over the winning line in the House.
well.... my guess is that the constituents in the district Maloney stole from Mondair Jones ... while also pitting Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Mahoney against each other ... decided they'd show him!
So they'll sacrifice one two year term with an R and then they can go back to whomever they want. Head of DCCC Maloney (whose job it is to make sure Dems hold seats - geez!!!) had a lotta nerve (45ish ego) doing what he did... and I say GOOD for YOU, smart NY constituents!! DNC & DCCC are NOT serving democracy (aka The People).
Very astute of you Suz-an... You know, that's a thing that's been 'burning my grits' about my choice to remain a loyal, yet independent 'D' ; A large portion of the 'leadership' on some level operates on the assumption that they can ignore the portion of us that can think objectively. I find that insulting. I 'get it', that is the why's, ways, and necessities, but it irritates me still. I'll bet it wouldn't surprise 'you' that I've had repeated correspondence with some elected party officials that's not been answered for a decade. I 'get' that problem as well - the sheer numbers of correspondence they must get flooded with; but still....
This Michigander is beyond ecstatic that Michigan turned blue. I have several friends who fought in the fight that made it happen. I am forever grateful to them.
Yes, it was. 💙🇺🇸 I am anxiously awaiting the final results of several races in the west etc. to see if the Democrats can hold the House and the Senate. I realize that may be unlikely but I can have hope.
I attended homecoming events at my husband's college alma mater last week. On two different days, I walked by an on campus voting site that had a line that snaked around one building and past another. Seeing all those young people waiting to vote gave me hope.
WHY did NC elections not have more polling locations so the line did not have to be sooo long?
In Texas, they took almost all of the voting sights off college campuses. Republicans showed us they are afraid of young voters.
Denise, yes!
I was surprised to see that, at Texas A&M, which had voting at the Memorial Student Center when I was in college and every year since then, until yesterday,, moved the voting off campus to downtown Bryan, Texas. Which is about 7 miles away. Same thing across Texas. Voting was moved off campus at all campuses.
For busy engineering students, like I was, this would mean I definitely would not have voted. To take a bus or walk out to the parking lots miles away? Forget it. No time for that.
So, it seems like Ted Cruz, when he is not eating pizza, which by all appearances, is not often, is afraid of young people and so is Abbott and Republicans now cower in fear at the possibility of Democracy in Texas that includes young people.
Plus, young people are not sitting in front of Fox News, all day, every day, being basted in far right propaganda like retired folks.
I say to folks in Texas, let the young people vote and don't be afraid of Democracy down there.
John Adams was not fearful of young people, why should Ted Cruz be?
Ted is afraid of his own shadow, and chump. Tx (and Fl) passed so many voter “integrity” laws, they were assured of no opposition win. Beto was screwed before he started. We must break the chains around us.
Repubs are overtly doing their best, in many states, to "rig the game". It is even more profoundly alarming that many SCOTUS decisions appear to be in lock step with the effort. Once again, I am reminded of the odious politics of both Gingrich and Hastert in the 80's-90's. There is nothing wrong with wanting to win. But please, please... just give us a representative democracy, a competition of ideas, not this "bloodsport" handed down from unfortunate predecessors.
How Newt Gingrich Destroyed American Politics - The Atlantichttps://www.theatlantic.com › archive › 2018/11 › newt...
Republicans are enemies of democracy. They have to be. So don’t pretend that they will support free and fair elections. Fortunately, it will be well-nigh impossible for the Extreme Court to overturn state constitutional provisions, enacted by the voters, that forbid gerrymandering. And if such proposals are on the ballot, they will pass in almost all (or maybe all) states.
How Michigan accomplished a Democrat Trifecta!
https://votersnotpoliticians.com/
Many potentially persuadable Republicans would not vote for him because of his previous military style weapon buy-back plan. That left a very sour taste in Texans’ mouths. If he had never held that position, he may have received more of the Republican vote. IMO that one position set him up for failure.
Cancun Ted needs to fear young voters. His only protection from them is deliberate voter suppression
Texicans know this. “Make the voting lines long and far away”. The Supreme Court will rule that each state legislature can legally make these rules with no Federal Interference or State Court allowed
We are intercoursed and not in the good way
Don't forget - the GOP voter suppression tactics include
***limit options for voting
***flood everywhere with push polls and "fake" polls
instead of actually having or explaining policies to solve problems
***one reason they push ID to vote is because they will decide WHICH ID is valid. It is well documented that some will accept a Gun Permit but NOT Student ID. ID also discriminates against WOMEN, who are more likely to have a name change. They need to be FREE - getting birth certificates, taking time to go to apply or receive the most common form of ID - a driver's license - at the DMV takes additional time and resources, and non-drivers and seniors who no longer drive lack those IDs.
***they have started purging voter rolls.
This conveniently prevents infrequent voters, anyone who has moved, and anyone with housing instability
from exercising their Constitutional rights.
Inconvenient and discouraging obstacles put in voters' paths.
***and that is in no way the complete. list.
If possible, they would go back to poll taxes, grandfather clauses, literacy tests, primaries that guarantee the outcome, or asking people to "guess" grains of rice in a jar or bubbles in a bar of soap.
In 2024, every state that does not have a constitutional provision outlawing gerrymandering should have a proposal on the ballot to do just that. I’m going to start work right away. If you know of people already working to that end, or would like to join me, email jjmargolis@yahoo.com.
Hi Jon, Have you checked out Allontheline.org, Obama and Holder's initiative? Might give yousome ideas/help.
As I understand it, Allonetheline favors "nonpartisan" commissions (which are actually very partisan). I have come to believe that a better approach is to forbid districts drawn with the "purpose or effect" of favoring or disfavoring one party or group, and to provide that the courts shall enforce that. Let the legislature draw district lines, but give the state court the final say. Not perfect, but I think more efficient and in the end more effective than the additional step of creating and operating a commission. (Most states have elected judges--which I think is a terrible idea--and a judge who refuses to enforce an anti-gerrymandering provision is handing her/his opponent a very good issue.)
The Campaign Legal Center info@campaignlegalcenter.org
has done some heavy lifting with gerrymandering reform nationwide. They helped Virginia establish a more party neutral redistricting body. Still have some kinks to work out, but progress for sure.
Success in Michigan!
https://votersnotpoliticians.com/
I have become skeptical of "nonpartisan" redistricting commissions. They add and extra step, and these days they tend to be one more place for partisanship to play out. A simple constitutional provision saying that districts at any level cannot be drawn with the purpose or effect of favoring or disfavoring any party or group, and that the courts can enforce that principle, is easy to understand and has an enforcement mechanism built in--one that the Extreme Court would not be able to block.
Shouldn't this be a national effort? So the playing field is level? If the blue states do the right thing (regulate against gerrymandering) and the red states don't, wouldn't that increase the advantage red states already have in Congressional and Presidential elections?
I don't believe so. Polls consistently show that the voters do not approve of gerrymandering. State level constitutional provisions would keep the Extreme Court from butting in. And like abortion (and Medicaid expansion--see South Dakota this week), voters are very likely to approve anti-gerrymandering amendments if they it's clear what they do. Part of my idea is to provide simple and readily understood language that can be used in all states where an anti-gerrymandering provision is not in the state constitution (and in those where it might not be clear).
That's a great idea!
Congressional Representatives were elected yesterday despite the gerrymandered districts from which they were elected having been found to be unconstitutional by courts. This was made possible because the wheels of justice turn so s-l-o-w-l-y that the rule of law can be disregarded. Many states have such constitutional provisions right now that governors and legislators get away with ignoring. It's like getting away with driving at 70 mph when the sign says the speed limit is 65 mph. Even the troopers won't bother to pull you over.
Likely those provisions have too much “play.” I’m thinking of something like, “No district shall be drawn with the purpose or effect of favoring or disfavoring any political party or group. The courts of the state shall have the power to enforce this provision.” It would be hard to get around such language, although I’m always happy to have suggestions.
Here in NH, a few years ago when we had a Democratic majority legislature, we passed an independent redistricting commission bill but the Republican governor vetoed it twice. Unfortunately he was re-elected for the 4th time this week. Grrr!
Grrrrr😔
See how Michigan did it! Democrat Trifecta!
https://votersnotpoliticians.com/
My in laws have a piece of property in Hempstead. Two of their sons went to A&M. Back around the time of the bonfire collapse.
Bryan isn’t really close. If you have a kid that’s busy or nervous about voting, that’s too hard now. I did hear up in Denton the TWU and UNT kids voted big time! Probably to help make marijuana legal in Denton! Ha!
I abhor these damn politicians in TEXAS . I cannot understand why people vote these worthless people into power...... Probably something to do with these MEGA churches on every corner
That and the cheating. I am poor from donating for the opposition, but the deck has been stacked since 1994, when Karl Rove came to turn Texas into a Republican swamp. I remember.
Ted is afraid that young people will vote him out of office.
I worked as a clerk at the polls this year . It was exciting to see first time voters coming in with their families to vote.
Before our state switched to mail-in voting, I used to take my young daughter to the polling place. She got it. The poll workers were always nice.
On election day, I sat outside the polling place to hold candidate signs. If a voter came with a child/children, I made sure to give the parent positive reinforcement such as thanking the parent for "training them up right" about the importance of voting.
Heard an analogy that applies to Fox/Faux viewers and the media.
Faux has created an "alternative" dystopia (not reality, not facts).
The GOP mantra is "crime, inflation, taxes" on a loop.
Their attack ads could be generic for ANY opponent, and specifically aim to trigger emotional fear and/or outrage.
The "job" of an informed voter - as well as the media - is when someone tells you it is raining, you go to the window and look out to see if it is true.
DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES.
The GOP complains about every ill in the world, but they are not proposing any actions to fix those problems.
"They vote no, but take the dough."
Voters should also be reminded of two things:
*Follow the money.
*If they get you to hate someone else (or a group) they are probably going to eventually come after you as well.
"John Adams was not fearful of young people, why should Ted Cruz be? "
The fable of "The Emperor's New Clothes" may lend some insight.
If the voting sites are moved off college campuses, I would hope that some organization (or several) would charter buses and provide transportation to the polls!
Shout out to Trinity University in San Antonio, whose students showed up to vote in very large numbers! Trinity provided free shuttles to the polling center during early voting which helped greatly as did successful campus mobilization efforts.
Because then voters might easily, you know, vote - and we can't have that if Republicans are going to win, can we?
Republicans can only finagle the system for so long. These MAGAts are going to age out while the strength in numbers of young voters will only continue to get larger. Republicans now want to raise the voting age to 21. There are many more young people yearning to control their own fates and not having crude-ite (my word) old white men telling them what to do. Every single day someone turns 18 and every day, too, some MAGAt becomes senile and/or dies off.
If kids aged 18 are old enough to be cannon fodder, then by the gods, they are old enough to vote on whether their government SHOULD be making them into cannon fodder. ANY legislation that proposes the forfeiture of even more rights might end up being a very difficult mouthful to chew, indeed.
And as for the "erudite" old white guys....which old white Senators and Representatives do you think erudite? Cruz? Johnson? Paul? Grassley? I will agree that there are many--way too many--old white guys in Congress, but I would NEVER call them erudite!
Cruz eloquence speaks for itself:
Why did the Democrats do better than expected? Because for two years they have governed as liberals. They’ve governed as whacked out lefty nut jobs. You know what that did? That excited their base. That excited a bunch of young voters..
Grrrr. But, ya, we did, successfully!
Victoria - MAGAs can't become senile. They already are. :{
Now that's a good one!
I agree with everything you said, except for the part about "erudite old white men" I don't think any MAGAts could be considered erudite
Thank-you. I will edit my comment. I think maybe"crude-ite" would be more appropriate here
No, Victoria, my apologies. I thought about it quite a bit after I made my comment and realized that I had misinterpreted your words. You weren't referring to the MAGAts as erudite, only the old white men in power (there is definitely some overlap there, though!). So, I'm sorry for jumping to the incorrect conclusion that the two were linked. In my defense, I was uncaffineated at the time. Treatments have begun, and I'm in much better shape now. And I do love the "crude-ite" Didn't Fetterman serve those on election night???
So true, idiotic to the core, zero tolerance for MAGAts, some who have been dear to me.
I read erudite in quotes as sarcasm.
In states like WI and FL, one party, through calculated gerrymandering and increasingly favorable legislation, ad infinitum, theoretically may be able to maintain state control in perpetuity. It's a chilling forecast. Desperately needed is a new Voting Rights Act protecting the viability of "one person, ONE vote" before more states follow suit. Of course, the enormous amounts of $$$ flowing from large corporations and 1%ers exerting undue influence over government policy, thanks to Citizens United, must be addressed as well. This was a pivotal SCOTUS decision for me. It's been downhill ever since. Until there is a serious judicial course correction, people will say, not without some truth..."my vote doesn't really count...what's the point?" Don't panic, I realize we must never give up.....
Let's not forget that SCOTUS members are trained by the Federalist Society which takes dark money. (Ergo: the current RW majority of SCOTUS is bought and paid for.)
I am one of those who will die off (not a MAGAt but old), but may the young smell the putrid swamp and rise above.
Not for many years I hope! We need your voice!
What is the percentage of older white males in the House who are Republicans?
It may be "too many percent". Lest us not forget that we have a wonderful Older White Male and a brave and powerful Older White Female at the helm before we indulge too much age bashing. Nevertheless, I do applaud the next generation's step up.....
Exactly.
Yesterday we saw the beginning of the end of the MAGA revolution. It took a few years for it to spread its blight so consistently across America. And we’ve watched in horror as it grew in leaps and bounds and sheer blackness of heart.
So it will take another election cycle or two to pick up the smashed crockery and air out America. But MAGA is done.
As for Trump, he’s done like dinner. Stick the proverbial fork in him. We have a bit of his braying yet to listen to and he may never be indicted (thank you Merrick Garland). But when Republicans get their act together, their fury will turn on him and his enablers with astonishing force. He will be unloaded unceremoniously - an exorcism of sorts for America.
From your lips to God's ears!
I assume your question is rhetorical. As in, NC republicans limit the number of polling places in blue locations to suppress the vote. NC is also one of the most heavily gerrymandered states in the US, giving Republicans a 10 point or more advantage.
The Shadow Knows
When Rubio beats Val Demings by 17 points you know something is rotten in Florida.
lol. one of my favorite shows growing up.
Lots of R's in control of the voting process in NC. Egregious gerrymandering.
Yes. We in Western NC still have no representation except the governor.
No kidding. No one should have to wait hours to vote. Half an hour should be the max. More polling places are needed, and -- maybe more important -- it needs to be easy to vote either early or by mail.
Because the GQP is doing everything possible to make it more difficult to vote, especially for minorities and young people. That’s why.
'Exit polls from last night show voters in the 18–29 age bracket making up about 12–13% of the vote and preferring Democrats by much larger margins than any other group:..' (Letter)
Who are they? Who are the young American Voters, more than any other age group, voted for the Democrats and for our Democracy most of all.
-- '89% of Black youth and 67% of Latino youth voted for a Democratic candidate in the midterms'
‘The strongest support for Democrats came from youth of color. Young white voters were more evenly split across party lines with 58% supporting Democrats and 40% backing Republicans.’
-- 63% of young Americans voted for a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House, while 35% of young Americans backed Republican candidates.’
‘Americans ages 18-29 were the only age cohort to support Democrats for the U.S. House by such a large margin. Voters ages 30-44 split their votes more evenly, 51% for Democrats and 47% for Republicans
(Sources: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts (CIRCLE) and CIRCLE’s analysis of the Edison Research National Election Pool exit poll)
“It’s never been just about Trump for us. It’s about stopping the climate crisis, protecting our reproductive freedoms, and ending gun violence in our classrooms,”
____ Ellen Sciales, Sunrise Movement’s 25-year-old national spokesperson.(TeenVogue) See link below.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/youth-voter-turnout-2022-midterms-democrats
Super Link FERN; the 18-29's will in fact bring in the AZ Senate race for Dems as they are voting 70 to 20 percent for Senator Kelly per Jay Kuo's Substack. AZ Update. 1i to 29's voted up 56 percent for KELLY. Gen Z will carry in others on their strong shoulders.
Bryan Sean, Wonderful to see you and you bring great news to us! I am happy, Bryan. The day here in NYC is beautiful, and Democracy is in the air as well as the fragrant scent of brown crispy leaves...and the colors!
🍂🍁 fabulous Fall colors in thr Boston area ... near Tufts.
Thanks for sharing this information. Young people give me hope that America can indeed move toward a “more perfect union”.
Thank you Heather and Fern. I have been so apprehensive about this election that l have waited until today to look at the results. In my heart l so wanted a victory for those issues and candidates who supported progres and solutions that move our democracy forward. I am grateful for young people who support these concepts. It may be a rocky road from here, and it will take time and persistence on the part of all of us to get past the nonsense that the Magas have spouted. I am thankful for those who have turned out to vote for democratic ideals.
I am 82 and have seen many missteps by government, but l am more hopeful than l have been in a long time that things can get better.
Please accept a loving DEMOCRACY HUG, Jane
Forward together!
Democracy holds the fort, but can it survive The Supreme Court?
“In Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio, heavily gerrymandered maps stayed in place despite state court decisions that they were unconstitutional. “
Appeals are a part of the process.
Fortunately here in NH, the state Supreme Court decided that the horribly gerrymandered proposed redistricting maps needed to be redrawn. It took a couple tries. Not perfect but better than the planned maps for the eastern part of the state that would guarantee a Republican would dominate that part of the state for the next 10 years. (Their original plan was to shift 75 towns&cities/365 K voters to the western part of the state.)
Appeals are common. Demographics is the data, but applying the data to maintain equity is more like an art.
More and more, culture is less defined by race.
I'm not sure how to even define culture much less try to locate cultural boundaries.
Somehow, we must find a consensus of what we are trying to base equity upon. Clearly, it's not all about race.
We could be voting at drive thru kiosks. We have the technology to do this and to verify that our selections are intact in the final tally.
Check out "Doubt Relief" on my substack.
Get a free nasal swab for Covid as you drive through! That would keep the conspiracy theorists away. Or make it more attractive with " would you like fries with that?" 😍
I need to write up an opinion on the pandemic one of these days. I have some unusual opinions on our reaction. The run on toilet paper was the first sign of a mass hysteria event.
Let me know when you get it! I would love to read it. Rignt now, we only have 66 rolls of TP in our storage area, so I am thinking of getting more....
The term "conspiracy theorists" has been abducted to mean anyone with views differing from those of a tribe.
💙💙💙💙💙
❤️ 🕊️🌻🟥⬜🟦🦅❤️
Every day I look forward to reading Heather Cox Richardson. Her analysis of today’s events, together with the depth of her historical knowledge, always provides great context. She’s also a great stress reliever when things get tough.
Yes! Heather’s LFAA is a North Star. I hail from West Michigan, and this election has been hard fought for our Dem victories. Leadership Matters, and Michigan stepped up and unequivocally said “Yes It Does!”
I live in the NW Lower. The MAGA cult here is astoundingly entrenched in the poorest of counties. Rah rah rhetoric with no substance rules the polls except in pockets where a more urban population has developed ( Traverse City/ Leelanau area)
Its perplexing, but it can be directly traced to Fox Entertainment propaganda, every single time
When we lost the FCC, we lost the ability to demand that lies not flourish
Lying is now embraced as a necessary skill in politics
I completely agree with you about Fox. Sins of omission as well as commission.
Add in social media.
I am so heartened by what the Dems accomplished in Michigan! 💙💙💙💙💙
I am, too, and yesterday was a mostly beautiful day over here in some locales but not others. In the city of Holland, we defeated two far-right-wing women who ran for school board, backed by an organization called Ottawa Impact. A lone Democrat survived as a county commissioner. Unfortunately, though, OI candidates won in three or four other school districts (anti-maskers, anti-"CRI", pro parent "control," anti-inclusion, potential book banners). The Jamestown library millage went down to defeat--again--and the library is not likely to rescued by contributions this time.
Ottawa County remains a tenacious fight. The Jamestown Library defeat rather sums up the mentality we are fighting against. That a few books in a local library could make a majority of that community shake with fear is humorous. Dark, and sadly humorous. How long was the line of children waiting to sign those books out? I forgot? Wasn’t it close to zero before the parents went batshit crazy about it?
Excellent summary of that situation.
We also elected a book banner and CRT propagandist to our school board in Mathews, VA. 🤯
Sad news on the library.
I am devastated to hear you may loose your library. Where can we send contributions?
That's generous of you, but when the millage was turned down last year--by the same crowd--donations came in, including $50,000 from an author. At that time, the library said the donation model was not sustainable beyond a year and it would close if the millage failed again. I believe they are now trying to discern what to do with their collections. If I hear anything different, I will post a comment on HCR.
HCR has been a sanity saver since trump's first impeachment madness! I was hooked from the beginning. She pulled so many of us off the edge of the precipice. I have also found hitting a ball (pickleball, golf) provides an additional stress buster layer. 🤣
Read the letter, play wordle, swim laps... that's all that's saving my sanity.
Thank you. I do the first two things and they help enormously! I think I need to get more athletic and work on pickle ball and swimming laps! Does line dancing count as athletic???🤣
Yes!
I will have to try that! Thanks.😊
I just turned on an acquaintance that had heard of Heather but never read her. I sent her the link to this article. She'll be thanking me by tomorrow.
She most definitely will thank you.
My friends are grateful for my introducing them to Heather.
Fingers crossed her readership will increase by a large margin.
We need her voice.
As it should.
Yes!
I thought I understood the significance of the election after consuming much news and commentary today. Silly me. I needed Heather Cox Richardson to tie all the seemingly disparate elements together into a cohesive big picture to REALLY understand.
Also, by bringing into sharp focus how severe the gerrymandering has become — and with states even ignoring court rulings ordering fixes — we know that correcting this problem would change everything. It would mean representation in government would far more truly reflect the makeup and desire of the majority of people. As in democracy.
Michael, Regrettably, the matter of gerrymandering, which, in the large sense, dilutes the impact of everyone’s vote nationwide, won’t resolve until we elect more democrats, particularly at the federal level, to enact federal voter protection safeguards that would supersede state law in conflict with any of its stipulations. Meanwhile, for the past 24 hours, I have become increasingly convinced of the import of building on the outcomes of the 22 midterm election that, in my view, include a renewed definition of ourselves as citizens—something closer to the nation of active stakeholders that leaders like Thomas Jefferson had in mind.
Yes... it’s happening slowly, but steadily. The foot draggers are giving way and as they fall back we will witness the passage and implementation of more of the policies the majority of us want and need. Democracy always prevails given enough time and support. As President Biden said at his news conference yesterday, full implementation of much of the legislation passed this year has yet to occur. As it does, more people who self identify as “ independents” will vote to elect democrats and the tide will turn even more decisively in favor of the will of the majority. Lots of good work ahead. Forward....
@KD, While I resonate to your reply, the one remark that gives me pause is your statement “Democracy always prevails…” I don’t imagine there are many countries that are impervious to a fatal weakening of their civic institutions or to a leader eager, and under the right circumstances, able to consolidate power, wherein the rule of law could be subjugated to an individual.
I dream
ABSOLUTELY, Barbara Jo... Brava!! We've needed these things since 1860s at least.
We have ourselves some sort of Civil War now ... cuz those states' rights dudes are NOT gonna let go. At all. They have sunk their teeth in super deep.
Suz-an, For me, the biggest take-away from Tuesday’s midterm was the decisive defiance of MAGA extremism, largely due to the historic number of GenZ voters (18-29). By 2024, millions more will be eligible to vote, a trend I believe substantially will drive up Democratic wins in federal, state, and local elections.
Um, foreigner requires an explanation of gerrymandering. I know what it is, but why is it OK to keep moving the goalposts? Even flouting a court order?? (Rule of law??) Do Democrats do it too?
Anne-Louise, clearly it’s not OK and as an American I don’t understand how those states can flout a court order either. I think state laws and practices may differ, but again, not sure. Perhaps HCR could devote a letter to this situation to help us all understand this huge issue better and find out what we as citizens can do. And yes, both parties do it, but Republicans seem to do it “better.”
Thanks, Carol. It surely needs early attention and firm action.
From the NY Times: If Democrats Lose the House, They May Have New York to Blame
Republicans flipped four congressional seats in New York, the most of any state in the country. How did this happen in one of the nation’s most liberal states.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/nyregion/new-york-republicans-house.html
Yes Democrats do it too, also in NJ where they a seat flipped Republican because of Democrat controlled gerrymandering last year to make other districts "safer" for Dems. All of those districts were won with margins of 9% or more. So they got what they wanted in the short term but may have lost the big prize, Democrats having control of both houses of Congress for the next two years.
Ms. Fisanick: "How did this happen in one of the nation’s most liberal states."
Answer:
1. Kathy Hochul gave $600 million dollars to one of her Buffalo hometown donors, the Pegula family and owner of the Buffalo Bills, to build a new stadium. That would be my tax money (I live in NY).
2. Kathy Hochul gave an extra $337 million dollars, compared with California, to a middleman campaign donor, to buy Covid tests. Californial paid $300 million compared to NY which paid $637 Million for the same 200,000 covid tests from the same company. Nobody knows what happened to the extra $337 million dollars received by the middle man? Swiss Bank accounts for Kathy Hochul and other Dems maybe?
So, people like me paying attention? They are tired of watching a high tax state give away their money to campaign donors and crooks.
Now, mind you, I don't mind seeing my money go to poor folks not as lucky as me, or roads and bridges, or educational support for public schools. Not a bit.
I DO mind seeing Democrats just waste my tax money or graft and corruption.
Look for Republicans in NY to make more inroads if the Dems don't clean up their pretty nasty act here.
Mike, least we forget the ridiculous redistricting of Claudia Tenney without challenge. They literally carved out every county to her advantage.
New York State is rapidly becoming the shithole of the Eastcoast.
Not sure about the shole analogy, but, we need a bit of a cleaning.
PS, it sure is pretty in upstate NY.
:-)
I think that Hochul’s actions in the Buffalo Stadium are more in line with the growing American Sports related Plutocracy than her own decisions.
Frankly she didn’t have a choice given the open bag of moneyed support given to team sports at every level.
I think the accusation in the Covid test money is extreme. I read that at the time the terms for the sale were arranged Hochul was unaware of the seller and acted in good faith to ensure of ample supply.
Considering her character I think insinuations of developing hidden wealth is inappropriate.
Oakland had a choice and kicked out the Oakland Raiders when the NFL wanted socialism to prop up giant profits. Now? They are the LA raiders.
We, in NY, can do the same thing. Plus, the Pegula family will NOT move them if they have to actually pay for a stadium.
Me? I am not in favor of socialism for the RICH.
I got bored with Professional Sports in the 1960’s and rarely know what’s going on.
But in Buffalo’s case the obnoxious blood sucking Pegula’s protecting their fortune and passing on LEED format for the stadium has truly ignited my disdain.
I’d like to know how this country got suckered into using tax money for the playpens of these Plutocrats. Ridiculous overall but I doubt insidious action by Hochul. She does have mountains of self pride.
The idea that New York is one of the nation's most liberal states isn't quite accurate. New York City may be liberal, but much of upstate -- minus, perhaps, large cities like Albany and Buffalo -- is very conservative. Hence the successful reelection campaign of Elise Stefanik and other Republicans in Congress.
The roads where I live were papered with Liz Joy for Congress signs, and I was worried that she'd beat the incumbent, Paul Tonko, this time. But he was able to eke out a win, probably due to constituents in the urban areas of our congressional district.
Yes, California is similar. The rural areas lean conservative.
TC explains it best
With no punches pulled
Because... they can. Major struggle between federal and state laws has been central to our American legacy since the beginning. Civil War ... should have and didn't totally end it. (Heather's book, "How the South Won the Civil War" lays it out.)
"States' rights" more and more mean we (states) can - and will! - do whatever we want.
Then ... IQ45 yelled (from the Oval!!) Look Ma! NO rules. NO boundaries.
The fundamental flaw is that state legislatures are in charge of election district boundaries, which of course makes it a partisan exercise that favors the party in power. Some do so more aggressively, especially in red states. And in Florida, Ron DeSantis arbitrarily took over the role and obliterated a longstanding district that elected Blacks to Congress.
A handful of states partly use guidance from non-partisan advisory groups. Clearly, something the system needs reform.
https://www.propublica.org/article/ron-desantis-florida-redistricting-map-scheme
https://redistricting.lls.edu/redistricting-101/who-draws-the-lines/
Yes, Democrats do it too. Thanks for being awake.
No, they don’t. Maybe they should. Gerrymandering yes, but ignoring court orders, nah. Not to my knowledge…
The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on this. Where do you see them ignoring the court?
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/28/1108370498/louisiana-redistricting-supreme-court-lawsuit
You really believe Democrat States don't gerrymander?
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/784/mapmaker
Becky-Thanks for posting this link to Ira Glass’ deep dive into how duplicitous state legislators in Ohio managed to circumvent the state’s constitutional amendment intended to prevent gerrymandering. What a colossal waste of taxpayer money and time, and a disservice to Ohio citizens. Ohio is going to have to have another ballot measure that cures the loopholes.
State maps should be drawn by independent commissions of citizens who are not politicians and do not hold elected offices. Colorado was one of the first states to pass constitutional amendments in 2018, which require that district maps be drawn by two independent, non-politician commissions, one for determining the state legislative map and one for the congressional map.
The League of Women Voters site has some good information on this topic: https://www.lwv.org/peoplepoweredfairmaps
I did see a statistic somewhere. Democrats gerrymandered unimpeded 7 states and Republicans in 13 states. Of course success depends on the population.
A states right issue, and an issue to be decided by the voters of that state. That includes the selection of judges.
Sorry. Dont follow your logic.
The states handle redistricting based on census data. There is plenty of gray area when it comes to establishing these cultural boundaries. When a state is predominantly red, the lines will favor to a small degree red candidates, and vice versa for blue states. The decisions can be appealed in court.
The court ruling is final after all appeals are exhausted.
The state legislatures do. There can be an independent commission in each state set up to draw maps without the political pressure currently in play in five states.
No, no, no
I live in Ohio and it's so infuriating-- in spite of a voter referendum, Republicans on the map committee created illegal maps over and over which the Supreme Court rejected repeatedly until they ran out the clock and we had to use the illegal maps for the election. They are only in place through this election and now they have to go back to the drawing board-- BUT the newly elected Supreme Court is all Republicans so I fear that they will just rubber stamp whatever the Republicans want to do-- and Jim Jordan's famous DUCK district will remain.
Eric Holder is a persistent guy. The fight goes on.
https://democraticredistricting.com/our-work/
Sent this reply earlier, but the interest in ending gerrymandering keeps coming up today:
The Campaign Legal Center info@campaignlegalcenter.org
has done some heavy lifting with gerrymandering reform nationwide. They helped Virginia establish a more party neutral redistricting body. Still have some kinks to work out, but progress for sure.
A great story of how this works: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/784/mapmaker
That's excellent.
I live in a newly gerrymandered Texas district. Our Democrat candidate never had a chance. One small speck of blue in a sea of red.
We need the aid of professional scholars and we need encouragement to tie things together ourselves, sufficiently for government by and for the people to function,
This is so true. And it needs to start from the earliest school age, beginning as play activities.
Janet, we need teachers of high quality both with knowledge and love/respect for a democratic form of governance available to teach our children at the youngest stages of development. Children and young adults need to study history and civics to discern for themselves the differences between countries ruled by dictators compared to the rule of governments ruled by the people, and for the people through the opportunity of fair elections. This also means being personally engaged, not taking someone else's word without studying and taking time to observe the character and actual behavior of candidates as well as the consequences of their/our decisions .
We must remember the life's blood and devotion that has given us freedom in the past or we will be misused by those who only seek personal power. The time is already late but not too late. I am waiting for each and every vote to come in ..... I will not be disheartened but will do all I can for freedom, for respect for the wellbeing of this country.
Today, others are shedding their blood throughout the world to enjoy the opportunity for freedom found in Democracy. We must work together as a country to keep strong political parties with various views but each one truly, ultimately for the wellbeing, freedom and respect of all its citizens.
My fear also, so hard to bear, Jim Jordan and his ilk. Still can’t stand to look at Trey Goudy and that band of evil.
My guess is Diamond Gym will flame out as America collectively calls out, “Have you no decency, sir?”
Try Trey Goudy’s haircuts/styles. Trust me, he will never be the same to you. If you can stop laughing.
Democrats began impeachment immediately. I see no evidence of impeachment of Biden. He will likely fade into the sunset.
Personally, I would like to see him resign, giving Kamala her turn at the helm. There would be little harm, and it might be somewhat entertaining.
Are they ignoring court orders?
I see at least that Louisiana followed the State Supreme Court ruling, but what about these other states. The fact check fails for Louisiana, what about the others? I don't have time right now, but where one is wrong, I have cause to suspect the others may also be.
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/28/1108370498/louisiana-redistricting-supreme-court-lawsuit
Yes, in Ohio it's true. And the results are nauseating. They won 57 percent of the state districts with only 47 percent of the vote. https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2022/09/02/redistricting-one-year-later-ohio-a-unique-flawed-case/
Interesting article. Yes, models can be manipulated to favor a certain result. It reminds me of climate models.
The legislature will need to adopt a model prior to the election, and stick with it. Again, this is a State issue, and the voters of that state need to elect their leadership wisely. It's not something that voters from other states should be interfering with.
"I don't have the answer. Like you I fear they have spent so long in this gutter of their own making they've forgotten how to lead"
BK, one of the best, most well written posts capturing Republican approach I have read.
Thank you.
However, a problem with Republicans is that, when they DO lead, they offer only two things in the last 40 years.
1. Tax cuts for the rich, coupled with a lie that the tax cuts will "pay for themselves with increased tax revenue". An approach appropriately labeled as "VOODOO ECONOMICS" by none other than George HW Bush.
2. Illegal wars, in countries that offer no threat to the US, coupled with GIGANTIC spending on war contractors like Haliburton.
So, me? I am TOTALLY OK with Republicans focussing on books in the library, school curriculum, and ginning up fear about folks cross dressing.
That stuff has no real impact on me at all. I am President of the Friends of my local Library. Somebody wants to mess up our library? They have to walk through me, which, of course is possible, but, can be highly unpleasant and wrought with conflict.
But real Republican policy leaves us at war and broke along with a lot of dead brown people in other countries and bombed out schools and hospitals in other countries.
Looks like people would have had enough with W/Dickie. Body bags galore, and trillions down the tube, but chump led any opposition to this down a rat hole even worse. Go figure the “greatest generation” leaning toward Nazis
Yes, that would be the increasingly aged generation of free love and drugs which was abducted by the Democrat party. The party of Jim Jones. Most of those aged hippies are the most miserable and bitter I know. They never grew up and realized that their party had been abducted by thugs. I was one of them, but I grew up, made a family and realized how ugly the Democrat party was becoming.
It's really amusing to see these "free thinking liberals" now supporting monopolies like Pfizer and defense contractors. The free love Democrats have become on one hand prudes, attacking candidates for being sexually active, and on the other hand supporting the injection of alternate sexuality to pre pubescent children. Turning a blind eye to its own party leaders who are likely on a list of Epstein pedophilia island clients. What a confused bunch!
Then there is the utter audacity of claiming that having an abortion carries some sort of moral superiority over those who love the institution of family and the rights of unborn women and men to have a chance at life.
Ah, read this after your one-liner below. So much to consider here, but your last paragraph, it renders any truth in the first two paragraphs meaningless. Have you had an abortion? Do you know any woman who has had an abortion and claims moral superiority over those who haven't?
Mike S writes: " I am TOTALLY OK with Republicans focussing on books in the library, school curriculum, and ginning up fear about folks cross dressing. That stuff has no real impact on me at all."
I would suggest that Republican focus on libraries, schools and diversity dramatically impacts everyone. Libraries, public education and diversity are all inherently part of the foundation of a civilized society. Their attacks on these institutions and marginalization of certain groups degrade our society and result in uneducated, unthinking and closed minded citizens.
Biden is the one trying to get us into war. Trump rightly boasted that he kept us out of war.
Trump is an isolationist because he is a narcissist. He has no interest in anyone but himself. That doesn't mean he wouldn't have gotten us into a war due to his vast ineptness on foreign policy and his tendency to run off at the mouth. I think Biden understands more than most modern presidents, the costs of war because of having a son in the military, who served in a war zone.
AGREE.
If you mean Biden is trying to get us into war because of his position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I wonder how you would have looked at the US (reluctantly and surreptitiously) choosing to arm Britain before entering WWII. Trump wasn't bent on withdrawing US troops around the world because he's a pacifist, but because he wanted to clear the path for Russia. Look what happened when he withdrew our forces from Syria.
Correct.
Trump wants to be, at all times, on his knees at Putin's feet so he can kiss them often and with reverence.
Mr. Grey,
Thank you for your observation. Trump actually did not keep us out of war.
He started a trade war with China which has resulted in widespread inflation in farm products and the collapse of some farm products that were exported to China.
Also, Because of Trump's trade war relations with the Chinese are at an all time low.
War is not just shooting up schools and hospitals for fun and profit.
War can be a trade war as well.
Thanks MIke S. Mr Frey is certainly wrong about tfg international goals and results.
Yes, I agree that tariffs had an economic effect. They are much better than shooting wars.
The tariffs were one of many Trump policies with which I disagreed, but they were part of the package. We pay these tariffs.
The hope with tariffs is that they would either bring some jobs home, or would stimulate other nations to develop industries to compete with China. That has materialized to some degree, but Covid thwarted it's greater success.
I'm still hopeful that more benefits will be seen, but it has to be a long term commitment. We certainly need to be producing and exporting petroleum. That will help our trade imbalance and help europe to fight off Russian energy meddling.
You are kidding yourself if you think the military industrial complex does not want war.
And as Biden said in his speech, his policy-agenda will begin to take effect starting next year. People will start to see the results of this going forward into 2024. Thanx for your insight BK.
BK, I remember Republican policy in my lifetime:
- Don't tax the rich
- Don't regulate BUSINESS
- STOP IMMIGRATION
-CONTROL CURRICULUM in the Schools
- CONTROL VOTING ACCESS
and more...
It's the anti-government movement!
Been waiting for decades for repubs to become human. Fool’s quest, I fear. They hate the right people, simple dynamic. May the haters bite it. Sadly, there are many…
Attempted unsuccessful “like”. Thank you , BK
thank you for pointing all this about the lack of a platform out again -- and yes I hope the Republicans get a grip and continue to help our country like the Democrats have these last 2 years --if not then we Democrats should have a good chance to retake some of the positions lost this time.
I hope you're right about the Senate? Last thing I knew it was still up in the air ? But I like reading your comment !
I was a poll worker yesterday… great experience, nice people but a long 14 hour day. I was too tired to look at the national results when I got home but looked at the local results that I cared about.
So a pleasant surprise greeted me in the am. No “red wave”. I had tuned out the polls and pundits and worked hard campaigning for local candidates and hoped that people wouldn’t be drawn into the Republican nonissue hysteria.
A 40 year old friend sent a text about the election and she said that people were not paying attention to “saving” democracy and abortion. They were worried about inflation, paychecks putting food on the table and gas prices.
This text made me think back to the 70s during the Carter area, when I had no money, we had the Arab oil embargo and we were all in long gas lines ( and that was shocking), inflation climbed and then followed by a recession, jobs were hard to come and thinks were looking bleak. In 1980, Ronald Reagan ran, harping about the black welfare queen, trickle down economics, Phyllis Schfally trying to vote down the equal rights admendment and screaming about abortion and murder, the Moral Majority with Jerry Falwell and evangelicals Christians started their long crusade to blur the lines between religion and politics. Many parallels between then and now.
I did not vote my pocket book although the economy was awful because I felt like the Republicans were gaslighting Americans. A lot of people did vote on economic issues and that ushered in Reaganism and the battle for 50 years we have been fighting to keep our rights. And they were slow, plodding and persistent and they have finally succeeded in taking some of them away, like abortion.
Dobbs, the insurrection and the Big Lie, got young people off of Tik Tok long enough to vote for their rights. People want some normalcy and the Democrats and Biden despite the pandemic and inflation are offering that. The Republicans were offering more years of crazy. So relieved that people didn’t buy into the gaslighting.
Ahhh...the memories...I so well recall the gas lines based on your license plate numbers, Schafly, Falwell, Buchanan, and the rest. Guess we’re supposed to call them “the good ole days”. Thanks for giving your time to be a poll worker, a decent civic duty.
Generalized appeals to some lost, golden past (such as MAGA) is just wishful thinking or a con, but I think there are things we are losing that are well worth recapturing and/or protecting. One to examine is that prior to Reagan, both Nixon and Carter took substantive actions to protect our environment. I also think that while politics and lies know no restriction of nation or era, the level of outright, utterly fabricated lying we now see throughout most of the Republican Party is novel, at least in my lifetime. And big lies can kill, as we have been seeing in recent years.
Racism, sexism and homophobia are manifestations of particularly persistent lies that have largely been more on the defensive as the years have progressed, despite the regressive moves by the "GOP". Recent generations seem more impatient with those sorts of lies than most. What, when we are really forced to make choices, really, really matters most? What is worth protecting? When aggressive wars are launched, that's someone's choice. When individuals or communities are oppressed, that's a choice too. What kind world do we want to live in, and/or leave behind? It seems like a question that rarely gets serious consideration because we are so busy with what is happening now; so we drift.
I don't know if what we need is normalcy, but we sure need wisdom. A lot a trouble is brewing and it''s going to take some novel thinking and efforts to adapt and move proactively. I have trouble thinking of a major, serious problem that Republican ideology has not crated or made worse, climate change and pandemic responses among them. The "middle class" was expanding and some progress toward reducing poverty was being made prior to the made-for-TV "Reagan Revolution"; the point of which seemed to be that "The Gilded Age" was the "good old days", and that government of the people, by the people, for the people was an alleged pathetic farce. In the last four decades we moved quite a way in that direction as a society, and many things have become worse; but so many trapped in a hole want to dig it far deeper. Ladders anyone?
A useful start would be disallowing members of the popular entertainment industry from candidacy for the White House.
I registered as a Republican at 18 in 1976 because my parents were both liberal Republicans (they’d be Dems today). But in 1980, I became of Democrat after the GOP took the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment off their platform. I am repulsed and sickened by what GOP has become. It is certainly “old” but not very “grand “. A new acronym is sorely needed.
Regressive Old Plutocrats? If the shoe fits...
I too am old enough to remember when 18 yr olds got the vote, home interest rates were over 12%, American autos that were junk by 50,000 miles, auto injuries a major cause of death, when a good household income was $5000 per year, the rise of lunatic economic beliefs with Reagen, and have watched my retirement portfolio/benefits decrease by 30-40% three times, including in the present. I am hopeful that Gen-Z voters turned out as they did and voted for causes INA MID-TERM. Like you (though we couldn't work polls this time), I have tried to know who was running and voted for those who were on the side of what I valued and hoped for, not my bank account or present economic straits. Over the years I got to work with many in government as a private citizen as a result who worked on writing, implementing, and enforcing social policies. I am more hopeful today than I was on Monday.
Republicans openly shut down support for workers and the common good, abandoned anti-trust, and encouraged massive off-shoring of manufacturing jobs, mega-mergers and "downsizing", regressive taxation and tax cuts for the rich (Warren Buffet saying that without tax trickery, he paid less of a percentage of his income in tax than the woman who emptied his wastebaskets) dropping defined benefit pensions, pulling public support from primary and public education, turning steady and benefited jobs into busking (gig employment) etc. Add the "Supreme" Court defining de facto bribery as "free speech" (free for those with enough money). So we got our "rust belts" and small farms displaced by grotesque factory farming, and the primary economic victims turned into rabid supporters of The Republican Party. Go figure.
Please send your 40 year old friend a copy of each of these books by Gail Collins:
"When Everything Changed" and " America's Women: 400 years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates and Heroines"
This should be required reading for all women, and perhaps men as well. The latter one really opened my husband's eyes.
The America's Women will probably answer a lot of questions. When Everything Changed deals with the 60s and women's rights.
Remember those days well, and equally well that we never succumbed to the Republican gaslighting. A memory of those times and filling our tanks. My husband had to take me to local gas station and teach me how to fill my tank. I car pooled with another teacher, and we had alternating licenses so we felt safe. What was alarming by school rules now, I had my newspaper editor leave campus and go fill my tank. He had my keys, my car, my gasoline credit card, and left campus during the school day. Wrong on so many levels...but I stayed mobile.
Remember those too. For most of my career, the keys were in our cars, even on campus, at least util 2005 when, as we were to turn over our car for a newer one, at the dealer my wife found a glass pipe and parfailia in the seat cushions. She discretely dropped the junk in trash as we went into the dealer. Glad he didn't ask how many miles the car was driven high. Some good memories coming back. May the Bong be with you. PS. They weren't ours.
It was a great day in New Mexico. All three House seats are now held by Democrats. One of the seats was held by a MAGA Republican and was flipped. Our Democratic Governor was re-elected as well as our Secretary of State. So grateful people got out and voted.
Yes, NM really came through also!!👏🏼👏🏼
It was a great day in New Mexico!
Congrats, Mary Beth!
We must take a deep breath than look towards 2024. That is what the Republicans are doing, we may be sure.
The problem, from this Floridian’s perspective, besides the obvious that he’s still Governor, is that Desantis’ big win has emboldened him and his loyalists to continue in their ugly bullying behavior and attack on Democracy. I’ve always felt he was worse than Trump with his intentional cruelty, his ability to read his racist, misogynistic, undereducated supporters, and his laser focus on the Oval. He is a clear and present threat to our Constitution if he takes public office, but I fear his success yesterday makes him a prime target for dark money and resources to pour his direction to buy his way into the White House. The alarm bells need to be rung in our country-while there were some successes in this election, we still have a huge way to go to secure a future that protects the rights of ALL Americans. Just my opinion, of course, but watching his actions as Governor have awakened a fear in me for our nation that I’ve never felt before. Thank you, Professor, for always teaching us the truth about our political landscape and giving it a historical context. Thank you.
I think the voter fraud police had a lot to do with the vote in Florida. I would love to see a good fight between death star and DeSatan. I have to say that I am happier that I thought I would be. I did tip a single malt neat to Tina Kotek the D next governor of Oregon and gave thanks that it would not be Dracula Dragon. Machine Gun Betsy hardly counted. Some races still not called, partly because the dolt Clackamus County clerk is doing a swan song and not making results known until tonight. She was soundly defeated, btw, so goodbye to that incompetent death star twit.
Me too… happier than I expected to be. David Jolly pointed out that the outcome can be viewed as a rejection of Florida-style politics in most other states. I tip a Lagavulin to you, Michele, for your uplifting commentary.
Lagavulin, my favorite, tossed back after shouting the Cameron clan war cry, "Sons of hounds, come hither and get flesh." I add "and daughters."
The Scots are too bloodthirsty for me, but they make damn good whiskey.
Great sense of humor, too.
Ah, a whisky man.....and here's to you as well.
I’m giggling-thanks for this!
You are welcome....sigh of relief.
I hope more will be reported about violence and the impact of juries and judges convicting the purveyors in 2020. I believe it has helped to establish that justice still matters. Now if we can send the chief perpetrators to trial.
That county clerk is a blithering idiot. Anyone here could do a better job. https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/09/clackamas-county-clerk-election-oregon-sherry-hall-catherine-mcmullen/
Yep and next time someone else will.
You are very welcome. I am breathing a sigh of relief in some ways. We did also pass the strictest gun measure in the country although a surprising number of people voted against getting slavery out of the Oregon constitution. I actually think this may have to do with inmate crews which is not what this measure was addressing. I rarely drink, so it's nice to enjoy a single malt neat (no pollution please) on behalf of being saved from having a R governor. Still some races not called yet. The gal in Washington's third district (Vancouver and environs) is leading the death star nut case and I hope she prevails. She is an interesting person, young and owns a car repair shop with her husband.
Geeezzzusss...slavery is in your state’s constitution?? Horrid!
Oh TN too. These, like trigger abortion laws, have been on the books for decades.
unbelievable!
Been there forever.
The two arguments that I heard against 112 were that the Constitution already got rid of slavery so why bother (state's rights, anyone?) and the adverse impact it would have on inmate work programs, both at the state and local level. My limited knowledge is that participation in both local and state work programs for inmates was voluntary (and based on an inmate's appropriate conduct and/or behavior.)
F.A.S. ! Thanx for your interesting take on things Michele.
I do not consider 60 percent that big a win given how he gerrymandered the state, cut people off the rolls, many Floridians probably are still dealing with misplacement from hurricane Ian, so did they vote, or try to survive? There was intimidation in districts that were heavily democratic because the Feds were denied the ability to poll watch, and of course DeSantis had $190 mil of which he needed to still spend $100 mil to win. Think whether he would have won if he had not done all that. Or if hurricane Nicole had swept through a few days ago instead of holding off until tomorrow. And, his fight with Trump, who also lives there, might be that Trump starts taking him to court on all sorts of things as Trump is wont to do.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-09/in-victory-ron-desantis-sets-collision-course-with-donald-trump
Either way, Florida does not the USA make, and DeSantis has now helped to move a lot of people to other states who may be voting by the time he needs them, and they will not be eager to support him. The story of DeSantis the teacher is not going to help his national reputation either.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/05/us/desantis-high-school-teacher-georgia.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/%E2%80%9Cgroomer%E2%80%9D-obsessed-gov-ron-desantis-partied-with-students-as-a-23-year-old-teacher/ar-AA13PWyi?li=BBnb7Kz
The state telling the feds they were denied access is a problem that should have been resolved by DOJ before Tuesday.
As for maga, the best thing that can happen now is Trump finishes the job of destroying the Republican party, and hopefully take Desantis down with it.
Floridectomy? One quick snip?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiTM2HQ0g98
So it's been tried. It grew back.
I do like the mental image that gives me. But there are good solid Dems who live there, too. They don't deserve to be cut loose.
Oh, I think they'd be good strong swimmers, with maybe a few boats between them.
Thank you!
Given climate change and swamp-draining which has made much of Florida "land" swiss cheese, most of the state is likely to be underwater in a generation or so.
Probably, but meanwhile......
Ouch!!
Apparently Trump is preparing to dish the dirt on St. Ron... This is a fight I'll be interested in watching.
That is what I heard Biden said too. He was asked whether he felt Trump or DeSantis was the stronger challenger and he responded with, it will be interesting to watch the two of them go at it.
Also, the analysis by the commentator on NPR is that Trump may no longer be the 800 lb gorilla, but he is still at least a 700 lb gorilla. In a fight with DeSantis they see Trump winning, but then, he could not win the presidency.
A few people posted that MAGA is dead based on last night. I feel like I was puncturing a balloon with my answer. But not acknowledging a clear and present danger is for fools.
These are my thoughts on the dangers that lie ahead. I am putting in a link rather than writing it all out again: https://open.substack.com/pub/annabelascher/p/2024?r=e0vnt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Anyone who thinks MAGA is dead should have their rights to vote canceled on grounds of moron stupidity.
It won't go away until Trump goes away, and possibly not even then. This is a war, and this was one battle. We didn't outright win it, but we didn't lose, either. We held the line.
It started before Trump and will contacter Trump. The 74 million Trump voters are still there, still horrid, and still voting, so we still have to outvote them.
Annabel, I saw the absolute misnomer that MAGA is dead multiple times on social media yesterday. I challenged it and was immediately shot down .
People certainly didn't get smarter from voting.
DeSanctimonious is doing things that garner support and yet go unnoticed by opponents. This leaves Liberals blindsided when he does well at the polls. Exhibit A: the environment. After Charlie Crist left office the GOP made it their mission to undo, trash and rape the environment because these things had been a priority to Crist, after JEB 'Low Energy' Bush did his best to destroy the environment and Crist to clean it up. GOP mantra in Florida was climate change is a hoax, drill in the Everglades and off-shore, give Big Sugar whatever they want as the pollute/destroy/obstruct Everglades and Florida Bay restoration and develop develop develop. DeSanctimonious barely won his first election and he did it with the endorsement of the Everglades Foundation and environmental groups being perhaps what pushed him over the top. He had promised to be their champion. He has delivered in spades! For the first time since really Bob Graham and Crist to a lesser extent, preservation of the environment had a devoted champion. Not a reluctant 'ok here is what I promised with a few things shaved off', but a real strong advocate. People come to Florida for the environment, the beaches, fishing, outdoor recreation and the economic impact of environment related tourism is huge. All of these environmentalists would have been stanuch Dems but are now ENDORSING DeSanctimonious. (See press release below). Just trying to put the complete picture into focus. Certainly democracy comes first above all else, but this has an impact. Instead of 'Hurricane Ian devastated us and the Governor is a climate change denier' (Scott, Bush) it is 'I have been fighting climate change, I have done more than anyone else before me and I will do more'. Point is DeSanctimonious co-opted an important GOP weakness and turned it into a strength here in Florida. https://rondesantis.com/governor-desantis-endorsed-by-everglades-trust/
TFG wasn't happy with the NYP headline "DeFuture"!
Everglades trust is not nonprofit. Sierra club endorsement was democrat charlie crist.
"Your donation will be used solely for generating attention and action, not for Everglades Trust operations or political work. The Everglades Trust is a non-partisan, political nonprofit — 501(c)4 — so donations are not tax deductible."
They're a business front, easily confused with the legitimate Everglades Foundation, which is a legitimate IRS 501(c)3 non-profit charity. The board of directors of The Everglades Trust is a bunch of fat-cats and their mouthpiece lawyers.
I think it is important to be writing in the public forum the problems with DeSantis. Of course, the people who do not want to see reality will just pretend like it is not harming Florida to have a climate denier as governor. All of the developers are happy. However, if ProPublica can do a series on what is going on with the state, which has too many tall condominiums that are not being serviced often enough and the potential to have sink holes all over. People need a lot of educating. I also think we need to attack him on immigrants. Who does he think is going to be doing the clean up from the storm? Get this news out there. Who is working in the fields of the horrid sugar industry?
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/06/us/migrant-workers-hurricane-ian-response-cec
Also, the use of slave labor in Florida should be targeted. Get the youth fired up and going after the big ideas. They are the future. Florida has responded by having the first Gen Z er in Congress. He might portend a wave that washes over Florida. What does the youth think?
He may be bad, but he isn't dumb. Anyone who wants to move to Florida needs to think things through carefully. I did see that a 25 D won a seat In Congress which is the one good thing from Florida as posted below by Linda.
Yes. The uneducated orange man was disgusting, this educated bully is frightening.
Tx and Fl cheated on a level others only dreamed of. It’s why they “won.” Beware
Jen I agree with you re: De-In-Sanitas. He is both smarter and more dangerous than TFG.
Agreed times two.
Jen, I have felt the same for a few years regarding DeSantis. Several years ago I wrote a list of R's to watch out for and stuck it to the wall near my desk. I forget what made me do this but I just looked at it and the top 3 are (in this order) DeSantis, Abbott & Jordan. They are so obviously dangerous to our Democracy. And knowing more now than I did when I wrote the list, my intuitions were correct. I didn't put T on the list because that just goes without saying. How can people be so blind?
However, Trump is super likely, if he lost against DeSantis, to start his own party and take a lot of votes from him. I see Trump running as an INDEPENDENT or for the MAGA party which I can see him creating. The guy is all about his own ego. Messages to spread about DeSantis are that he is a poor steward of the environment and is not protecting the Florida coast from global warming and he is allowing developers to destroy wetlands. Tie that into the ever present hurricanes and the devastation from it. This message needs to be beaten like a bongo drum, so that Gen Z gets out there and protests and claims their land.
His negatives are not well-known enough, but the MSM blathers non-stop about how he and Abbott pulled off spectacular wins. They don’t mention how they suppressed votes to do it. Come on free press, don’t screw us again.
I am drumming this message to friends who are all despairing because they think that DeSantis will win as next president. I have said, national elections are not Florida elections. Stealing Florida does not mean he can do this nationwide. I think we need to keep our messages clear. I am going to harp on ProPublica writing about Florida. I made myself a list at one time of all of their journalist and what their topics are, which one can find on their website. They like one to target journalists with topics that fit their areas. This just helps me to be more quick about figuring out whom I might ask.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iE14UWZQfXOdB9WygM3YjsxUHhT5t-KInnMs7NqDvws/edit?usp=sharing
In any case, I often see their stories picked up by the AP, which I subscribe to, and the Washington Post, and the New York Times. It just depends what it is. Right now I have given them two topics to report on.
1. Florida uses illegal immigrant and slave labor in agriculture and illegal immigrants to clean up from their hurricanes, although DeSantis claims that he goes after all illegal immigrants, in truth he is being a hypocrite about it.
2. Florida is destroying more wetlands than any state and the developers are thriving under DeSantis who is deregulating but wetlands protect from the kinds of storm surge we are seeing hitting the coast, and they also are important eco-systems. I also laid out what some other people are doing to live in harmony with the water. I feel that FEMA can play a big role in how this is handled.
3. I am going to be harping to our government that I think that all costal areas who are hit by floods should have restrictions placed on their FEMA funds if those are needed to rebuild. I have been researching the initiatives elsewhere. So, I have begun to write about the need to require people either to rebuild away from the coast, or build floating homes and communities, and the need to require replacement communities to be fossil fuel free, meaning that they use renewable energy sources as well as that they must have insurance. I have already written this message to the White House. Will be doing this regularly, as well as all of the democratic elected representatives. ---
Arizona has gone for Mark Kelly, so we need one more seat to retake the Senate! Catherine Cortez Mateo needs money to make sure that every vote is counted in Nevada.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/11/democrat-mark-kelly-arizona-senate-blake-masters?utm_term=636f5284e6bf145f54adebffc98970d8&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email
https://www.cortezmasto.senate.gov/
This is one of two stories that I asked ProPublica journalists to write about regarding Florida and DeSantis. The other one was that DeSantis is making a big stink about illegal immigrants, but he is dependent on them for the huge agri-businesses in Florida and apparently they are doing the clean up from these various hurricanes too. Everyone is apparently using them. He is calling them out. The reporter said he would look into it.
Great point. I read an article 10 or 15 years ago in Nat Geo about how the US needs immigrants more than they need us. A decent immigration policy would be awesome but republicans will never agree since they need something to whip Dems with - non stop.
I agree, but also avoid the importance of elections taking too much attention from the a day to day aggregate demand for those we entrust with public responsibilities and powers to tell the %#@$& truth, as least as far not being an provable goddamn liar. Nixon was condemned even by members of his own party for abuse of power and dishonesty. We have become too inured to lies and liars is positions of grave responsibility.
"Exit polls from last night show voters in the 18–29 age bracket making up about 12–13% of the vote and preferring Democrats by much larger margins than any other group: as much as 70%."
Republicans got a major if soul-rending boost by pandering to disgruntled ex-Democratic hyper-racists. Democrats may well improve their fortunes by much stronger engagement with the young.
JL, thank you & HCR for highlighting the 18 to 29 year old voters, Gen Z, if you will. Earlier today, I posted on Jay Kuo 's Substack. (The Status Kuo) that "Gen Z may have saved the Country". The voting data will be deconstructed soon enough but, I am aware the young had a big part of the smashing victory of the 1st Woman Governor in Massachusetts, MAURA HEALEY. ( I guess Abigail Adams never ran for MA Governor.) Certain Gen Z Folks: smart, mobile, tech savy, large female co-hort, have color, vote blue & are colorful. Hat Tip FERN. 1st Gen to experience mass murder at school with associated drills. The young must be a greater part of our body politic.
“I think if they win, I should get all the credit. If they lose, I should not be blamed at all.”
Definitive quote from one of the most childish adults ever to have grown up.
Aged. Not grown up. 😉
The "Baby Trump" balloon was one of those truthful artistic statements.
Yes. He'll die a middle schooler in a decaying adult body.
He hasn't grown since he was 5.
OR since his older brother drank himself to death.
I think childish impulses are part an parcel of human nature, but adult responsibilities call on us to manage them. There always seems to be an audience for those who praise and cultivate narcissistic emotions, in others and harness them to their own narcissistic ends. We need to get smarter about spotting and resisting that pattern.
His were never managed on any day of his life, nothing could be more clear
To think that this was a quote from a former president of the United States! Unbelievable!
Mary Trump told us -- he never blames himself, but blames others, and takes all the credit if things go his way. Typical three-year old behavior.
One of my favorite tweets ever was from Lindsey Graham. I can't believe he hasn't taken it down.
"If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.......and we will deserve it."
May 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/727604522156228608?s=20&t=SRqMZVMrSaMmofwC0wnLSA
For the first time I'm starting to feel like we may see Lindsey's prophecy realized soon.
If there's any justice.
"I think if they win, I should get all the credit. If they lose, I should not be blamed at all.” That's kind of his whole pathetic life right there, isn't it?
It's kind of the whole party creed.
Exactly so. All credit, no blame. I've worked for a few bosses like that.
Yeah, me too. Also the kind who take credit for the work of others and lie about their own credentials. Elon Musk, for whom I have never worked (fortunately) is a good example.
He said as much in 2005
"Gaming the system sets up a structural problem for democracy, of course, but also for the party in power. In safe districts, candidates don’t have to worry about attracting voters from the other party and so worry only about being challenged by those more extreme than they are in the primaries (which are always dominated by the most fervent partisans). The party becomes more and more extreme and can stay in power only by continuing to manipulate the system.
Eventually, though, they become so extreme they lose even members of their own party, as the Republican Party has done since Trump took it over."
I found this the most important concept of the letter, when paired with the recognition that such extremism can only thrive where a party can simply ignore the courts as they did in four states and gerrymander the populace without restriction or consequences. These cases represent a fact: in the USA, a party, which is a corporation, can overtly regulate and overrule the government. Please, don't ever accept this as either a "democracy" or a "representative democracy."
Well said. This is quite disturbing to me.
... and true. Thanks, Ed.
Thank you Heather. It’s certainly not the end, but it’s a good start on the road back to democracy and away from authoritarianism. 😻
I love that you point out how peaceful the elections have been so far Dr. Richardson. I am of the opinion that getting the Feds out to poll watch and protect people who were harassing helped, as did the fact that there have been trials for the insurrectionists of Jan 6, and many are now doing prison time. This is a testament to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice and the January 6 Committee who took on the brave work of finding out what happened even when facing threats from the Trump camp! It is powerful to see justice happen to people who are unjust! -- This is an exciting day, because even though I knew with the gerrymandering of the states and districts dems could not win as many as they should and need to, I have been pleasantly surprised at how well Dems and democracy have done! It is democracy, and abortion rights have been a part of that, which have driven many people's votes. As I said, the press just lazily says, everyone is voting on the economy as if that means that they cannot consider anything else important, or that they would believe that the economy would be better under Republicans. For every person who voted for an extremist, sane, rational Democrats and Republicans turned Dems, have tried to get out and vote for someone else. I have been a part of this in my state of IL, and now I am urging people to support Rev. Rafael Warnock for the senate seat in Georgia with money and time to the degree that you can. I hope most can give $5 or $10. Millions of those donations will add up. Also, ask everyone you know to give time or money if possible. It is my understanding that Walker, despite being the cretin that he is (either he is too stupid to know he supported the abortions of these women with a check and proud of this stupidity, or he is a liar, but I tend to think he is both), has a war chest of $50 mil. I can easily see people like Ken Griffin, ex-IL billionaire returned home to FL to help groom his buddy DeSantis for the White House, will probably throw some millions his way. Warnock needs all the help he can get. https://www.warnock.senate.gov/
I am hoping that Biden, Obama and Kamala will stump for him in Georgia. Let their KKK stay away from the runoff election in total, since their principals and beliefs should make it untenable to vote for either. ---As for Trump, given that he is not willing to vacate his property of Mar-a-lago when it lies in a zone in danger from Hurricane Nicole, we don't know whether he is going to be around to have any impact on future elections. Right now lots of his former allies in the Republican Party are against him, and he has a lot of legal troubles, so he might be tempting fate on purpose. It appears he is holding off from making his big announcement. ---Still, while DeSantis may have gerrymandered his win in Florida, which I am presuming has lost a lot of voters to the damage from hurricanes Fiona and Ian, Florida is not the USA and the rest of us are not going to be such pushovers for his Russian tactics. DeSantis is also fortunate that Nicole has held off until after the elections, or he might not be looking so good and his constituents might not have the wearwithall to vote at all.
I have suggested that the White House insist on changes to fund the rebuilding of coastal states. My list is something like this:
1) must move people inland when rebuilding
2) should be building floating houses and communities for those who are going to be near the water
https://www.dw.com/en/floating-homes-in-amsterdam/video-50379661
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka6v92bs4T4
3) should insist that everyone rebuilding must have insurance for floods and storms
4) Should insist that every newly build building with any Federal monies be fully carbon free, with sustainable energy built in and sustainable energy grids should be replacing any new infrastructure that is developed.
So, I am feeling much lighter tonight than I have for a long time, although I think we should all be egging the democratic party on to fight the gerrymandering that the Republicans have been given a green light signal from the Supreme Court to do. We should also start thinking of clever ways to thwart the Republican party just as they have become experts in doing this while Democrats were in charge.
Thanks, Linda, for highlighting Warnock's ongoing campaign!
Didn't know about the floating homes. Thanks for the great videos!
Too bad the Dimocraps in New York State Legislature weren't as good as Republicans at doing a big gerrymander. They tried, got their head handed to them by a court, then an independent redistricting map just blew them out of the water with four seats handed over to the GOP today, including Sean Patrick Maloney.
On one hand, this southern Californian likes my second-most-disliked-state (after Texas) getting set on its arrogant ass, but the practical political person is pissed that we now look like we will have to put up with the monkeys throwing their feces at the crowd for 2 years of nothing but Performantive Ignorance.
The NY Democrats thought they could do what DeSantis did in Florida, and all they accomplished was pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.
Yup, you’re right, TC. It really depressed me to see Maloney lose. He’s a decent guy.
Yes, that was very upsetting. Maloney is a decent fellow and I was very sorry he lost. Hopefully, he will be back. Still, his work was responsible for pushing Dems over the winning line in the House.
TC, could we hope the media wises up and ignores the bad actors; refrain from giving them the platform for attention ... for free ?
I wish. But as the General said in "War Games" - you can wish in this hand and pee in the other and I know which one will fill up first.
No...it’s all about ratings. Not truth.
well.... my guess is that the constituents in the district Maloney stole from Mondair Jones ... while also pitting Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Mahoney against each other ... decided they'd show him!
So they'll sacrifice one two year term with an R and then they can go back to whomever they want. Head of DCCC Maloney (whose job it is to make sure Dems hold seats - geez!!!) had a lotta nerve (45ish ego) doing what he did... and I say GOOD for YOU, smart NY constituents!! DNC & DCCC are NOT serving democracy (aka The People).
Very astute of you Suz-an... You know, that's a thing that's been 'burning my grits' about my choice to remain a loyal, yet independent 'D' ; A large portion of the 'leadership' on some level operates on the assumption that they can ignore the portion of us that can think objectively. I find that insulting. I 'get it', that is the why's, ways, and necessities, but it irritates me still. I'll bet it wouldn't surprise 'you' that I've had repeated correspondence with some elected party officials that's not been answered for a decade. I 'get' that problem as well - the sheer numbers of correspondence they must get flooded with; but still....
well, thank you, D4N... for your kind words.
'burning my grits' is such a great way to put it! maybe how Mondair Jones's stolen district constituents feel, too?
right-o, those things don't surprise me at all. kudos to you for trying so hard... and for considering whether you wanna keep playing their games.
saw a meme or cartoon recently that said something like don't ever forget that WE (constituents) are YOUR (elected public servant) boss!!
Is Porter going to make it?
This Michigander is beyond ecstatic that Michigan turned blue. I have several friends who fought in the fight that made it happen. I am forever grateful to them.
Yes, it was. 💙🇺🇸 I am anxiously awaiting the final results of several races in the west etc. to see if the Democrats can hold the House and the Senate. I realize that may be unlikely but I can have hope.