679 Comments

I like reading what Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said and how he says it. The man is a leader.

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Jeffries' speech was riveting and inspiring. I didn't mean to watch the whole thing but I couldn't look away. Ending with calling out election denialism was brilliant and crucial, considering what came next. Johnson's speech started out reasonable and humble and then turned into a soft-spoken nightmare of religious fanaticism. He quoted the Declaration of Independence as a dog whistle to the Christofascists that God was the basis of the US. He used that phrase "called by God to the role" as those fanatics always say about tffg to justify their support of a criminal sociopath. At one point he actually said, "My wife has been on her knees for the last two weeks." He quickly added, "In prayer" - but "on their knees" is exactly where these zealots want women.

I hope he tanks quickly, because he scares the **** out of me.

I think it's vital to watch the two speeches because they're about as indicative as you can get of the parties right now.

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The evangelical religiousification of our government is dangerous and frightening.

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And maybe the most surreal aspect of all the dangerous and frightening things. I don't know how a major political leader is still allowed to stand up in the House and use "Scripture" as a basis for government.

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Oct 26, 2023·edited Oct 26, 2023

Alexandra,

"I don't know how a major political leader is still allowed to stand up in the House and use "Scripture" as a basis for government."

As a freshman in College, for a couple of weeks, I became a member of the Baptist Student Union at my University. I had joined to attempt to defeat a sense of being totally alone but surrounded by thousands of people.

However, in that group, I met the leader, a guy named "Ron". Ron frequently used language that indicated his "extra close relationship with God".

Now, here is the important part: Because of his representing himself as having a closer relationship to God than others, others BELIEVED he had a closer relationship with God.

When Ron walked into a room, people acted as if God had walked in the room and wanted to touch him and follow him.

To say this made me feel creepy and freaked out would be an understatement. I stopped going to meetings and just got used to being alone but surrounded by thousands of strangers. A month or so.

However, I learned something important. IF you claim you are God's chosen, then, a significant fraction of humanity will BELIEVE you simply because you have proclaimed that mantle.

Johnson completely understands this dynamic having emanated from the deep south. His behavior is completely in line with a normal Baptist Preacher who ALSO claims an extra close "relationship with God".

So, I would say, look out. Maybe Johnson knows what he is saying is BS but he is smart enough to understand the power of the words.

Or, worse, maybe he actually believes he is one of God's chosen.

Either way, he is dangerous.

But, I hypothesize that the above dynamic is the "how" you are asking about.

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That was a very interesting personal experience you had to share. By your age I'd shifted from my Baptist upbringing to pro-science generally. He is probably a True Believer, self-appointed, that's how God's Chosen feel about themselves. Gonna be interesting how the next several weeks are going to be. I can't condone Hamas' suicidal war effort, Palestinians are dying now by the multi-thousands (7k as of yesterday), and GOP leadership is merciless about them as a whole: where does this leave Ukraine? and government funding???

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Frank,

In fact, the dynamic I observed was my last contact with the Baptist Church. After that I attended the Methodist Church and in that Church felt a sense of normalcy. The preacher was a guy named Bob Waters who, every Sunday, gave short sermon related to the folks life there (students) and how to navigate college without flunking out.

Truly useful stuff from that guy. Not once did Waters ever self proclaim a "special" relationship with God. In fact, he seemed to be part of the struggle of life, not above that struggle.

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Like the Dobbs decision, the elevation of this fanatic to Speaker will strongly motivate our side to vote in the next election. In politics, as in physics, every action causes an equal and opposite reaction, although with less precision than in physics.

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Agree 1,000%.

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My Boyte family heritage in Mississippi is Southern Baptist. My grandmother was Methodist, but the Union Baptist church cemetery is full of my past Boyte generations of the 19th Century.

One of my uncles was a Deacon of his Southern Baptist church and was also in the Ku Klux Klan. I think it is a requirement in the KKK to be Protestant "Christian," preferably Southern Baptist.

How can they not see the HYPOCRISY?

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Mike Johnson is my worst nightmare!

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he thinks he is so cute. I hope Nancy Pelosi gets a chance to chew him up.

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Mike, thanks for that story. I believe you're absolutely right about that dynamic. I suspect Johnson is one of those who understands how to manipulate it. And I'm so glad that your own obviously strong connection to your center and what people call "spirit" or soul guided you away from that group and that pretender. But I don't have to tell you how many millions of sheep are out there.

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Many people leverage the perception of God to ease the pains that come in life.

But. Many people also seek a leader who can make them feel as if they are close to God since God herself talks to nobody.

Those folks who understand how to use the power of a “close relationship to God” with others are always dangerous.

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There is a saying " if you meet Buddha on the road, kill him".

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Good call out. Mike. This type of behavior is very real and very dangerous. College life can be challenging and I hope you find your tribe. Know this, if you are feeling alone chances are there is someone else on campus feeling the same. Like I told my kids when they went off to college, it just takes one connection but to get there you have to be uncomfortable and start the conversation. It doesn't have to be something big or bold, it can be something like if you see the same person sitting in the open space (the University I worked at we called it the Quad) make a comment. University food is usually a safe bet. Good luck.

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Maureen. I graduated long ago but appreciate your note.

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It isn't just that he's from the Deep South, or that he's a Baptist. It's that he's an extreme extremist who was lead counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom and founder of "Freedom Guard," a legal "ministry" that represents Christian clients in lawsuits. He's truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

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who is "God" anyway? and what about the separation of church and state....I am confused!

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Especially as we have come to learn about God through the Mega group

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Mike

Every religion has been started by a person claiming extra closeness to God.

Whether it is the Hindu scriptures written by men who claimed they were relaying the word of God, or to similar claims about the Talmud, the Bible, the Gospels, the Qu'ran, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Book of Mormon, etc. there is no exception.

The greater mystery is why the average person BELIEVES such people.

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Which "Gawd"?

Sounds just like the one down below. The "Adversary".

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It will be interesting how that fractured Republic party will work with Johnson. From the way they yell, “LIAR!” and “SHUT UP!” they don’t sound too “God fearing”.

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“... he is dangerous.” As dangerous as a rattlesnake.

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If I use the word theorem, however, it sounds more like something that is true than "hypothesis", which, is open to debate and may not be true.

Many, many, many Americans feel alone. Trump has managed to touch these Americans with his own words of superiority "I am the one", "Only I", etc.

That talk really works with those on the losing side of America and feeling alone.

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Bad as that is, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole idea of 'electing' people to office who admit they don't believe in a democratic government! Someone said, "That's like hiring an arsonist to provide you with homeowners' insurance".

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Absolutely true. Or even believe that government has a role in the betterment of life for its citizens. All we can hope and strive for is to defeat them in 2024 and take back the reins of good governance. Jeffries will serve us well.

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Seriously, I feel this every day.

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The separation of church and state does not even pretend to exist! Our congress opens every session with a prayer offering, which I think is totally inappropriate and then we have the pledge “under god.” How is this separation of church and state???

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Christine, I couldn't agree more. And we don't have a separation of church and state when every presidential candidate has to affirm a belief in god to have a chance in hell of getting elected.

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On my USD, it still says: IN GOD WE TRUST......... Is "God" in charge of the US Treasury?

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I fear for our country. When I saw the House asking for Trump's approval I saw a very poor future.

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That is the dream of Dominionists, and democracy’s nightmare.

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I have wondered why the traditional prayers, etc. in the “People’s House” have not been replaced with perhaps a collective moment of silence, which would respect any and all theories of our existence. I do believe, however, that some sort of inspirational support is both useful and necessary when making decisions about so many lives. A variety of contributors could be called upon, with the understanding that no particular religious belief is expected from any American.

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A 5th string MAGAt subvariant was "designated" & Apex Predator approved in LESS than 24 hours to be 2nd in line to the Presidency What could go wrong?

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What a description of the new speaker. Excellent rhetorical question, the answer to which is far, far too much.

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Third in line, but frightening all the same. Such ignorance boggles the mind, particularly in a country that claims to be “exceptional.” Maybe it’s time to recognize that the principles of democracy underlie the claim and we are rapidly leaving them for authoritarianism.

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On the Line of Succession, an accessible reference to many is Wikipedia: "The Order of succession goes to VP ..." then to speaker of the House of Representatives then to the President protem of the Senate.

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Right you are, but as long as we have a president..

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Like Paxlovid for Covid, the therapeutic dose (voting against Republicans) is associated with relapses and doesn't protect us from new strains bent on our destruction.

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And so, we need to keep voting. Pass the word.

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That is the real nightmare. This nitwit is 2nd in line for the Presidency.

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David, it IS frightening, because these hypocritical "Christians" want to make everyone live by what THEY see is the right way to live. If they have their way, no longer can we think for ourselves, live peacefully in a lifestyle that suits us, worship as we choose, attend schools who challenge us instead of telling teachers how and what to teach, have access to literature because they deem it unfit, or question those in power.

It IS dangerous because one dangerous, unhinged man seems to be able to frighten and intimidate Republicans into doing his bidding.

What has happened to rational, sane, honest, intelligent men and women in Congress who used to fight for the rights of their constituents? Now, all their doing is fighting for the right of Donald Trump to lie and cheat his way into the presidency, where he can intimidate and control anyone who dares question his maniacal words and actions.

The House Republicans are after only one thing. That is to appease Donald Trump so that they can keep their jobs.

Indeed, it is dangerous and frightening.

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Their view will become predominant if voters don't elect Dems across the board in 2024. Our future is literally hanging on a thread.

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Doug , a very thin, tattered thread.

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It puts T in charge of the House. So if they cant overturn the election , they can put him in charge of the House

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Carole, what a mess we're in!!

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And give tRump a get-out-of-jail-free card.

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Pam - House Republicans are not only hoping to keep their JOBS by appeasing TFG, they are worried for their safety and that of their family if they cross the mob boss. Mitt Romney has admitted to hiring 'protection' for himself and his family since he has stood against Trump. Many other lesser figures don't have the money to do so and thus stay quiet, but safe.

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Julia, that's true! How sad that our representatives are afraid for themselves and their families!! How unbelievable that they have to cave in to the threats of Trump's thugs, who are being encouraged to intimidate by a presidential candidate. A presidential candidate!! When did we start allowing tyrants to get away with everything without consequences??

I'll go to my grave not understanding how anyone with morals could support a criminal like Donald Trump.

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Going forward, I'm going to use the term CINO (Christians in Name Only) pronounced sin-o, to describe the MAGAts in the House and the Senate and the rest of the Fascist MAGAts running around out there.

I hope the House CINOs didn't change the rule that ONE of them can call for a vote to oust MJ the lesser.

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Gary, I get what you're trying to do here, but I believe they're best described as Christofascists, or Chrifas, as that appellation more completely describes their goals. I'm even having a hard time calling them Magas as Making America Great Again is not where they're headed. (Maybe MAGARCs? Making America Great Again for Racist Christians?)

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My big issue with them is them totally discounting every single lesson Jesus taught in the New Testament. I totally agree they are Fascists as well as xenophobes, misogynists, anti-LGBTQers and whatever else HCR mentions in today's post. MAGAts is my usual term of endearment for them but I cannot call them Christians when they are so filled with hate, anger and fear. I am an non-theist, but I try to live by the Christian principles in the New Testament. Just not Paul's as he was a misogynist.

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MAGAs, particularly the evangelicals, prefer the Old Testament, because it has a lot more "smiting" of enemies & people they just don't like. They love the "smiting" part. The New Testament, particularly Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, has way too much love & forgiveness for them.

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Gary, I take your point, and completely agree that these folks are Un-Christian. So, maybe UnChristofascists? Too long. CINOfas, perhaps? I give up.

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I like MAGARCs because this sounds like some evil monsters spreading utter destruction across the land.

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Excellent idea because they are CINOs....Jesus would have thrown them out of the Temple and proclaimed that they were hypocrites who were loudly praying in the Temple. I love Jeffries' speech which speaks so clearly to adversity and our ideals in the country. I am trying to be hopeful, but I confess this new Speaker makes me want to vomit. I am now wondering if he will ever go to meet with Biden, Schumer, and Mitch about issues. I think the Rs want to shut the government down, but I don't think that will help them. And he speaks like he is a chosen one who has a close relationship with God....pffft....he has a close relationship with hatred, prejudice, intolerance, and hubris. He represents all that I despise about fundamentalists of every stripe.

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...and of course that will be appreciated by the Christofascist members of SCOTUS, who are working in sync with them...

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At least Johnson admitted that the religiousification began in ernest in the 1950s, and was not a tenet of our founding fathers. Alas, that won’t stop the so-called “originalists” from embracing religious zealotry.

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Paul, I wouldn't say he was admitting it, exactly. At any rate that would've gone straight over his intended audience's heads.

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True on both counts.

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From Jeffries' speech: And, he concluded, “[e]very time we faced adversity, the good news here in America is that we always overcome….”

That is true, but it is no guarantee that the Fascist forces will not prevail this time. We've got to get the votes out. If not, we could lose it all.

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Absolutely

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Imagine that the Republicans refuse to vote funds to keep the government going. What then? They simply cut off the life support. The government falls without a single shot being fired. I think that we are now in dire crisis mode.

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I have to stop reading these comments, as my level of dismay is leading to despair. But it's like trying to avert your eyes from a highway accident scene.

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Doug, I get it and understand. I'll relate to you what my mom wrote to me when I was serving with the U.S. Army on Okinawa in 1963: "Richard," she wrote, "just remember that Faint Heart never won Lady Fair." She was right, there are times when we need to tough it out. Take a deep breath and rejoin the fray, with vigor. Everything is at stake.

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They used violence and failed. Throughout history, those that use political violence do not stop using it, either in the name of patriotism (ultra nationalism), or in the name of a god, in the name of the law, it was, it is still a crime.

They will not stop until they are either in prison or dead. They will not stop inciting political violence. We hear their speeches, soundbites, and in open conversations.

We know because they are telling us. The results are more Americans buying more and more guns. We see a rising amount of violence perpetrated by the most vulnerable in society, the mentally challenged with known anti social disorders. The opposition is well armed, and makes it easy for any man of any mental condition to buy military arms and use indiscriminately.

Collectivity, Democracy Defenders, it’s time to dig in. Speak out. Vote. Educate and inspire others to do the same. Organize, organize, organize. “I can no longer stand aside”.

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Well said, Ted. We've got a problem. Here in Lakeland, Florida, tonight we're having a get-together for Democrats who live in a townhouse development. One of the primary purposes is to let them know who the other Democrats are. This will improve their quality and enjoyment of life. And, we hope that some will become more active politically. We're doing this in as many neighborhoods as possible. We get the info from the Supervisor of Elections. We know who the Democrats are. All of the Democratic clubs and caucuses could and should be doing this everywhere.

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Could martial law be invoked , especially if this new speaker goes down? I’m watching the Virginia vote, hoping for further Democratic successes , indicative every time WE THE BLUE TEAM is making the dent SO NEEDED!!!!

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OMG!! What makes you even think that? There's something going on of which I have no awareness. Martial Law?

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I hope Rep. Jeffries is right, that we shall overcome.

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Alexandra, a Barry Goldwater quote comes to mind: "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the (Republican) party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me.

Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."

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That Goldwater quote is one if my favorites.

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Wowza. What a prescient quote.

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I just sent that quote to Don Bacon. Many thanks Mary.

If you have a few minutes please send your elected officials this quote or call them.

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Just did. Thanks so much for this powerful quote.

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Fact checked the quote and saw that Wikipedia accredited the quote to Barry Goldwater. I'm not sure these days what's true, so like to confirm facts, particularly if I'm sending it to others.

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Sandra, thanks for backing up my attribution to Marry Goldwater.

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Mary, I have a slightly different interpretation of what motivates the MAGA Republicans to follow Trump instead of Jesus: Trump preaches hate, Jesus preached love. These MAGA Republicans are racist to the core and are, in my opinion, the 21st century version of the KKK. These "Christians" want to have their cake and eat it, too" so to speak. That want eternal life, but they don't want to do the heavy lifting. They're racists.

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Sounds like the Middle East in some ways.

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Scary! So scary!

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Mary - yes - and coming from a conservative like that it has all the more resonance.

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Share:⬇️

“During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Mike Johnson attacks Roe v. Wade, insisting that if only women were compelled to bring more "able-bodied workers" into the world, Republicans wouldn’t need to slash Social Security and Medicare.”

https://twitter.com/HouseJudiciary/status/1717183190463336780

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Kathy, this is a point that should be pushed in the 2024 election. There are opinions all over the place in terms of abortion (total ban, weeks of gestation, rape or incest exclusions) but I'm betting most of the people nowadays use birth control.

And get that statement about SS and Medicare front and center!!

If we need more workers, why not allow in more immigrants? I mean, it takes about 20 years to bring a fetus to worker status , wouldn't this be quicker? (oh, wait! The GOP wants to change the child labor laws! OK, let's say 15 years)

Back to the birth control: I will never forget about 40 years ago, a coworker told me that she was one of 8 kids. She said that after the 8th, her mother went to her doctor and said "I can't handle another child. I CANNOT". So, the doctor scheduled and performed a hysterectomy. Good grief!!

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To which this should have been the reply: If only Republicans were compelled to raise the the cap on incomes subject to payroll taxes (which includes payments to SS and Medicare) then NO ONE would need to slash Social Security and Medicare.

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Good grief!

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This is BS...a lousy excuse to control women's bodies. There are other paths available to add to the Social Security Trust Fund without requiring women to be baby-producing- machines. That is Johnson's evangelical/dominionist crapola coming out.

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That’s the dumbest comment I ever heard. Dumb + Speaker = SCAREY!

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Johnson’s election to position of Speaker is extremely worrisome. The fact that every single Republican voted for him was, in large part, due to the deep desire to put the embarrassment of the past three weeks behind him. It goes without saying that he does not have the actual heartfelt support of all those who voted yes, perhaps even dozens of them. However he has miles of runway and is free to indulge in whatever fever dreams he wishes. The GOP is not going back to that well again. It is dispiritingly clear how shackled Republicans in office are to Trump.

Somehow the radicals, those who are in government only to smash the crockery, have emerged with a victory that even they could not have dreamed of. The next year will be one of utter chaos and May cast far reaching shadows.

There is only one bright spot - it is one more year of rampaging only if the Americans get their act together and deliver a crushing blow at the polls to this slimy cult whose members hide with equal nimbleness behind God and Trump.

This fever will not abate until Democrats win an unambiguous victory at all levels in 2024. The scoundrels must be routed.

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Total agreement: Trump must be handed a defeat so total and complete that it cannot be overturned, questioned or handed to the Stench Court.

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Called by God my a—.

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He will be easily out maneuvered by much smarter people than he is.

McCarthy sort of knew how things worked, but this idiot weak minded jackass from Loosiana will fail. McCarthy couldn’t get crap done without Democrats.

Nancy Pelosi got stuff done with a majority smaller than this fool.

He can’t begin to compare, and will fail.

And we’ll get rid of these thugs.

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Thank goodness they only control (barely) the House, for now. Let's make it a sweep for democracy in 2024, with a greater Senate majority, winning the House, and reelect Joe Biden.

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They control nothing, certainly not themselves.

I left my rep Ken Buck another message last night, thanking him for once again showing me who he really is.

I suspect he like most was just sick of the charade, but his “principled” stand against election deniers pissed of the rabid mob, who will primary him. And betrayal of that “principle”pissed off any moderates who might have supported him.

I’m hoping the successful primary candidate will be soundly defeated next year. Not optimistic as last years Democratic challenger told me he’s dropping out til 2028. Anyone who reads my posts knows I’m temperamentally unsuited to run, or I’d go kick Bucks ass myself.

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Hey, we could use a "Give 'em Hell, Harry (or Harriet) style of old-fashioned impassioned Dem! How could you possibly be any less suited to be a Rep than some of the yahoos who have already gotten elected from the far far right fringe??? You read Lucian, so already you are far smarter and better informed than two of the female Repubbie Reps I could name.

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I am mistaken. This PoS was the primary strategist for the lawsuit that targeted Roe in the retrograde 5th circuit.

He might want to consider attending to the needs of the people of his district rather than attacking women’s rights. Which doesn’t benefit the people of his district.

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Yep. He is on the payroll of those who DO know how to play.

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Is there a link to watch Hakeem’s speech?

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Here you go, Marlo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxWPEc9nLo

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Thank you for the link!!!!

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Thank you, Alexandra, for the link to Jeffries' speech. It was wonderfully worded and said what needed to be said! May I be so bold as to say only that it might be more effectively delivered if Jeffries were coached in its delivery? Pausing (a bit more) to let the applause sink in would lend more power to the beautifully flowing words IMHO.

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To “use” God merely shows his ignorance of the God of the Enlightenment. He obviously knows nothing of the writers behind the concept of Democracy that the Founding Fathers espoused. He comes from Louisiana. What and where his schooling? Time to hear from James Carville. What we have as speaker may be worse than Tea Party and as ignorant as Donald Trump. How to teach these ignoramuses that they are out to destroy the country? They may know it and not care, authoritarians that they are.

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"Instead, Aguilar said, “this has been about one thing…who can appease Donald Trump. House Republicans have put their names behind someone who has been called the most important architect of the [2020] electoral college objections.” A Republican yelled back: 'Damn right!'"

" . . . there can be no appeasement with ruthlessness." (FDR). The "majority party" is a party of lemmings racing over the Far Right Cliff.

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Well said.

Fascism with a friendly face. I nod to Bertram Gross who warned us in the 1970s.

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I know you're being serious, and I know he has an awful agenda, but I can't look at him and not see Stephen Colbert. I just want to laugh.

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Read The Book of Job... and compare: Hakeem Jeffries’s remarks to those of Speaker Johnson... it’s all there... in The Book of Job and in our politics...

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Why us, Lord?

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I am a Christian and I for most of the last 30 years, I have taught adults in Sunday school. But I must confess that Johnson’s facile assumption that his ascension to the speakership is the will of God scares the ****.out of me.

For some reason it brings to mind Jacob Bronowski’s quoting Oliver Cromwell, in a PBS series filmed years ago on the grounds of Auschwitz, where many members of Bronowski’s family died.

Cromwell, addressing the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said, “Is it therefore infallibility agreeable to the Word of God all that you say? I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible that you may be mistaken”

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Alexandra,

Certainly there is no comparison between the two Reprentatives or their speeches but your fear has moved me to watch the speeches again because I may have missed a thing or two.

I will listen for his quote about The Declaration of Independence. I have no idea how it could be used as a dog whistle for anything. There must be some kind of misunderstanding here.

Perhaps a discussion about The First Amendment and the life and letters of Thomas Jefferson would be appropriate here, as well as the influence of the Enlightenment at that time period.

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It was one dog whistle after another.

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Hakeem Jeffries received the most votes from the beginning but the Republicans were determined to elect a Republican for Speaker so they held our country hostage for 3 weeks.

But by electing Johnson our country will continue to be held hostage possibly forever as it is the Speaker’s responsibility to certify the election; something Johnson fought when President Biden won. Johnson believes Trump is the President. Johnson is a very dangerous man for our country, our constitution and our Democracy.

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Then we double down on that fact of his résumé. Every time he is spoken of, it is mentioned that he worked to disenfranchise a million US Citizen’s votes in the Electoral College. He backed proven false and corrupt theories of voter fraud. Be relentless.

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Presently, a court in CO is hearing a case against Trump being on the ballot as he participated in an insurrection. And yet this Speaker of the House was the ARCHITECT of trying to overturn the Presidential election. Isn’t that unconstitutional and isn’t that being culpable in an insurrection? Should he even BE in office?

https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-speaker-2024-election-certification-8cd7c5a9e6ae69635bbb4624cc78e5c5

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From your lips to god’s ears

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Is there not ONE Republican out there who isn’t a culture warrior and evangelical fanatical?

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Ummmm?

Answer: No

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What? No prison guard? No probation officer? They'll be tfgs friends soon.

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There is not one Republican. They have become RepbuliQans, and therefore subject to the whims of the culture warriors. That party has sold its soul to the devil, and that price is going to come due. Sadly, it is the rest of us who will suffer in the payment.

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Unfortunately Kinzinger & Cheney were outed. Apparently the Republican Party doesn’t have a backbone to stand up to the minority.

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Romney

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Romney will be leaving office. He is retiring.

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Here's hopeful wishing that at least 5 of them in strong blue districts see the light between now and next Nov. and switch parties.

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I hope they all get voted out. That’s the only way this will end and that is by the Dems taking back the house. Newly elected are the ones that certified the election of the president.

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Really hard to vote them out when Big Oil et al have bought their seats. In Michigan's 1st Congressional District (of "Line 5" fame - Enbridge's dangerous crude oil pipeline at the bottom of where Lake Michigan's and Lake Huron's tumultous waters meet) we have 2 excellent Democratic candidates. Contributions to either or both gratefully accepted:

Dr. Bob Loriner

Atty Callie Barr

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As Robert Hubbell has stated, it is unlikely that Johnson will be the Speaker after January 3, 2025, when a new Congress convenes. We hope the Democrats will regain control of the House, but if not, Johnson is the least likely Republican to have contributed to a possible rebirth of the Republican Party.

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A party that is RINO.

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If only the "doj" would of acted earlier after Jan 6th and got all those insurrectionists out of office like they should of been, we would be in a truly better position. Repugs always take control by corruption of their words and actions. But dems allow it.????

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Agree. But perhaps he was trying to set an example by going after the masses first so others wouldn’t dare to repeat.

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I completely agree with you, Ted. Jeffries has been a pillar of integrity and clear thinking for several years and we are so fortunate to have him at the forefront of the House Democrats. I would like to see him elevated to an even more impactful position in Congress.

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And that man can PREACH, I tell you.

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Thank you! I look forward to watching this speech later today.

Have admired him since I heard him interviewed on NPR several years ago.

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he talks with his hands.......reminds me of someone.

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Laurie, he will be. :)

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I believe he will be our future President.

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In time, I may agree with you Ted. I'm watching him.

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American Voters at the Crossroads

Independent Voters ? Constitution or MAGA?

Democrat Voters? Democracy

Republican Voters? Dictatorship as witnessed by the selection of Trump’s Puppet as House Speaker

Read today’s LFAA. It spells out what Democrats support in favor of our citizens, a clear divide from MAGA Extremism

Its gonna be a rough 13 months, buckle up

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Yes. I wish this was repeated in the news. People need to hear his speech.

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By selecting Mike Johnson as the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, the Republican Party has put on irrefutable display what it offers the American people. This is nothing less than a combination of dystopian dysfunction and feckless cowardice.

The GOP House caucus might just as well have selected Jim Jordan. The only difference between the two is a suit jacket. Good luck keeping the government operating in a time of multiple crises just a few short weeks hence.

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Agree 100%.

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You should call and tell him. (202) 225-5936. I think he would love to hear it. I will too.

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Promise of Presidential quality😉

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Why don’t you call and tell him. I think he would welcome your compliment. (202) 225-5936

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clear and down to the point no BS

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Thinking about you and all the residents of Maine tonight. I’m so so sorry 💔 I’m watching interviews with the local residents and it’s so heartening to see their strong resolve and finding the silver lining of communities uniting in tragedy.

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I am as well heartbroken to hear the devastating news of shooting in Maine. At this time, we need diversity to be our source of love and humane values. May the Maine residents find peace, calm, and understanding as the state finds, atleast, a long-lasting to the unexpected shootings across the country every year.

And lastly, should I congratulate Rs or should I poke holes

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Edwin, I know your heart is in the right place but when you say that "Guns don't kill people. It is the people that kill people," you are touching a nerve for most people reading here, because that is almost word-for-word one of the things that is frequently said by those people in America who oppose dealing with the problem of the violence. They say it to confuse and deflect, so that people will not demand the actions needed to solve the crisis. They say it as if they were a poison salesman who said "Do not blame my poison! It is not the poison that is the problem, but the person who puts the poison in the drinks!" Well, yes... but without your tool which serves no purpose but to hurt, that person would not be able to inflict the hurt at all!

Forgive me if I am wrong, but I think you are not a resident in the USA, so I figured you would not know that and maybe would like to know how it might sound unintentionally. I hope you don't think I am patronizing. Please keep posting.... I am glad you are here!

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Yes, sure. And Iam sorry that I didn't intend to sound that way. I understood and I think that phrase has become a political construct for those who want to escape from gun regulations. I am happy that you corrected and differed with me with decorum and understanding. Cheers

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Hold those congratulations

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My stand about ‘people kill’ is the same as yours, Will. People with guns kill. Killing each other may never stop, but perhaps the numbers won’t continue to be so immediately devastating.

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Another example of why assault weapons should be banned. He was using an AR 15. And another reason to dismantle Citizens United which is allowing the funding akin to bribery. And another reason we have to find a way to remove corruptThomas & Alito from the Supreme Court who voted in favor of Citizens United.

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According to one of the CNN reports last night the shooter has been "hearing voices" and other delusions. I don't have the link--sorry. At this point this may or may not be verified. As a Mainer, thanks to everyone for your kind remarks. We are in shock.

Maybe this isn't the time, but our Congressman Golden has not been very supportive of gun legislation in the past. His hometown is Lewiston, so maybe he will support common sense gun legislation in the future.

We need to provide better mental health support and facilities for everyone.

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Gary, I am sorry this national disease has touched your community. Please, be gentle with each other as you get past this point in time and begin the healing process. I live in a community that has seen a mass shooting, and just north of another one; those wounds are still fresh, even after 20 and 8 years.

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And WHY did even have a gun let alone an AR 15??

“Card had reported hearing voices and had threatened to carry out a shooting at the military training base in Saco, Maine.”

https://www.klove.com/news/us-and-world/maine-shooting-suspect-had-been-in-mental-health-treatment-had-heard-voices--as-many-as-22-lives-lost--dozens-hurt-47091

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😢 As a Mainer, many thanks for all the concern and kindness in thoughts sent our way. With our lax gun regulations, I don't know how we never expected the national disease not to touch us at some point...

We shall persevere and heal--eventually, but this has touched us all with fear and trepidation. And perhaps this will spur some of the state-level Repubbie Reps to reconsider some restrictions on who can own firearms.

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I dream with you

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And Roberts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Less people would be killed by people if there were less or no guns.

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Or fewer people with guns. Any fool can kill a person with whatever is handy, a rock, a paring knife, but guns make it easy, and kill from a distance. What is weird in the US is how guns are fetishized, and violence or casual threats of violence celebrated. Violence and celebration of violence is to be found around the world, but there seems to be a somewhat unique American spin to it. My impression is that many Europeans regard America as gun obsessed.

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Why, because guns are the God of choice

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Mainers love their guns. Almost everyone I know in Maine is a gunowner here.

A friend in Maine is in his late 70's and has an arsenal of guns. This wouldn't be noteworthy if his sister when she was 16 hadn't shot and killed their mother in a hunting accident. He is a wonderful person and admired by almost everyone, but this seems paradoxical.

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Public Buses in Missoula now allow people to carry guns.

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And yet carrying any object that even vaguely resembles a gun, a toy gun, a bottle, a wallet, a TV remote, is considered justification for police to shoot a black man.

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We are heading to Montana in a few days for a week. I know I will be shocked at open carry.

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We have snow but next week looks sunny but cold nights. I dont notice a lot of open carry but then I may have become accustomed to seeing it. I dont see it in grocery stores or other places I go but then the people I see are not the ones who insist on exercising their rights. Right now it is hunting season

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Sporadic is the wrong word

And it is the guns

This don't happen nowhere else

Ok, war zones

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To be more specific, access to the guns. Too easy to get as well as unlimited access to ammo and no requirements for training.

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Edwin--when I read your words "unexpected shootings" my mind immediately thought, nope, not unexpected. :_(

I expect these things all the time and am grateful when a week goes by without any.

That is the US today.

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"I expect these things all the time and am grateful when a week goes by without any."

It is so inhumane living in a space where you expect shootings to occur. I imagine the fears and anxieties that you face throughout the day. And I pray that may you all find a solution that will eradicate gun shootings.

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Thank you, Edwin.

This has greatly impacted my retirement. I give careful thought to going to any public festivals or concerts, anywhere I could be a fish in the barrel. I've been told that you can't live your life in fear, and I agree. However, I've tried to do these things and become so anxious that I can't enjoy it.

Physically, while I'm in fairly good shape, I couldn't run for a very long stretch. (Think of the old joke of if encountered by a bear you need only to outrun your friend.) No joke, I tossed away any shoes that I would find difficult to run in. I wear sneakers everywhere.

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Ditto. So very sad.

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What?

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Some of the latest reporting is at least 22 dead and 50+ injured. Former firearms instructor targeted at least 3 public locations around the city - a bar, bowling alley, and a store. It's an evolving story so that info may change. It's horrible. I lived in that area years ago, but the locations are still familiar to me. 😣

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Oh wow! I hadn’t seen the news because I was at a bowling alley with a group of teachers and students. The students had won an auction fundraiser to spend time with a teacher.

How am I going to convince myself much less my students, that I’m safe in this country?

Last week, we were given a kit and instructions on how to treat wounds. Teachers with more than twenty students in a room, one kit. It was suggested we’d probably be using the kit on ourselves or another teacher.

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Good lord, and we pretend to be civilized

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Denise, I am so sorry that the chosen response to mass shootings is to teach combat trauma care. That is absolutely insane.

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Denise, that is sickening.

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Reality?

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Kathy, unfortunately, it’s too real.

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Mass shooter was driving around Maine of all places shooting people. No one is immune if it can happen in Maine. Shooter still on the run.

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"A shocked Lewiston resident has told the BBC News Channel that the whole city was put in lockdown after mass shootings that reportedly left at least 16 people dead and dozens injured."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67224748.amp?xtor=AL-%5B72%5D-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bsmart.news%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D

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Thank you--I just found a more local story (I'm in MA) and it seems at least three towns are locked down. And the guy has a big automatic weapon. The fear people must be feeling in their non-maximum-security houses tonight is terrible to imagine.

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But they put out a pic of him and a lic pic of of the person of interest. It’s him.

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And yet, Jeffries speech was heckled by MTG. What a disgusting lot they are! No class whatsoever.

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MTG and others have no civic pride. Nor do they recognize that they are supposed to be public servants.

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No civic pride, no sense of responsibility, and no sense of shame. They see election as a path to personal wealth and power, in a word "Corruption".

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L M Chesnut, well said! And they disrespect Congress, the institution with their disgraceful, undignifiied, contemptuous words and actions. Criticism of Congress or the other party is fine, but I expect reverence for the institution.

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Not even that. When personal dominance is your only goal, everything else is expendable: friends, communities, the nation, the planet, one's "soul". They call themselves "Conservative" but they ruin everything. The claim to be "Republican" but they aim for despotism.

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J L Graham, true. Rampant egos thirst only for attaining power and retaining power over others. Accomplished through manipulation, violence and exploitation.

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What’s the difference!

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Oct 26, 2023·edited Oct 26, 2023

Their aim/ goal is for the USA to be a Christian democracy, an illiberal democracy. And to achieve this they see “everything else is expendable: friends, communities, the nation, the planet, one's "soul". “ They have sold their souls. Nothing they do is a reflection of a true Christian’s heart. They will stop at nothing.

I can only hope there are enough things in place in our country to withstand their pursuit of absolute power and control. Their next likely step to tear down our democracy will be to default on our debt by not approving any budget unless it caters to their christian extremist views, their christian extremist agenda. We are at a precipice. Let’s hope we make it to the 2024 elections before everything gets torn apart.

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The lady rep. of NC who repeatedly yelled, “SHUT UP ” to the reporter, displayed a vulgarity that now embodies the Republican Party; and she was no lady.

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Her facial expression reminded me of those on the faces of the women heckling a little black girl in the 1960’s.

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“Hate” always looks so similar.

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And so universally ugly.

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That was Representative Virginia Foxx, the US Representative from North Carolina's 5th Congressional district.

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Yes, it was. Have watched her for many of the 18+ years she has managed to get the very good people of northwestern North Carolina to return her to office -- that’s Boone, folks, home of App State & which went for Biden; but it’s outweighed, as I see it, by Lenoir (that place really should be changing; it’s catching on with younger people, is an emerging cool place to live (Asheville’s only so big), extends east into Ashe & Wilkes counties -- not to bore you but: NC is shifting. Part of her district how ventures into Forsyth -- Winston-Salem & home of Wake Forest University.

Her days are numbered (though, after all the days she’s had ... they’d have to be).

The big challenge will be to Democrat (OK for that to be a verb?) into that district, not capitulate to whoever the neo-cons (formerly known as the GOP) put forward.

God, she’s terrible.

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Horrible woman!

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She just can't help disgracing herself. She's a natural. Don't know what she's doing in Congress.

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Some people get ahead by summoning "Mr. Hyde".

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This is enduringly true, JL Graham. The disheartening part is how many others are supporting the Mr.Hydes of our era. The reality is that it before it was not as in-our-face as it is today in our media-saturated daily lives.

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"Mr. Hyde" moves around and sometimes spend more time under his rock, but never goes away entirely. He drove a tank where the generals rank, where the Blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank, stood in school doorways in the American South, cries out all manner of accusations while committing outrageous crimes. He is always somewhere in our shadow,and has power to assume a pleasing shape. He seems to be our "reptile" heritage.

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Perhaps he exists to dare us out of our apathy.

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I assume that all of our human propensities have served us in some ways, in particular, I think we have an ego (Latin for "I") for a good reason, but ego alone, running human agency, is our Pandora's Box.

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The House Republicans ALLOW MTG outbursts against Democrats. They could punish her, to halt her behavior, but they refuse. As a result, MTG has become even MORE emboldened and an influencer (as we saw by the nasty NC rep who told a reporter to “shut up” for asking a question).

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I said 'shut up' at the dinner table as a little girl and my father removed me from the room and washed my mouth out with soap and water. This would likely be called abuse today.

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Once the self-proclaimed "Party of Lincoln" it is now the party of (mostly) "Unindicted Co-conspirators".

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If the dems win the House in ‘24, those who voted to overturn the election should all go to jail for treason. The Supreme Court may be a problem, however, but not if they follow the constitution.

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At long last, no decency.

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Let them heckle. They are showing their true character. American’s who vote for them support those shameful character traits. Let that be exposed and not hidden. Let’s know our opponent.

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Somehow the Court of Public Opinion have been inured to creeping irresponsible, unprofessional and astonishingly corrupt political behavior. Nixon's crimes look almost quaint. Maybe we are finally saying "Enough!"?

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Great seeing you last night, Heather, under the Big Tent!,

Okay, everybody. We have our "marching orders" from Hakeem Jeffries. Let's work to make it happen in every election from now until 2024, and beyond!

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Morning, Lynell!

Well said, and glad you got to see her!

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Morning, Ally! I hope you got to see her, too.

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I couldn't get to go up to Seattle when she was there. Hope there's another chance.

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I did not see her in person, just through zoom. But still awesome.

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I saw her via Zoom in Portland a couple years ago. She’s awesome!

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I hope make it to the November 2024 election…..

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Amen Dr. Richardson. Thank you for directing our attention to the heartening works of Hakeem Jeffries.

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Hakeem Jeffries is a huge blessing and God willing he’s right about THIS CURRENT ADVERSITY. but it is totally necessary that every last one of us ‘pitch in’ with our checkbooks, voices and GOVT vote efforts….we are all in this together and the cost of losing our democracy, far too high for inaction.

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justfacts.votesmart.org/about

It’s time to get educated on the positions of the new Speaker, Mike Johnson, who is just two heartbeats away from the Presidency, and every one of the current Republicans in Congress, and all of the Republican and Libertarian candidates in state legislatures and local elections down the ballot.

2024 will clearly be the most consequential election for America since the Civil War. Every one of us will have to become persuasive advocates in the fight against authoritarianism.

Online polemics are a waste of time and energy. The only way we can safeguard our Democracy is to cut through the jungle of media clickbait and engage in face-to-face human-to-human conversation.

Listen to what your Republican neighbors are saying about their concerns. Personalize your own, like the rising cost of drugs if you are on Medicare. Learn the facts you can use to rebut their premises. Speak the truth. Work to change someone’s mind, calmly and using common sense. Find the common ground.

Make it your goal to spend some time researching an issue every day. Then reach out to a Republican or Independent or someone who is apathetic. If we can each make an impact on just one voter over the next year, we can collectively make sure that Democracy will win.

We can do this!

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Mmm-hmm. Converse, donate, volunteer, organize, vote. Remember, 6,000 votes nationwide - and a little more believing in ourselves - would have made the difference between universal childcare and this royal f#cking omnishambles. Oy.

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Hope we're able to overturn this tide. Royal F'n Omnishambles indeed.

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This too shall pass

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Why are we stuck in this political opinion gridlock?

It's interesting to ponder how, and why, people influence each other, and why we tend to maintain our opinions after they have formed in our minds. The gerrymandering shows us regional patterns, suggesting that neighbors and friends influence each other when we communicate. There are similarities with the propagation of viruses, involving contact with other people. Spending Big Money is influential, repeating campaign propaganda ad nauseum, regardless of merit or wisdom. Many of us find it awkward, after taking a stand in a public way, to reconsider our opinion and wanting to say so, despite the risk of alienating our new friends, or old friends, and members of the family. Some of us find it difficult to articulate a defense of our opinions, even when we know in our hearts that we are right to care about other people. It is understandable to remain silent instead of saying what we believe, if there is potential to disrupt our relationships with those around us.

We need to talk about hubris and humility. The conservatives seem to tend toward hubris, coming across like they think they know everything already. The liberals tend toward humility, generously allowing other people to hold whatever odd opinions they happen to hold, which comports with the liberal embrace of, and love of, the whole wide world of humanity.

Our political system is set up to try to determine wisdom in public policy by popular vote. Seeking wisdom, as though it were a matter of scientific fact, is not a matter to be decided by majority vote. But that's essentially what we do. We decide whose passions and opinions will rule, by voting, and the side who gets the most votes will work to establish the law of the land. Liberals have the difficult task of being passionate about our love of all people, while at the same time denouncing the opinions of those who are mean bullies, racist, classist, sexist, ageist, long list of unenlightened human opinions. It's much more difficult being a liberal progressive Democrat, compared to the easy life of a MAGA Republican who views their role as simply blocking all progress, and insisting on old-time conventional sexual morality for everyone, etc. At the heart of it, the conservatives want to legislate against the behavior and lifestyles of other people, while the liberals try to avoid imposing their personal lifestyle choices on others. I sure as Hell don't want to be told how to worship, as one example.

But instead of meeting in the middle and negotiating with reason and good humor, there remains a great chasm between our two sides.

The Democrats need to gain power to thwart the small but powerful minority who would turn our democracy into a demockery.

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David H, I am so with you on all that you outline here. Yet, the cynic in me whispers this thought: Our hubris/humility personality factors have been perfectly exploited to inhibit meeting in the middle and negotiating with reason and good humor. This is by design. The incentive structure undergirding social media/MSM is built on dividing us. The trillion-dollar industries of fossil fuel, and armaments, definitely don’t want us Kum-bah-yahing together. Looking at the current news this morning, they are winning.

Citizens United was the nail in democracy’s coffin. Our job now is to what? Salvage the Titanic? While we, the passengers, are blamed? “Get Out And Vote!” seems weak sauce now that the House has a Speaker who could simply chose to ignore voting if it does not align with the mob-boss-in-chief’s desires.

By design, we are meant to be overwhelmed, frightened, and discouraged. I am feeling this drearily today. I understand why we have the vast numbers of Americans who don’t engage, tune-out, TikTok cat videos, or mindlessly shop amazon while using whatever recreational drug is at hand.

Yet, God Bless Hakeem Jeffries, for pushing us to believe and remember that America has surmounted awful history and can do it again -Must do it again. This To Shall Pass. Did anyone yell: “DAMN RIGHT!”?

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We are not all singing the same song together.

If there were a memorable poem, set to a catchy tune, that everyone could sing together, the ideas we stand for would become clear as crystal to everyone.

Surely, what we believe in is good, and right, and true. Anyone who doubts this assertion should look at the current state of the Grand Old Party, and try to defend what they stand for, in comparison to what we stand for.

We want to help every citizen rise up out of poverty.

We want every citizen among us to be able to live a happy and healthy life, able to enjoy the world in which we live.

We know why these goals have not yet been achieved, and we know who is responsible for the misdirection and obfuscation.

We should not wait to follow the Congress.

The Congress should follow us.

I want to be able to sing a song, along with my friends and neighbors, and anyone who wants to join in, a simple song, with a catchy tune, about how good life can be, in the land of the free, if we can help everyone to escape from dire poverty.

When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose.

Everyone should have a place to live where we can't get evicted.

Nobody should face bankruptcy due to medical problems.

Everyone who works should be able to save money, take a vacation, save for retirement to supplement social security.

We should pay for medical school for anyone who has the aptitude.

With the growing field of machine learning and automation, people who work should be able to work less and get paid more, and enjoy more leisure time.

A portion of the population thinks everything is just fine, no need to change anything. But many of us believe that our American ideals are aspirational, that there is still much work to do to create the USA people have been dreaming about since 1776 or thereabouts. The MAGA movement would have us believe that we were once great, but we fell away. They have it backwards. We have been slowly according rights to people who deserve to have those rights recognized, and there is more to do. Nature should be accorded rights, to be free from pollution and destruction. Every woman should have bodily autonomy. We need to clean up the mess we've made over the past three centuries. We should do everything we can, as quickly as we can, to reduce the effects of climate change.

We can make Congress listen to US.

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It’s already a demockery. Take it back.

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Beautiful! Thanks, I needed that. I especially appreciate the part about hubris and humility. Why would you think it's so much easier for me to spot the hubris in others than it is to spot it in myself?

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Jay, thank You for the encouragement.

I would offer another point to ponder. The admonition in Genesis to avoid eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil speaks to me about hubris. I am not a religious person, so I feel free to ignore the common interpretations of that passage. In philosophy we talk about epistemology: what is required, what conditions must be met, before I can say "I know"? We can read Descartes' discussion of solipsism, that if we ever notice that our senses can be fooled, such as by an optical illusion, we might decide it would be prudent to doubt everything our senses tell us about the world. He finds that the only thing he can say he knows is that he exists: "Cogito, ergo sum". I think, therefore I am. Perhaps it could be distilled further, to "Something exists". My Latin is a bit rusty, so let English suffice. Many of us are not really sure what this universe is all about, so we are "open minded" to some extent.

Socrates said something to the effect of "The more I learn about the world, the more I understand how little I know."

Back to the admonition to avoid the Tree of Knowledge, it probably does not mean that we should stop trying to know what's going on. I think it means that we should not decide too soon that we have arrived at knowledge. How will we know when we know? We will just know! (Always looking for a laugh, dontchaknow!)

There is a passage in the New Testament that appears to me to be related to the Tree of Knowledge passage in Genesis. In Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV): “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I think this is more about seeking wisdom, than about seeking knowledge. In any case, we need discernment. We surely cannot establish truth or wisdom by popular vote. Each of us needs to be able to decide for ourselves what is good, and right, and true.

I think that offering advice to others is not necessarily an example of hubris. In a true democracy, each person would want to be able to hold their own cherished beliefs, free from bullying or forcible interference with one's inner life. In a larger sense, we would want to be accorded a wide range of word and deed. We don't want to be told what to do or how to act by any authoritarian thug who wants to be king of the world and who thinks they are smarter and wiser and better than everyone else. The dude suffers from hubris maximus.

I'll conclude this with a reference to "The Wisconsin Idea", regarding academic freedom. There is a brass plaque on the UW Madison campus which reads "Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere we believe the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sifting_and_winnowing

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Wow! Thank you. A lot of wisdom there. And it unpacked itself. That took me back, and connected some dots for me, although I cannot explain how. Sometimes you just know. And the only word I had to look up was trammel. I love the Socrates quote. And "hubris maximus".

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Oct 26, 2023·edited Oct 26, 2023

Georgia,

My wife had the misfortune of walking around our neighborhood yesterday with a very nice, older lady who is a fanatical Trump supporter.

This is what my wife learned:

IF Trump were President, Hamas would never have attacked Israel.

IF Trump were President Russia would never have attacked Ukraine.

IF Trump were President there would have been no inflation (never mind that inflation appeared during Trump's Presidency).

IF Trump were President EVERYTHING would be GREAT.

Now, my wife DID try to point out that inflation first reared its head on Trump's watch AND that Trump relaxed the banking rules for midsize banks that has resulted in bank failures on Biden's watch.

She said it was like talking to a tree. The woman was completely immune to any fact.

Finally, my wife mentioned Fox News and the lady said: "Yes, that is all the news I watch because it is the only place I can get the truth".

Ok, folks, millions and millions of Americans who managed to obtain adulthood without any critical review or thinking skills tune in every day to listen to Fox News lie.

The lie? Everything will be better with Trump. And? Once Trump is President again, Fox News will ONLY report good news about him even if it is a lie.

Sadly, we HAVE to solve the Fox News problem or we will NOT solve America's problem.

Because, the root cause IS Fox News taking advantage of poor, dumb, otherwise, nice people.

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Yes it is disheartening but your wife needs to keep walking and talking with different people, and keep looking for openings in the conversation. Seniors like me are all worried about inflation and the rising costs of medication. Even Republicans. I'd talk about Republicans talking about lower social security payments while Democrats are negotiating lower prices for medications under Medicare. Many seniors don't realize that they and/or their spouses paid into social security so its like insurance. Labeling it FICA on a pay stub obfuscates the facts.

I am not suggesting that we need to change every voter's mind--just if we manage to change one person each over the course of the next year that would make a huge difference. You have to keep trying until you find your one!

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I have encountered many people like this lady, and like talking to a tree it is! I’ve lost some family & friends because of my fight to save our democracy... to no avail except for causing me pain & exhaustion!

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Georgia, I'm pretty much in awe if you've had success in speaking with Republican neighbors. My own experience with talking to my own R readers is that it's trying to talk to a tornado. There's no reasoning with them. I don't try anymore because I feel anything I say just entrenches them.

I DO donate to youth vote organizers like https://www.turnup.us as well as all my regular contributions (Emily's List, Planned Parenthood, individual candidates). I getting the youth vote out is our best hope.

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I made openings by discussing common very local problems. A brook runs through my property and that of several others who are deep seated Republicans. The brook has been overflowing due to increasingly heavy rainfall due to climate change and culverts that were in poor repair and backing up. I took the lead in talking to the township and getting some of the problems fixed. Nobody liked the township administration which was 100% Republican because they weren't tending to these micro-local issues. We also had dying ash trees due to emerald borers and I found out that ash trees in right of ways were the responsibility of the township to remove. That saved people thousands of dollars--I had 10 huge trees that qualified. I spread the word. It started conversations. It got people to listen about climate change. It created some common ground.

Am I going to convert all of those neighbors to vote blue. NO! but I have a small goal--just getting one more blue vote tallied.

Do something that helps others--maybe volunteer for a handyman for a day helpers for the seniors in your community--something that gives you a chance for conversation.

Money, much needed as it is, is not the whole answer. The Republican oligarchs have too much more of it and will be willing to go all in since they are so close to achieving their authoritarian goals. The only thing that ultimately counts is votes and people cast those votes, so we need to be putting in the effort to change peoples minds.

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Alexandra, check out The States Project (https://statesproject.org/), an organization working on crucial races in crucial states. As part of that, a group of us who met here maintain a Giving Circle to support TSP’s work, https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/1XQhnyD/Tending-to-Democracy.

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Getting the people to vote would help. Too many registered voters sit it out. They don’t think they make a difference. We have to appeal to them to just vote!

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I agree. I have given up talking to those people still deluding themselves enough to support Republicans as well as those people still trying to claim that "both sides are bad".

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Georgia, you have hit the nail on the head! I’ve been preaching this for months!

We screwed around in 2022 and lost the House of Representatives, and several states. These states have wasted. I time in gerrymandering their voting districts to make it extremely difficult for a Democrat to vote, let alone elect a Democrat to any office at any level. Florida, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina are prime examples of what’s happened at the state level and with our voting rights.

Something else, I have also been trying to get people to understand. They are, and have, removed Democrats from the voting rolls in all states. People have to keep checking to make sure they still registered to vote in their county, Parrish, state. If they don’t, come election time next year, they will be told they stent registered and cannot vote.

This next three or four elections will be the “make or break” elections for us. If we do not keep Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, and make a Super Majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, plus flip these RED states to BLUE, giving them all a majority in their legislatures and Democratic governors, we will lose our democracy. Our Constitution will be done away with.

And THAT is a FACT!

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Uh... Daniel? I hate to break it to you, but there is literally no way on Earth we are getting a supermajority in Congress. Or flipping legislatures in any red states.

Luckily, we don't NEED to do any of that. We just need a slim House majority and 50 senators willing to abolish/modify the filibuster, and we can make amazing progress happen. All that this requires is for the top of the ticket to repeat its '20 performance in the swing states (we all know what those are), and then have a few well-positioned incumbents hang on elsewhere. Let us focus on that please, rather than stating as a FACT that our survival depends on doing something impossible that isn't even necessary. That kind of tends to dampen enthusiasm, rather than rally it.

P.S. What states were "lost" and "wasted" in 2022? Democrats GAINED state legislatures and governorships in '22 (amazing, really), and won all but one truly competitive Senate race. The loss of the House came down to weak state party apparatus in the 2 biggest strongholds (CA&NY), which stung but is the easiest problem to fix. There is always room to improve, but gee. Tough crowd.

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Thank you.

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This comment is helping me to breathe again for a bit. Thanks!

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Will, you just nailed it. Lazy political state party apparatus (apparatuses? apperataui? Spell check tells me apparatuses, which sounds weird, but I digress...) are the key to what happened in 2022. Had the NY and CA democratic parties not been so freaking weak, we'd not be in this place.

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I do believe the new NY map was heavily gerrymandered, 7 new R members...alas, therein lines the problem.

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Sounds like New Hampshire democrats are following in the aforementioned weak footsteps. I'm referring to the news reports that Biden’s name will not be listed on their primary ballots. All because they are butthurt about not being first. For them to not put the sitting president on the ballot is outstandingly short sighted nonsense.

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Even my very converted to Southern Baptist daughter uses birth control. I believe this threat against birth control should be used to get every person of childbearing age, and their partners to the polls.

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Ohhh, I know, Will. But an old man can dream, can’t he. I’d just love to see us at least try. What’s the harm in trying to flip some of these Red states? It might piss off the MAGA crowd if they see their stand has crumbled and no one else is drinking from Trumputin’s piss jar.

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ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center) worked too well for some of the original Republican controlled states that were members and even original members that claimed they really wanted accurate voter registration information. It made it a bit inconvenient, in our case, having to go through a complete redo of effectively getting another "real" ID when we moved from the west coast to the east coast, since they wouldn't recognize the former Real ID, holding us up since some records were in long term storage and we had to reapply for some.

Maine was able to see we had not all updated our voter registration to match our address on our Driver's Licenses, and sent us a reminder to correct it from the address we had stayed at initially.

Now the Republican controlled states that were members have started quitting ERIC that had gotten up to 31 members states.

I'd suggest taking a look at https://thebestdemocracymoneycanbuy.com/

Greg Palast and friends made a film noir style detective movie that was entertaining but also included real detective work in finding many of the supposed fraudulent registrations and voters that the seemingly deliberately sloppy cross-check lists used to effectively short stop hundreds of thousands of eligible voters form voting.

I just wish the penalty for each egregiously baseless challenge to a legitimate voter, was the same as that for a true fraudulent voter (not those who believed they were eligible having been told so by election officials).

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Texas has been at the forefront of voter suppression. No chance of a Dem win at any significant level. Wish it weren’t so

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I beg to differ, currently there are 13 democratic congresspeople in the House from Texas.

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13 of how many. Significant?????

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Refer to the Lewis Powell Memo.

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Always.

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I hear nothing about voters who were actually denied the right to vote where there names had been removed from the list. Does this happen?

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Craig, Georgia removed thousands of names from their voting rolls across the state a few months ago. After tgg he ey redrew their map of the districts, which has just been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and they have to redraw it before the 2024 elections.

I checked with my local elections office and my name has been removed. I had to completely register again!

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Is removing names a way to miscount numbers in drawing voting maps (gerrymandering)?

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Craig, I took it as a way to keep Democrats from voting. The biggest majority of what they removed were Democratic registered voters. I ask how many the purged here in thus county, and I was astonished to learn that they purged over 2000 Democratic registered voters compared to less than 100 registered Republicans. They purged over 300,000 I think statewide. Mostly from Democratic heave counties, mostly from the African American, and non-white voters.

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Georgia, in principle, I agree. It's about action - not online yakking like we do every day. I yak here to help maintain my sanity. But as you say, the real work that will tip the scales back to civilization is the work we do human to human.

But I differ with your focus. Republicans are lost in a mist of delusion. 99% of them are irretrievable. Their hate for us is iron clad and impenetrable. But here's the good news. We are the majority. And if we turn out to vote in the numbers required, there will indeed be a blue wave - a Blue Trifecta. We can't change the minds of Maga maniacs. But we CAN marginalize them.

And the other good news is that two whole generations are on the side of inclusion, diversity and a realistic view of faith. The Exclusionary Thumpers are dying off. The Nones and the Humanists will join with people whose faith is inclusive and loving.

I wouldn't waste my time trying to convince a Republican of anything. In fact, I think either peaceful coexistence in a family or neighborhood might be a goal. But on a broader public level, shaming and naming them for the brutal monsters they are might be appropriate. They attempted to overthrow this nation and its government. And now, EVERY Republican member of the House of Representatives has said by selecting an insurrectionist to lead them that...that was OK! They are traitors!

There are lot of organizations that are working to get out the vote by Gen Y and Gen Z. One of the best is www.turnup.us. That's my focus. Turnout on 11/5/24 by the large majority of Americans who don't want religious nonsense in our government, who are compassionate and want better education and healthcare for ALL of us.

It's JMO, but we should target our energy streams to those that will help us retrieve democracy. Republicans eschew the very founding documents of this nation. I will not waste my time on them. They will be a footnote in history decades from now - like Whigs and No Nothings.

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Well said Georgia. I agree.

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"Online polemics are a waste of time and energy."

Thank you.

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Hi Georgia, I am a firm believer in the "grow where you're planted" theory. I am mostly responsible for helping those around me - family, friends, neighbors. I am also responsible to remain aware of the bigger picture, this includes 'on line polemics' and any other way Democrats can get their message across.

I watch Rachel Maddow on Youtube. for the past few months, a regular ad has been one for Tim Scott. I bet right win media is not featuring ads for Joe Biden, or any other Democrat. Word of mouth, YES! by all means. Forsaking other useful tools, NO! We need to use all the means that do not damage our own moral fiber in this struggle.

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Upon diving just a bit deeper than the shallow waters of first glance at the new Speaker, it appears more and more that he is basically Jim Jordan without the nasty snarl. The late, great Gore Vidal once opined that if America were ever to have a dictator, it would not be a fire breathing type but rather someone like Arthur Godfrey, a popular television host in the 50s and 60s.

I do not mean to imply that Mike Johnson as Speaker is akin to a dictator, but I do mean to state that in that powerful position his soft spoken demeanor and modicum of McGuffey Reader era intelligence will work mischief that others might not have been able to.

And let us get something straight once and for all----ANYONE who claims that "God is the one that raises up those in authority" has NO PLACE in American politics. That statement is as egregiously erroneous, as it is wholly at variance with the very essence of American political philosophy, and the clear nature of our revolutionary history. The Nation that was born in a promise of liberty and justice for All was most certainly not born in waters theocratic. In fact, the very concept of "rights" had its origins in the Enlightenment's thinkers belief in human reason and its ability to construct social contracts beneficial to all, in direct opposition to purported "divinely authorized" political leaders, be they kings, priests or otherwise.

God, as the former Senator from Heather's tragedy ridden (the site of our most recent gun massacre) State of Maine once said, "does not take sides in American politics". George Mitchell was right then, and right now, because we are most assuredly NOT a theocracy, and we most assuredly need NOT obey the dogmas and dictates of any religion here in our temporal, and still fruited plain.

I truly hope that my fears that newly minted Speaker Johnson is a wolf in sheep's clothing are overwrought, but .........

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From where I sit, he looks like a wolf in wolf's clothing. As soon as I laid eyes on a picture of him in his blue suit and red tie, I knew him for what he is.

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His choice of clothing is a tell-he's copying tfg.

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When I look at him I see Stephen Colbert and I laugh. When I see tfg I see him in an orange jumpsuit, lying on the floor kicking and screaming and throwing a fit.

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Fears on target

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Well said, Sir!

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Damn straight Daniel! You hit the nail on the head. I was thinking maybe he has some sort of God complex or was trying to flatter the R Reps, but in fact he has the story of the American Revolution upside down. Pay fealty to the King because he was born into power? HELL NO! The Founders built a Union of the people by the people for the people! THIS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY!

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Thank you for highlighting Jeffries’ hopeful message.

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Amazing speech. I got chills!

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Ohh. I have to check it out.

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Fabulous PBS interview tonight! Judy Woodruff is a treasure and so are you!!!

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Perhaps this is a grand exercise in creative destruction. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the spending plans of the RNC over the next year. If they double down on funding extremist candidates in the primaries and manage to get them to advance, that could setup one of the bigger general election debacles any party has ever suffered. The next year is not going to be boring. Few things energize voters to get to the polls more than voting against something they really don't like.

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Based on what I saw when the new speaker was elected was a tired and burnt out and confused group of Republicans. I believe they and their base are close to imploding and turning on each other. The American public is getting tired of this nonsense...both Democrat's and Republicans. Another year of this and the Democrat's will be back in force and will start repairing the damage. People from both parties are seeing the light.

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To quote Bugs Bunny, "Lettuce Prey" Scary times require a strong spirit and sense of humor. Thank you Heather for keeping us supplied with both. Great discussion on Big Tent this afternoon.

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I could have listened for another hour! I hope Heather and Katie team up again.

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At least an hour. Once a month at least too.

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I've been watching Jeffries throughout this speaker chaos. He's been offering good solutions to our legislative problems. I hope his work in the background gets up to the standard of Nancy Pelosis. We need good leadership from him because maga has an inexperienced leader who will do what he's told.

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Yes. Jeffries will learn from Pelosi, the greatest vote counter of all time.

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I am holding you and other Mainers in my heart tonight.

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And here we are now saddled with a guy second in line for the presidency who believes the founders wanted a “biblical republic,” opposes abortion and gay marriage, wants to slash Medicare and Social Security, and is Trump’s lackey.

But how long will he last as speaker? Long enough to help cause a government shutdown? Block aid to Ukraine?

They all know they’re digging a deeper hole from which they well lose control of the House. But I’m convinced they don’t care.

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You know what frustrates me? The whole post-Jordan-Gets-Jammed "Republican moderates finally begin to stand up" narrative with a twist of "who could emerge as a bipartisan choice?" that the press and - in a very rare show of naivete - this very newsletter seemed to entertain this week. Can we please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please stop with this nonsense? Lordy, may this be the last nail in the coffin for this quixotic quest. Stop looking for the moderates! They have all left or died out! How many times does this need to be reaffirmed? Not a single one of these people can ever actually be trusted to do anything based on principle.

Look, I get it, we all have conservatives in our own lives that we value and know are good people, deep down. We know *they* exist, so their kind must be in the government *somewhere,* right? There must be at least *one* or *two,* right? Not *all* the people with opposing views to ours are completely craven extremists gambling on fascism for fame, right? We can't *actually* think that! We're open-minded people, community-builders, humanists! NOPE! It is like trying to find the needle in the haystack and just coming up straw, week in week out.

Johnson is just as crazy and horrid as Jordan. The difference between him and Jordan is that Jordan was already *famous* for being horrid, while Johnson has been horrid *under the radar.* Jordan's horridness extended to some of his colleagues, while Johnson's horridness is reserved solely toward the general citizenry, with a smile! That's it. EVERY swing-district "moderate" just dog-piled on to put an inexperienced Big Lie architect, climate-crisis-denier, forced birther who worked his lawyering for a virulently homophobic hate group (oh, and a promoter of "covenant marriage" into law... ew!) in charge of one of the branches of the federal government. And anyone who is surprised or disappointed by this, in any way and to any extent, needs to have this be a moment of clarity. There is one way to stop the extremists and one way only, and that is to remove the party they now fully control from power entirely. This is our job as citizens for the next 13 months.

How long will this teensy lil' dude last? My money is not on the whole stretch. The nutty things that he will be pressured to use his new perch to put into law will not be put into law, because the Senate and the President will never allow it, and there is absolutely nothing the they can do about that except throw tantrums and sand in the gears. They will brand the new extremist Speaker the same disappointment as the other one (and make no mistake, McCarthy was also an extremist, full stop)... at least one will probably try to vacate... at least a few more will go along... and the Carousel of Cuckoo begins anew. Whee!

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Will, nice to hear your “voice” here again, had been missing your spot-on commentary of late!

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As had I. Thank you, Will!

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YUP. That's the way it is. We gotta get over it and get to work. Hope is like squeezing chrystals. You do nothing but wait for "someone" to take care of it.

Been missing your well thought out pot shots, Will.

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There are no "reasonable" Republicans. In fact, I believe that the Republican party is dead and gone. From the greatness of Lincoln and the leadership of Eisenhower to the dregs of Bush I and II, and tffg, they will take their place at the head of the table of the failed parties in the US.

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Will,

Do I hear 'Won't Get Fooled Again' playing in the background? We could start a pool on which Corrupt Clown is Speaker 13 months from now. It matters little.

Forget the power structure and game for a minute and think of the voters. Many Republicans are ready to vote Trump out. They know he's horrible.

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If Trump wants the government shutdown, it will happen. Right now, Johnson is a puppet and Trumputin is his controller. That’s how it’s going to be the next 15 months, unfortunately.

We have got to vote BLUE 💙💙💙💙in every election. These people, and the local politicians, all need to go!

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Trump is not Johnson's controller. Johnson is a constitutional lawyer who is a total adherent to the Project 2025 manifesto. He is perfectly positioned now as a tool of the oligarchs who fund the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society and "entertain" and "socialize" with the conservatives on SCOTUS. Trump is the front man for the bright and shiny distractors.

Johnson is not a pol, he is a true believer and that makes him very very dangerous.

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I may be misquoting him (I was watching a LOT of news yesterday!) but I believe Rankin stated just that about Johnson. Said he is worse than Trump.

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Smarter, more articulate, calm, and a religious zealot. All make him dangerous. Add in Trump's blessing, and he is a threat to the nation.

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Yep. and as reported by The Guardian, here is what Matt Gaetz had to say:

“The swamp is on the run, Maga is ascendant and if you don’t think that moving from Kevin McCarthy to Maga Mike Johnson shows the ascendance of this movement, and where the power of the Republican party truly lies, then you’re not paying attention,” Gaetz told the former Trump campaign chair and White House strategist Steve Bannon on his podcast on Wednesday.

Maga Mike may not have been a big fundraiser before, but he will be now via the HF and FS.

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You are very correct, Georgia. But, I see him also following what the MAGA crowd wants, and leaning on them for guidance. They are the ones that out him in this position. Without those 8 votes, we would still not have a Speaker. Plus, if you remember, Trumputin told them to support and vote for him. Trumputin is still the puppeteer. He’s pulling all the strings.

Now, with this sheep in the #2 spot to take the presidency, we need to start worrying about President Biden and Vice President Harris.

This shit is really getting serious. I wish we hadn’t flipped the House! This sucks!

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The dark money is what controls the FRG (former Republican Party) not Trump. And the dark money controls the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society and the 70+ other right wing organizations that put together Project 2025. Johnson wrote the 2022 Republican budget proposal that was the wish list for defunding the decimated executive branch as well as the election deniers amicus brief that 125 Republican members of the House signed for Paxton's attempt to get SCOTUS to intervene Trump is a puppet and mouthpiece. He is by no means the brains and motivator of the operation. Johnson is the ideal new front man.

Given the way those oligarchs play the long game, I would bet my money on Johnson being the Republican nominee in 5 years. A new Christo-nationalist star is being born right in front of out very eyes.

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Trump has always been a puerile loose cannon, but he's become the monster the "GOP" created, and still empowers. There are binders and binders of fingerprints on this crime scene.

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Michael,

"They" don't plan to stand aside for such a trivial issue as an election "loss".

"They" plan to stay in power period going forward. So, no need for governing.

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How far can nominal "Republicans" stretch their fraudulence before it breaks? And what's with all those furtive-looking billionaires behind the curtain?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/25/clarence-thomas-anthony-welters-luxury-rv-loan-forgiven

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But we do care. As Craig Dupler said, perhaps this is a grand exercise in creative destruction.

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Gun control politics is why I have no patience for the GOP. The election stuff triggers my history brain and I find it more interesting than offensive, but the gun stuff touches a dark part of the human soul and I don't tolerate it.

A state senator from WA just got arrested in HK because he “forgot” he had a pistol in his briefcase and it somehow made its way onto an airplane.

Anyway, I try to remain apolitical here, but I hope any GOP followers I have here look themselves in the mirror and ask “what is the point?”

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Haven’t managed “apolitical” for many years. Gave up on that

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