Four years ago, headlines across the country announced that FBI Director James Comey had sent a letter to Congress on October 28 saying that the FBI had “learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation” into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State.
As an Arizona resident it has been interesting, sad, startling and clear what would happen as Martha McSally sold her soul for this election. She is like a Lindsey Graham Junior. If she should pull out an unlikely win, and Trump lose, it will be interesting to see who purchases her next. Very sad and pathetic person. And the death knell for her is her persistent lying about Mark Kelly, her Democratic Challenger. Mark Kelly, former Naval Officer and Astronaut, and husband of our very beloved former Congresswoman, Gabriel Giffords brings Joe Biden's brand of decency and healing to Arizona. Gabriel Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 at an outdoor constituent meeting. 18 others were shot and 6 people died, including a 9 year old girl. Gabbie resigned as our Congresswoman in 2012 to devote her time to her rehabilitation. The most poignant political ads I have ever seen are of Mark and Gabbie at home. Gabbie speaks to us about Mark's commitment to family and country. As she speaks in a very careful and halting manner, due to her permanent disabilities, I cry every time I watch it. This couple has given almost everything to serve our country and yet the GOP and Martha McSally blast hateful lies about them around the clock. All I need to keep going in this endless election is to think of this brave and faithful couple. Please Vote Blue Across the Board. Don't let any of these people off the hook. They are not Americans. We are Americans.
It is rather ironic that the Republican candidates who try to emulate DT's negative hateful manner just can't pull it off and their campaigns fail. Mark Kelly and Gabbie Giffords don't have to emulate anyone; their decency and love of country is the essence of who they are -- the finest of Americans. Yes, Vote for America!
Ditto re Kelly Loeffler in GA. She seems like a total cave-in. It is astounding to watch women like her, McSally, Collins, and (even, sadly) Murkowski, refuse to speak truth to power. I cannot think of a single woman I've known during these seven decades I've walked planet Earth who are, apparently, so desperately frightened of "losing" power, influence, etc. This current crop of female politicians are blind to what they've already lost. Each has lost her moral compass, is devoid of integrity, and has no claim on even a slice of moral high ground.
But don't laugh. Remember that ignorance, along with gullibility, are the hallmarks of Trump's supporters. I doubt than many of them have the slightest idea of who Erdogan is or the significance of the numbers concerning the Coronavirus' decreasing death rate but increasing postivity percentages among the increasing number being tested. (That means more infections and an ever increasing spread of the virus.) These folks are just dumb (look at them not wearing masks and in close contact at rallies) and are the intended audience of that Seattle newspaper's endorsement of Trump in the same breath as they condemn his actions. Only the ignorant and gullible fall for this and that describes Trump's support ... and it is still enough to determine the election's results.
I've made a little list of personal characteristics that predict whether a person is a Republican voter. If a person is rich, venal, short-sighted, sociopathic, un-or-poorly educated, or stupid, they are more likely to be a Republican, and any combination of those characteristics makes it even more likely. (Combine them all and you get Trump himself.)
Well, folks, I've donated all the money I have to donate, written all the "Register to Vote" postcards I can mail, talked with all the people I can talk with, and posted messages on all the boards I belong to. Oh, and I've voted, too.
If I weren't committed to work the polls on the 3rd, wearing an N95 mask from 5a to god-knows-when, I'd just sit in a closet with a bottle of gin and wait for the world to end. On the 4th, I think that's exactly what I'll do.
Thank you for your priceless service here, Dr. Richardson, and thanks to all the earnest, thoughtful, and cogent posters here. I think I'm done.
I don't agree trumpers are all dumb - they have been cleverly, methodically conned, and tRump is the cheerleader. Why are they so "con-able ?" So easily stoked? Voting against their very own interests? We need to answer and address these questions to kmow how to stop the hate. Also, put the evil ringleaders in jail, take away Fox's "entertainment" license, pull all false ads off TV...
I am stunned, stunned I tell you, LOL, that Americans allow and explosive level of lies to be fed to us for elections. I know we have allowed businesses to bury us under lies about our food, our vehicles, the value of our insurance, etc. But we may as well pick a spot to begin the undoing. Zero tolerance for lying political ads.
I remember that horrific event in 2011. Thank you, Linda, for highlighting the back story of Gabbie with her husband, Mark. Been contributing to Mark's campaign. Hope he wins!
You have McSally confused with an actual human being. She never had a soul to sell, being one of the "lizard people" John Carpenter was dealing with when he made that movie back in the 80s about the magic pair of sunglasses that let the wearer see reality and realize the lizard people were everywhere.
Linda, you read my comment on democrats turnout performance in Miami-Dade For more on that, see Politico 10/29 article Marc Caputo and Mr. Dixon. Hillary lost FLA even though she was + 29 points in South FLA. Joe is not close to that. FYI, I am also from Arizona, and share your sentiments about McSally. However, I seem to be catching the drift about Trump getting conservative Hispanic votes. Mark is doing well against McSally, but the presidential race here in AZs is toss up. If dems Hispanic turnout in AZ is as bad as in South Florida, look for depressed Hispanic turnout breaking for Trump.
Terrifying. I know that many immigrants from many ethnicities can be very conservative and also very anti-immigrant. It is hard to get a handle on how to convince people who suffered under the problems of another country. I have a lot of immigrant friends with zero tolerance for illegal immigrants. I guess they can separate Trump's rapists and murderers comments as the domain of illegal immigrants. I spent time this week trying to convince my gardener, who is naturalized, not to give up, and to work with his family and friends to vote for Biden. I feed Professor Richardson's letters each day to Hispanic friends to pass along to friends, family and neighbors. We need better ways to communicate with communities and neighborhoods than just cold calling registered dems. Here's to pulling it off on Tuesday!
Did you see the Selser polls out if Iowa? Iowa going republican pres and senate. First time Trump has been ahead in Selzer poll. Its a big deal because Selzer was first poll to pick up on Trump 2016 wave. Selzer actually says its results are looking just like they did in 2020. Trump is up by 7. This is grim news. We will see what the professor says about this tomorrow..
Thanks to all of the progressive activists who follow Heather Cox Richardson's wonderful blog, "Letter from An American," and who are inspired by her to maintain and/or increase their activism and their critical thinking skills -- both historical and contemporary. Due, in part to you I think there is a substantial chance that, on Nov. 3, or soon thereafter, we will be able to welcome Joe Biden & Kamala Harris into the White House.
It is critical that we remember, however, that this offering of welcome to a new administration is only the first of many audacious steps we have to take, and very rapidly, to restore the health of our country, and our planet! We have huge responsibilities as "citizen lobbyists!" We need to press the new administration to build strong alliances with AOC's Green New Deal, with Black Lives Matter, with the signatories to the Paris Climate Accords of 2015, with the efforts of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to close "the swinging door" between Wall Street C-Suite entrepreneurs and the Presidency and Congress, with those who are willing to work to overturn disastrous recent Supreme Court decisions, such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2011), and willing to protect recent progressive Supreme Court decisions such as Roe v. Wade (1973) (legalization of a pregnant woman's right to choose abortion), and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) (which ruled in favor of the fundamental right to marry to same-sex couples). In addition, we need to encourage the new administration to pursue foreign policy that prioritizes the healthy survival of Spaceship Earth -- the only spaceship upon which any of us are likely ever to travel!
My biggest regret was that I didn't volunteer in 2016. I sent money, but I didn't go door to door or work phones. This year, thanks to inspiration from HCR and others in this group, I have been a text banking fiend. I have several shifts on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Today, I am looking into helping in a phone bank helping democratic voters with ballot issues. Now let's win this.
I have been doing text banking like a fiend too, and I find it very gratifying. Of course there are some ugly responses (turns out women have way worse potty mouths than men!!) but there have also been occurrences where i have been able actually to be informative and helpful, according to the voters I’m engaging.
Marcy Meldahl, I hate the ugly responses. "Trump2020" is the worst response. My favorite text banking moment was when I persuaded someone not to vote "Third Party".
Thanks for volunteering. My participation is donating $5 to each campaign that asked ~every~ day this week. I made a few small donations to BHO re-election campaign, but I was never a regular donor. Thanks to HCR - I started donating during the primaries. My ActBlue summary has 70+ transactions during 2020.
Mark, Great summary of Joe and Kamala's agenda for the first 100 days....OK maybe it will take a bit longer. It's exciting to consider a forward moving government focused on a visionary future of well-being for all.
That’s all great, but not everyone is focused solely on social and environmental reform. I offer another top priority—tax relief/options for seniors. I have an idea that I think had I been able to convey it to the Democratic Party, would have swayed the vast majority of seniors towards Biden.
I gather many on this discussion site receive pensions and are perhaps unaware of the problems facing non-pensioner retirees. Seniors not receiving pensions other than Social Security depend upon their own savings to fund their retirement; much of that money comes from accounts such as IRA’s, 401(k)’s, 403(b), or 457 plans. As Required Minimum Distributions are withdrawn according to a schedule determined by the government, withdrawals are taxable and not only cause tax bills to increase but counts towards IRMMA which can cause Medicare Part B and D premiums to soar while depleting the account holder’s net worth.
Prior to the last 10-15 years, retirement account holders were able to invest in relatively low-risk investments that reliably replenished accounts. Those days are long-gone. In the quest to support “the markets”, meaning the stock market, interest rates have been pushed down. Investors now get essentially zero return on the income portion of their portfolios and sensible investing dictates that the older you get, the smaller percentage of your assets should be invested in the stock market. As they age, seniors are required by current law to take a larger and larger percentage of the remaining value of their retirements in the form of annual Required Minimum Distributions.
I am not proposing tax-free withdrawals, but I am proposing that account holders be allowed to decide for themselves how much money to withdraw each year. In exchange, account holders could choose to forsake the current ability to pass the remaining retirement account balances to their heirs via an inherited IRA which allows the heir(s) to maintain the tax-deferred nature of the accounts. Let those retirees who wish, opt to pass the remaining balance of their accounts to their heirs subject to the then highest marginal tax rate.
Does anyone here have a GOOD suggestion on how to get the attention of those in charge to pursue this or a similar proposal. I’ve already written my Congresssman and both Senators. I received robo-response emails. Anyone who has written their Senator or Congressman knows that the response received is based 100% on the subject line, not the content of the email as no one really reads constituent email. I once wrote an email about taxes using a subject line about criminal reform. The responses referred to my ideas about criminal reform. Lacking millions of dollars to get through, how should I proceed?
The RMDs were a compromise to ensure that there would be taxable income each year. It's a cash flow thing for the government. A senior can still pay the income tax and give the money to their future heirs. The unified credit is generous to those with estates of less than $11 million.
Thank you, HCR. It’s said that “forgiveness” is hard. After 4 years of Trump, I don’t forgive Comey. Will I ever “forgive” Trump, Barr, or McConnell ? No. Their band of enablers? No. Their woefully ignorant followers? That’s a hard one, because it includes most of my PA family and 50+ M Americans. The answer is that Joe Biden is a better person than I am. I’m not calling my brothers or other relatives in a swing state to discuss the election, as urged by activists. I remember 2016 and their support of Trump and dislike of Hillary. Every celebration and visit and phone call listening to support for a criminal and grifter and business failure. Many of us were not fooled by a reality TV star. Not even Hollywood Access changed anyone’s mind. So, no...win or lose, I no longer have a family I care to forgive and spend time with. Now, I have a much larger family of friends and people standing in the cold and rain to cast their vote for Trump Removal. Praying for my country in these final days. ❤️🤍💙
I'm an oldster, so that's a new phrase for me. Does it mean: I'm not going out of my way - as I've always done - to set at their holiday tables and listen to Trumpist BS? 'Cause, that's definitely where I am. xoxo
I learned “ghosting” from my teenagers when it mean not responding to someone’s electronic communication, on text or Snapchat or wherever, but it certainly applies in the way you’ve described it. Good luck to us all.
Unfortunately I have very close family in that category too and I don't know what I am going to do. Have you read the terrific opinion piece by Frank Bruni? I read it yesterday and it put into words exactly what I was feeling. It also made me quite morose.
Bruni nails it when he says the media (& us) tried to pin everything on trump yet t just tapped into what has been there (the hate, the conspiracies, etc). It makes me wonder about the world the 44% live in.
Thank you for sending. Just read. Expressed my views, too, only better! As for my family, fear of the other and the unknown is at the heart of my family's attitudes and voting patterns. Fear of getting on an airplane and traveling to another country. How about that one? I see it everywhere from my neighbors who voted for Trump to my Trumpian relatives who consider it a vacation to travel to Disney World over and over again. How many Americans would say they've seen the Eiffel Tower, because they went to Las Vegas? My father didn't even know his small PA community; just the paths that he traveled over and over again. Ridiculous. Let's start by improving the education system in this country. But, that's a story for another day. xoxo
Exactly what I am feeling. I would "gladly eat my words" as Bruni says if this country would heal from our underlying epidemic of vicious racism, AR 15 rage and religious bigotry. And the business-men-can-lie-and-cheat-and-steal-and-grab-pussy disease.
Wow! Thank you for sharing that article. It says exactly what I’ve been feeling too. I am really nervous about this election. I am hoping for a landslide so there can be no questioning the results.
It is unbearably sad the hate this administration has brought out in this country. We are no longer a united country, we are an extremely divided country and I don’t see us coming back together for a very long time. I just hope we aren’t heading for another civil war.
I am one of the lucky ones, all of my immediate family are democrats. The family members who are not don’t live close so I can just avoid politics in order to keep peace when we visit. We do still love them very much.
I have already voted as have many in my family, all of us voting straight blue.
"Trump has begun to muse about losing the election, and said he would like simply to drive away, or fly away, from the burden of the presidency. Yesterday, retired Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack wrote that, with his immense financial debts and pending legal issues, 'Trump appears to be a classic flight risk.'”
I have said it before on this page and I'll say it again;
Let him and his family go!
As a voter/tax-payer/patriot/concerned citizen I would readily sign on to a deal where, if Trump agrees to peacefully, quietly, concede the election and vacate the White House, the US government will provide a military transport aircraft, gratis, to take Trump and his family anywhere in the world they want to go. (Bibi Netanyahu says he loves Trump, they can all go to Israel. The bromance won't last.)
Mid-flight Trump's Twitter account would disappear, evaporate.
We could agree not to persue extradition, but the State of New York and the federal SDNY could still persue criminal indictments that would insure that if any of the Trump family sets foot on US territory in the future they would be immediately arrested.
I am concerned that Trump and his family could trade their knowledge of national security information for favors if they were living abroad. They need to be prosecuted and jailed to protect our national security.
As much as we want him as far out of the country that a plane can take him, that won't work because of the intel info to which he is privy. He will end up with a show on Fox and will agree to keep his mouth shut about classified information, and failing to do that, court actions will be resumed, leading to his incarceration. The three SCOTUS justices he appointed will forget they ever knew him. (All this is contingent on a Biden victory.)
Nope! That man and his posse are murderers. We must bring him to trial like Eichmann had to when he was caught. Let me remind you of the caging of immigrant families, the kidnapping of babies, of which 545 of them can’t be found, Covid outbreaks, violations of rape against women, and offensive and vile messages he sends out about black, brown, and Asian folks. No way should he “get away”!!
Marlene, I sympathize with your point of view. But, if Trump knows he is facing indictment, trial, and likely incarceration, he will not "peacefully and quietly concede the election and vacate the White House", he will dig in his heals, throw up every legal challenge, and inspire his mob of uncontrolled, armed-to-the-teeth crazy people to take it to the streets to defend their hero. I can easily imagine open bloody warfare in our cities. We've already had a taste of it.
Out of the White House, Trump is of no use to anyone anymore, least of all Putin. He would no longer even be a useable money-laundering conduit for Putin's criminal pals. Trump will also be broke, with zero leverage to raise any cash. Licensing the name "Trump" will be a joke. Any country that takes him in won't want him for long. He's a pain.
I would love to see Trump and his family behind bars. I want to see our country on the mend much more.
Thank you for reading my post and taking the time to comment on it.
I gotta say, if this is how businessmen would run a country (re the Republican mantra that businessmen would be the best to do so), I'll have none of that, thank you.
The most disheartening revelation of the past four years has been the collapse of our governmental institutions in the face of Donald Trump and the absolute nihilism of the Republican Party. For sheer treachery, there has been nothing to match it, from the executive branch, to Congress, and to the courts. So-called conservatives have not only ignored their Oath of Office, they have gleefully flouted it. It was hard to imagine that the Republican Party's signature brand of patriotic values and traditions of governance all imploded within the past twenty years. It is so disheartening!
But it is a clear warning of the delicate knife-edged balance holding together the system as it depends almost solely on integrity and respect for the law, one another and our traditions for its survival. When you get somebody who doesn't care for anything but his own person, then you get the mess that Trump and his orcs have created. We clearly need stronger legal safeguards and means of enforcing compliance with the rules whenever the infractions are committed and whoever commits them.
I think you are very correct when you refer to morality as the fundamental agreement that binds a democratic system. I fear that as a society, we've allowed dishonesty, selfishness, and frank criminality to be accepted, even valued, within huge sectors of our population, from the very top to deepest bottom.
That's why laws, while necessary, are not the solution, since a corrupt administration will only use those laws to prosecute it's opponents, never themselves. Why else do you think that modern "conservatives" denigrate government, an institution of laws, while scrambling to control and be leaders in it?
What's the solution? How should I know? For the moment, at least, I'm just a sad, old man hoping to die in peace.
If I may end with an obscure literary reference, this part of our history looks like the Fall of Numenor, except there ain't no Eru to bail out the faithful.
I can see clearly the candidate for the role of horrible Jack but who would you see as Ralph? Obama? And for Piggy? I wouldn't count too much on the arrival of the British navy...more likely the cavalry in the old westerns!....or Biden and the Dems?
Heather, thanks for today's summation. This Administration just keeps going farther down the rabbit hole. Trump, Barr and others with their preemptive strikes to scully the election results are both tiring and fully expected. The US is both a laughing stock and a well placed example of how not to run a Nation into the ground in 4 short years. My consolation from my friends abroad is that other counties place blame on Trump and his enablers and not the citizens of this displaced, dysfunctional country. The tide will change at some point, nothing lasts forever. You know, "How not to run a Nation into the ground in 4 short years" sounds like a great name for a book, or even a musical. Someone call Nathan Lane! 🤔
Talk about Argentina and our Peron imitation! And we've already had our Eva-esque "don't cry for me" episode too on the WH balcony after his "resurrection" from the Covid plague. That's what you get when you let the money mafia and the criminal gangs play in the US political pond as Putin has done in Russia; the pond starts to rot, shrink, turn brackish and become unfit for human consumption. Thereafter scum attracts and eats scum as they chase their own tails trying to maximize their personal gains in what to them is never a Win-Win shooting match with all those "schmucks and losers" who get in their way. However when the cleansing rains come in a deluge, they are swept away as the pond rejoins the river of life and forms a new shape under the guidance of nature, wiser counsel and the people's vote.
I was appalled when I read Sunday's Spokesman Review unsigned endorsement of 45. Unfortunately, what we didn't know was that it was the endorsement of the owner of the paper because an editorial staff no longer exists. The editor wrote a great follow up explaining that & telling us of the changes being made going forward. The paper will no longer do endorsements, editorials will be assigned & a couple of columnists will be moving to the OP-ed section of the paper. And there were pleas to not drop subscriptions.
What was really ironic is tthepiece also included an endorsement for our democratic governor.
Thank you, Heather, for providing these daily letters. I've been working the polls for early voting in my county, and yesterday droves of voters turned out in torrential rain to cast their ballots. First-time voters, seniors, college students traveling home just to vote - they're all showing up. I have hope that they and we will overwhelm all the fake hard-drive/laptop stories this time
Read Putin’s People by Catherine Belton. She exposed how the Russian oligarchs, and then, the former KGB massively looted the former USSR and “invested” in ‘Londongrad’ New York and Florida. Billions of Dark Money dollars have been laundered throughout the world used to corrupt and destabilize. Trump is arguably “owned” by Putin and his people. (And the laundromat banks like Deutsche). Belton’s chapter 15 is a chilling expose of how trump is probably in debt to the Russians.
My bet is that he flees to Russia before his term ends where he will then be the greatest traitor ever spilling secrets to his manipulating hosts.
And let us never forget Comey’s self righteous perfidy which was the death blow to Clinton. I often wonder why he did that. I suspect he hated her in some deep biased way be it gender jealousy or pique. Sadly we bear the tragic consequences of this.
The NY office of the FBI was known to be in the control of a rabid anti-Hillary faction. I suspect Comey was doing what he thought he had to do to maintain control of his agency. That is to explain, not to defend.
Really appreciated the concluding remarks to Tuesday's politics chat. Holding the framework of context together is reassuring to so many of us. Thank you kindly!
I would like to see a Hague Commission Hearing/Trial for all of the trump administration of wrong doing, malfeasance, corruption, violations of laws, etc. etc. And, I wish to see each one go before this court including each family member and especially Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and on and on. Televise it. Let the whole world see we want to shore up the democracy after this malignant scourge.
By trying to stop justice being meeted out to the President Erdogan's favorite, family-owned, money-laundering, Turkish Bank, the Halkbank, Trump/Barr are of course, true to form, helping another budding, criminal, autocrat "co-conspirator" hide his illegal and nefarious money-making transactions from the light of the People's justice and world opinion.
Not only is he thereby aiding and abetting the US's declared enemy, Iran, ............
but he is also strongly encouraging the slaughter of Armenians in Nagorno-karabakh by the Turkish-supplied and supported, Azerbaijanian invading force, .........
he is encouraging the killing of Kurds fighting the the butcher Al Asad and Al Quaeda in Syria by the invading Turkish army, ..........
he is encouraging and arming civil war in Lybia with troops assisting and arming forces opposed to the UN backed government.......
and he is encouraging the slaughter of French citizens going about the business, teaching or praying to their God in France..... because the French choose to exercise their freedom of speech and their right to make fun of whatever comes to mind without inciting violence or hatred for one reason or another.
These despicable men, Trump and Erdogan, should be tried in the ICC for crimes against humanity and not just against the American people. Prosecutor Berman could lead the charge....he tried and paid for his effort.
Morning, All! With the ever present Dr. R's admonition that we, the people, get to decide our future, I remain hopeful for a Blue Wave, and with it a resolve to get to work ASAP before the dust has a chance to settle. Focus. Focus. Focus.
I will never forgive Comey for his bonehead move so close to the election. I think it was egotistical grandstanding on his part. But, everything Trump touches dies, and Comey paid the price with the end of his career.
As an Arizona resident it has been interesting, sad, startling and clear what would happen as Martha McSally sold her soul for this election. She is like a Lindsey Graham Junior. If she should pull out an unlikely win, and Trump lose, it will be interesting to see who purchases her next. Very sad and pathetic person. And the death knell for her is her persistent lying about Mark Kelly, her Democratic Challenger. Mark Kelly, former Naval Officer and Astronaut, and husband of our very beloved former Congresswoman, Gabriel Giffords brings Joe Biden's brand of decency and healing to Arizona. Gabriel Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 at an outdoor constituent meeting. 18 others were shot and 6 people died, including a 9 year old girl. Gabbie resigned as our Congresswoman in 2012 to devote her time to her rehabilitation. The most poignant political ads I have ever seen are of Mark and Gabbie at home. Gabbie speaks to us about Mark's commitment to family and country. As she speaks in a very careful and halting manner, due to her permanent disabilities, I cry every time I watch it. This couple has given almost everything to serve our country and yet the GOP and Martha McSally blast hateful lies about them around the clock. All I need to keep going in this endless election is to think of this brave and faithful couple. Please Vote Blue Across the Board. Don't let any of these people off the hook. They are not Americans. We are Americans.
It is rather ironic that the Republican candidates who try to emulate DT's negative hateful manner just can't pull it off and their campaigns fail. Mark Kelly and Gabbie Giffords don't have to emulate anyone; their decency and love of country is the essence of who they are -- the finest of Americans. Yes, Vote for America!
Ditto re Kelly Loeffler in GA. She seems like a total cave-in. It is astounding to watch women like her, McSally, Collins, and (even, sadly) Murkowski, refuse to speak truth to power. I cannot think of a single woman I've known during these seven decades I've walked planet Earth who are, apparently, so desperately frightened of "losing" power, influence, etc. This current crop of female politicians are blind to what they've already lost. Each has lost her moral compass, is devoid of integrity, and has no claim on even a slice of moral high ground.
Kelly Loeffler claims that she has never heard of the “Access Hollywood” piece. How convenient.
Her claim of ignorance is so disingenuous, it's laughable...
But don't laugh. Remember that ignorance, along with gullibility, are the hallmarks of Trump's supporters. I doubt than many of them have the slightest idea of who Erdogan is or the significance of the numbers concerning the Coronavirus' decreasing death rate but increasing postivity percentages among the increasing number being tested. (That means more infections and an ever increasing spread of the virus.) These folks are just dumb (look at them not wearing masks and in close contact at rallies) and are the intended audience of that Seattle newspaper's endorsement of Trump in the same breath as they condemn his actions. Only the ignorant and gullible fall for this and that describes Trump's support ... and it is still enough to determine the election's results.
I've made a little list of personal characteristics that predict whether a person is a Republican voter. If a person is rich, venal, short-sighted, sociopathic, un-or-poorly educated, or stupid, they are more likely to be a Republican, and any combination of those characteristics makes it even more likely. (Combine them all and you get Trump himself.)
Well, folks, I've donated all the money I have to donate, written all the "Register to Vote" postcards I can mail, talked with all the people I can talk with, and posted messages on all the boards I belong to. Oh, and I've voted, too.
If I weren't committed to work the polls on the 3rd, wearing an N95 mask from 5a to god-knows-when, I'd just sit in a closet with a bottle of gin and wait for the world to end. On the 4th, I think that's exactly what I'll do.
Thank you for your priceless service here, Dr. Richardson, and thanks to all the earnest, thoughtful, and cogent posters here. I think I'm done.
Here's hoping we are drinking ourselves sick on the 4th out of relief.
The endorsement was from a Spokane newspaper—not Seattle.
I don't agree trumpers are all dumb - they have been cleverly, methodically conned, and tRump is the cheerleader. Why are they so "con-able ?" So easily stoked? Voting against their very own interests? We need to answer and address these questions to kmow how to stop the hate. Also, put the evil ringleaders in jail, take away Fox's "entertainment" license, pull all false ads off TV...
I am stunned, stunned I tell you, LOL, that Americans allow and explosive level of lies to be fed to us for elections. I know we have allowed businesses to bury us under lies about our food, our vehicles, the value of our insurance, etc. But we may as well pick a spot to begin the undoing. Zero tolerance for lying political ads.
She's another Trump toady, and has learned well from him.
I remember that horrific event in 2011. Thank you, Linda, for highlighting the back story of Gabbie with her husband, Mark. Been contributing to Mark's campaign. Hope he wins!
You have McSally confused with an actual human being. She never had a soul to sell, being one of the "lizard people" John Carpenter was dealing with when he made that movie back in the 80s about the magic pair of sunglasses that let the wearer see reality and realize the lizard people were everywhere.
Mark Kelly is a good man and an American Hero. While I am a Michigander, I know he will represent Arizona well.
Well said - thank you.
Linda, you read my comment on democrats turnout performance in Miami-Dade For more on that, see Politico 10/29 article Marc Caputo and Mr. Dixon. Hillary lost FLA even though she was + 29 points in South FLA. Joe is not close to that. FYI, I am also from Arizona, and share your sentiments about McSally. However, I seem to be catching the drift about Trump getting conservative Hispanic votes. Mark is doing well against McSally, but the presidential race here in AZs is toss up. If dems Hispanic turnout in AZ is as bad as in South Florida, look for depressed Hispanic turnout breaking for Trump.
Terrifying. I know that many immigrants from many ethnicities can be very conservative and also very anti-immigrant. It is hard to get a handle on how to convince people who suffered under the problems of another country. I have a lot of immigrant friends with zero tolerance for illegal immigrants. I guess they can separate Trump's rapists and murderers comments as the domain of illegal immigrants. I spent time this week trying to convince my gardener, who is naturalized, not to give up, and to work with his family and friends to vote for Biden. I feed Professor Richardson's letters each day to Hispanic friends to pass along to friends, family and neighbors. We need better ways to communicate with communities and neighborhoods than just cold calling registered dems. Here's to pulling it off on Tuesday!
Did you see the Selser polls out if Iowa? Iowa going republican pres and senate. First time Trump has been ahead in Selzer poll. Its a big deal because Selzer was first poll to pick up on Trump 2016 wave. Selzer actually says its results are looking just like they did in 2020. Trump is up by 7. This is grim news. We will see what the professor says about this tomorrow..
The polls are making me dizzy. lol
And apologies for not being able to correct Gabbie to Gabby. Wish we could edit.
Thanks to all of the progressive activists who follow Heather Cox Richardson's wonderful blog, "Letter from An American," and who are inspired by her to maintain and/or increase their activism and their critical thinking skills -- both historical and contemporary. Due, in part to you I think there is a substantial chance that, on Nov. 3, or soon thereafter, we will be able to welcome Joe Biden & Kamala Harris into the White House.
It is critical that we remember, however, that this offering of welcome to a new administration is only the first of many audacious steps we have to take, and very rapidly, to restore the health of our country, and our planet! We have huge responsibilities as "citizen lobbyists!" We need to press the new administration to build strong alliances with AOC's Green New Deal, with Black Lives Matter, with the signatories to the Paris Climate Accords of 2015, with the efforts of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to close "the swinging door" between Wall Street C-Suite entrepreneurs and the Presidency and Congress, with those who are willing to work to overturn disastrous recent Supreme Court decisions, such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2011), and willing to protect recent progressive Supreme Court decisions such as Roe v. Wade (1973) (legalization of a pregnant woman's right to choose abortion), and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) (which ruled in favor of the fundamental right to marry to same-sex couples). In addition, we need to encourage the new administration to pursue foreign policy that prioritizes the healthy survival of Spaceship Earth -- the only spaceship upon which any of us are likely ever to travel!
My biggest regret was that I didn't volunteer in 2016. I sent money, but I didn't go door to door or work phones. This year, thanks to inspiration from HCR and others in this group, I have been a text banking fiend. I have several shifts on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Today, I am looking into helping in a phone bank helping democratic voters with ballot issues. Now let's win this.
I have been doing text banking like a fiend too, and I find it very gratifying. Of course there are some ugly responses (turns out women have way worse potty mouths than men!!) but there have also been occurrences where i have been able actually to be informative and helpful, according to the voters I’m engaging.
Marcy Meldahl, I hate the ugly responses. "Trump2020" is the worst response. My favorite text banking moment was when I persuaded someone not to vote "Third Party".
Thanks for volunteering. My participation is donating $5 to each campaign that asked ~every~ day this week. I made a few small donations to BHO re-election campaign, but I was never a regular donor. Thanks to HCR - I started donating during the primaries. My ActBlue summary has 70+ transactions during 2020.
Mark, Great summary of Joe and Kamala's agenda for the first 100 days....OK maybe it will take a bit longer. It's exciting to consider a forward moving government focused on a visionary future of well-being for all.
Much appreciated!
Should we achieve the blue wave, Biden, the Senate and the House better get busy!! There’s a lot to be done.
That’s all great, but not everyone is focused solely on social and environmental reform. I offer another top priority—tax relief/options for seniors. I have an idea that I think had I been able to convey it to the Democratic Party, would have swayed the vast majority of seniors towards Biden.
I gather many on this discussion site receive pensions and are perhaps unaware of the problems facing non-pensioner retirees. Seniors not receiving pensions other than Social Security depend upon their own savings to fund their retirement; much of that money comes from accounts such as IRA’s, 401(k)’s, 403(b), or 457 plans. As Required Minimum Distributions are withdrawn according to a schedule determined by the government, withdrawals are taxable and not only cause tax bills to increase but counts towards IRMMA which can cause Medicare Part B and D premiums to soar while depleting the account holder’s net worth.
Prior to the last 10-15 years, retirement account holders were able to invest in relatively low-risk investments that reliably replenished accounts. Those days are long-gone. In the quest to support “the markets”, meaning the stock market, interest rates have been pushed down. Investors now get essentially zero return on the income portion of their portfolios and sensible investing dictates that the older you get, the smaller percentage of your assets should be invested in the stock market. As they age, seniors are required by current law to take a larger and larger percentage of the remaining value of their retirements in the form of annual Required Minimum Distributions.
I am not proposing tax-free withdrawals, but I am proposing that account holders be allowed to decide for themselves how much money to withdraw each year. In exchange, account holders could choose to forsake the current ability to pass the remaining retirement account balances to their heirs via an inherited IRA which allows the heir(s) to maintain the tax-deferred nature of the accounts. Let those retirees who wish, opt to pass the remaining balance of their accounts to their heirs subject to the then highest marginal tax rate.
Does anyone here have a GOOD suggestion on how to get the attention of those in charge to pursue this or a similar proposal. I’ve already written my Congresssman and both Senators. I received robo-response emails. Anyone who has written their Senator or Congressman knows that the response received is based 100% on the subject line, not the content of the email as no one really reads constituent email. I once wrote an email about taxes using a subject line about criminal reform. The responses referred to my ideas about criminal reform. Lacking millions of dollars to get through, how should I proceed?
The RMDs were a compromise to ensure that there would be taxable income each year. It's a cash flow thing for the government. A senior can still pay the income tax and give the money to their future heirs. The unified credit is generous to those with estates of less than $11 million.
Thank you, HCR. It’s said that “forgiveness” is hard. After 4 years of Trump, I don’t forgive Comey. Will I ever “forgive” Trump, Barr, or McConnell ? No. Their band of enablers? No. Their woefully ignorant followers? That’s a hard one, because it includes most of my PA family and 50+ M Americans. The answer is that Joe Biden is a better person than I am. I’m not calling my brothers or other relatives in a swing state to discuss the election, as urged by activists. I remember 2016 and their support of Trump and dislike of Hillary. Every celebration and visit and phone call listening to support for a criminal and grifter and business failure. Many of us were not fooled by a reality TV star. Not even Hollywood Access changed anyone’s mind. So, no...win or lose, I no longer have a family I care to forgive and spend time with. Now, I have a much larger family of friends and people standing in the cold and rain to cast their vote for Trump Removal. Praying for my country in these final days. ❤️🤍💙
I hear ya! My view of my sister and a few friends as changed. I’m ghosting them all.
I'm an oldster, so that's a new phrase for me. Does it mean: I'm not going out of my way - as I've always done - to set at their holiday tables and listen to Trumpist BS? 'Cause, that's definitely where I am. xoxo
I learned “ghosting” from my teenagers when it mean not responding to someone’s electronic communication, on text or Snapchat or wherever, but it certainly applies in the way you’ve described it. Good luck to us all.
Also just “being busy” works.
Sadly, me too.
Unfortunately I have very close family in that category too and I don't know what I am going to do. Have you read the terrific opinion piece by Frank Bruni? I read it yesterday and it put into words exactly what I was feeling. It also made me quite morose.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/opinion/trump-supporters-america.html?emc=confirmation_fb®i_id=64680931
Bruni nails it when he says the media (& us) tried to pin everything on trump yet t just tapped into what has been there (the hate, the conspiracies, etc). It makes me wonder about the world the 44% live in.
Thank you for sending. Just read. Expressed my views, too, only better! As for my family, fear of the other and the unknown is at the heart of my family's attitudes and voting patterns. Fear of getting on an airplane and traveling to another country. How about that one? I see it everywhere from my neighbors who voted for Trump to my Trumpian relatives who consider it a vacation to travel to Disney World over and over again. How many Americans would say they've seen the Eiffel Tower, because they went to Las Vegas? My father didn't even know his small PA community; just the paths that he traveled over and over again. Ridiculous. Let's start by improving the education system in this country. But, that's a story for another day. xoxo
Exactly what I am feeling. I would "gladly eat my words" as Bruni says if this country would heal from our underlying epidemic of vicious racism, AR 15 rage and religious bigotry. And the business-men-can-lie-and-cheat-and-steal-and-grab-pussy disease.
Wow! Thank you for sharing that article. It says exactly what I’ve been feeling too. I am really nervous about this election. I am hoping for a landslide so there can be no questioning the results.
It is unbearably sad the hate this administration has brought out in this country. We are no longer a united country, we are an extremely divided country and I don’t see us coming back together for a very long time. I just hope we aren’t heading for another civil war.
I am one of the lucky ones, all of my immediate family are democrats. The family members who are not don’t live close so I can just avoid politics in order to keep peace when we visit. We do still love them very much.
I have already voted as have many in my family, all of us voting straight blue.
"Trump has begun to muse about losing the election, and said he would like simply to drive away, or fly away, from the burden of the presidency. Yesterday, retired Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack wrote that, with his immense financial debts and pending legal issues, 'Trump appears to be a classic flight risk.'”
I have said it before on this page and I'll say it again;
Let him and his family go!
As a voter/tax-payer/patriot/concerned citizen I would readily sign on to a deal where, if Trump agrees to peacefully, quietly, concede the election and vacate the White House, the US government will provide a military transport aircraft, gratis, to take Trump and his family anywhere in the world they want to go. (Bibi Netanyahu says he loves Trump, they can all go to Israel. The bromance won't last.)
Mid-flight Trump's Twitter account would disappear, evaporate.
We could agree not to persue extradition, but the State of New York and the federal SDNY could still persue criminal indictments that would insure that if any of the Trump family sets foot on US territory in the future they would be immediately arrested.
Just an idea.
I am concerned that Trump and his family could trade their knowledge of national security information for favors if they were living abroad. They need to be prosecuted and jailed to protect our national security.
Karen Herman, I am concerned about that too.
I'm concerned that they already have traded that knowledge for favors.
Exactly.
As much as we want him as far out of the country that a plane can take him, that won't work because of the intel info to which he is privy. He will end up with a show on Fox and will agree to keep his mouth shut about classified information, and failing to do that, court actions will be resumed, leading to his incarceration. The three SCOTUS justices he appointed will forget they ever knew him. (All this is contingent on a Biden victory.)
Nope! That man and his posse are murderers. We must bring him to trial like Eichmann had to when he was caught. Let me remind you of the caging of immigrant families, the kidnapping of babies, of which 545 of them can’t be found, Covid outbreaks, violations of rape against women, and offensive and vile messages he sends out about black, brown, and Asian folks. No way should he “get away”!!
Marlene, I sympathize with your point of view. But, if Trump knows he is facing indictment, trial, and likely incarceration, he will not "peacefully and quietly concede the election and vacate the White House", he will dig in his heals, throw up every legal challenge, and inspire his mob of uncontrolled, armed-to-the-teeth crazy people to take it to the streets to defend their hero. I can easily imagine open bloody warfare in our cities. We've already had a taste of it.
Out of the White House, Trump is of no use to anyone anymore, least of all Putin. He would no longer even be a useable money-laundering conduit for Putin's criminal pals. Trump will also be broke, with zero leverage to raise any cash. Licensing the name "Trump" will be a joke. Any country that takes him in won't want him for long. He's a pain.
I would love to see Trump and his family behind bars. I want to see our country on the mend much more.
Thank you for reading my post and taking the time to comment on it.
Well-educated does not always mean intelligent nor enlightened.
Or have common sense.
My blue collar husband calls them educated idiots.
Very good description!
I gotta say, if this is how businessmen would run a country (re the Republican mantra that businessmen would be the best to do so), I'll have none of that, thank you.
The most disheartening revelation of the past four years has been the collapse of our governmental institutions in the face of Donald Trump and the absolute nihilism of the Republican Party. For sheer treachery, there has been nothing to match it, from the executive branch, to Congress, and to the courts. So-called conservatives have not only ignored their Oath of Office, they have gleefully flouted it. It was hard to imagine that the Republican Party's signature brand of patriotic values and traditions of governance all imploded within the past twenty years. It is so disheartening!
But it is a clear warning of the delicate knife-edged balance holding together the system as it depends almost solely on integrity and respect for the law, one another and our traditions for its survival. When you get somebody who doesn't care for anything but his own person, then you get the mess that Trump and his orcs have created. We clearly need stronger legal safeguards and means of enforcing compliance with the rules whenever the infractions are committed and whoever commits them.
Orcs! LOL! Right on and well done, sir!
I think you are very correct when you refer to morality as the fundamental agreement that binds a democratic system. I fear that as a society, we've allowed dishonesty, selfishness, and frank criminality to be accepted, even valued, within huge sectors of our population, from the very top to deepest bottom.
That's why laws, while necessary, are not the solution, since a corrupt administration will only use those laws to prosecute it's opponents, never themselves. Why else do you think that modern "conservatives" denigrate government, an institution of laws, while scrambling to control and be leaders in it?
What's the solution? How should I know? For the moment, at least, I'm just a sad, old man hoping to die in peace.
If I may end with an obscure literary reference, this part of our history looks like the Fall of Numenor, except there ain't no Eru to bail out the faithful.
While awaiting the return of the king
I've always thought the Silmarillion the most profound of Tolkiens tales.
You are so right. We should all re-read "Lord of the Flies."
I can see clearly the candidate for the role of horrible Jack but who would you see as Ralph? Obama? And for Piggy? I wouldn't count too much on the arrival of the British navy...more likely the cavalry in the old westerns!....or Biden and the Dems?
LOL!! Many possible scenario castings for "Lord of the Flies..." Here's one: Ralph = Barack Obama
Jack = Mitch McConnell
Simon = the late John McCain
Piggy = Hillary Clinton
Sam and Eric = Lindsay Graham and Mitt Romney
Roger = James Comey
The British Navy = The Democrats -- but led by the Squad (!).
LOL!!!!!! This is a hilarious exercise. I wonder if others have any casting suggestions?
Maybe in the past 40 years--since Reagan, one of the first architects of the cesspool the Republican Party is now.
Seems like we are holding our collective breath’s last few days, actually less than 100 hours now! Hang on, everyone!
Heather, thanks for today's summation. This Administration just keeps going farther down the rabbit hole. Trump, Barr and others with their preemptive strikes to scully the election results are both tiring and fully expected. The US is both a laughing stock and a well placed example of how not to run a Nation into the ground in 4 short years. My consolation from my friends abroad is that other counties place blame on Trump and his enablers and not the citizens of this displaced, dysfunctional country. The tide will change at some point, nothing lasts forever. You know, "How not to run a Nation into the ground in 4 short years" sounds like a great name for a book, or even a musical. Someone call Nathan Lane! 🤔
Talk about Argentina and our Peron imitation! And we've already had our Eva-esque "don't cry for me" episode too on the WH balcony after his "resurrection" from the Covid plague. That's what you get when you let the money mafia and the criminal gangs play in the US political pond as Putin has done in Russia; the pond starts to rot, shrink, turn brackish and become unfit for human consumption. Thereafter scum attracts and eats scum as they chase their own tails trying to maximize their personal gains in what to them is never a Win-Win shooting match with all those "schmucks and losers" who get in their way. However when the cleansing rains come in a deluge, they are swept away as the pond rejoins the river of life and forms a new shape under the guidance of nature, wiser counsel and the people's vote.
I was appalled when I read Sunday's Spokesman Review unsigned endorsement of 45. Unfortunately, what we didn't know was that it was the endorsement of the owner of the paper because an editorial staff no longer exists. The editor wrote a great follow up explaining that & telling us of the changes being made going forward. The paper will no longer do endorsements, editorials will be assigned & a couple of columnists will be moving to the OP-ed section of the paper. And there were pleas to not drop subscriptions.
What was really ironic is tthepiece also included an endorsement for our democratic governor.
I have a friend who works for that paper. He said lots of people canceled their subscriptions.
That's too bad. As a country we really need independent & local papers.
Thank you, Heather, for providing these daily letters. I've been working the polls for early voting in my county, and yesterday droves of voters turned out in torrential rain to cast their ballots. First-time voters, seniors, college students traveling home just to vote - they're all showing up. I have hope that they and we will overwhelm all the fake hard-drive/laptop stories this time
Read Putin’s People by Catherine Belton. She exposed how the Russian oligarchs, and then, the former KGB massively looted the former USSR and “invested” in ‘Londongrad’ New York and Florida. Billions of Dark Money dollars have been laundered throughout the world used to corrupt and destabilize. Trump is arguably “owned” by Putin and his people. (And the laundromat banks like Deutsche). Belton’s chapter 15 is a chilling expose of how trump is probably in debt to the Russians.
My bet is that he flees to Russia before his term ends where he will then be the greatest traitor ever spilling secrets to his manipulating hosts.
And let us never forget Comey’s self righteous perfidy which was the death blow to Clinton. I often wonder why he did that. I suspect he hated her in some deep biased way be it gender jealousy or pique. Sadly we bear the tragic consequences of this.
The first thing Biden/Harris must do is a major sweep of all government offices for bugs - both Covid and spying ones.
And the white house.
The NY office of the FBI was known to be in the control of a rabid anti-Hillary faction. I suspect Comey was doing what he thought he had to do to maintain control of his agency. That is to explain, not to defend.
Really appreciated the concluding remarks to Tuesday's politics chat. Holding the framework of context together is reassuring to so many of us. Thank you kindly!
It was wonderful, wasn't it.
I would like to see a Hague Commission Hearing/Trial for all of the trump administration of wrong doing, malfeasance, corruption, violations of laws, etc. etc. And, I wish to see each one go before this court including each family member and especially Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and on and on. Televise it. Let the whole world see we want to shore up the democracy after this malignant scourge.
By trying to stop justice being meeted out to the President Erdogan's favorite, family-owned, money-laundering, Turkish Bank, the Halkbank, Trump/Barr are of course, true to form, helping another budding, criminal, autocrat "co-conspirator" hide his illegal and nefarious money-making transactions from the light of the People's justice and world opinion.
Not only is he thereby aiding and abetting the US's declared enemy, Iran, ............
but he is also strongly encouraging the slaughter of Armenians in Nagorno-karabakh by the Turkish-supplied and supported, Azerbaijanian invading force, .........
he is encouraging the killing of Kurds fighting the the butcher Al Asad and Al Quaeda in Syria by the invading Turkish army, ..........
he is encouraging and arming civil war in Lybia with troops assisting and arming forces opposed to the UN backed government.......
and he is encouraging the slaughter of French citizens going about the business, teaching or praying to their God in France..... because the French choose to exercise their freedom of speech and their right to make fun of whatever comes to mind without inciting violence or hatred for one reason or another.
These despicable men, Trump and Erdogan, should be tried in the ICC for crimes against humanity and not just against the American people. Prosecutor Berman could lead the charge....he tried and paid for his effort.
Morning, All! With the ever present Dr. R's admonition that we, the people, get to decide our future, I remain hopeful for a Blue Wave, and with it a resolve to get to work ASAP before the dust has a chance to settle. Focus. Focus. Focus.
I truly hope that these cowards clinging to Trump, hoping that he will save them, fail miserably to be elected.
I will never forgive Comey for his bonehead move so close to the election. I think it was egotistical grandstanding on his part. But, everything Trump touches dies, and Comey paid the price with the end of his career.
Or maybe better said as righteous grandstanding.
Or both