Pundits struggle to decide whether Trump’s rise represents something new in the United States or whether it is a continuation of the growing anti-democratic politics of the Republican Party. As a card-carrying Libra, I’m going to suggest it was both.
Katie Fahey’s crew with Voters Not Politicians are inspirational sheroes who persevered against a daunting status quo to win fair redistricting in Michigan!
"Pundits struggle to decide whether Trump’s rise represents something new in the United States or whether it is a continuation of the growing anti-democratic politics of the Republican Party." I am in Europe right now (Germany) and everywhere I am seeing the same signs of breakdown I am witnessing in the US: failing infrastructure, massive class divides, mighty anti-immigrant waves, a growing neo-fascist/new-Nazi movement. The growing anti-democratic politics are spreading all over Europe as well as America. This is a very scary moment.
Gerrymandering may be the one issue out of all the horrors we're confronted with from the Rs that makes me feel most helpless. It's been such a stacked deck for so long it seems insurmountable.
The election of Janet Protasiewicz was almost miraculous and it keeps my hope flickering.
Operation REDMAP was the Republican plan to take over the legislative branch of government. The Federalist Society engineered the takeover of the judicial branch and gave us the gift of the Citizens United ruling. Project 2025 is the Republicans plan to take over the executive branch by flooding all the departments and agencies with additional layers of political appointees replacing career civil servants and guaranteeing fealty to one person--the president--not the constitution.
The intent to replace democracy with authoritarianism is clear and we are in the late stages of the process. The 2024 election is perilously close to being a last stand for democracy.
Heather Cox Richardson the facts in this letter are maddening but also motivating. REDMAP notwithstanding we are shown how the manipulation has occured and perhaps the road to unraveling this travesty.
I see no way out of this crisis until the Democratic Party (famously not comprised of like minded people) makes taking back State Legislatures, state election boards, and other state and local offices including education related positions a Huge Priority. Who will lead the Democratic Party in this quest? I’m sad to see Barack Obama (busy building his legacy institutions) basically invisible on this subject 😢
After working for the 2010 Census, going door to cottage door around our county lakes here in Northern Michigan to make sure there were no permanent residents not being counted, I met with my Republican state rep at a local bar. He wanted to help me set up connections for my new business. But when he sat down, he had a huge grin on his face and gleefully announced "Those damn Democrats will never win again after the redistricting we voted in today!" I felt like he'd punched me in the gut. And, in a way he had. Thankfully those damn Democrats organized to write and promote our successful ballot initiative to fairly redraw the districts, ultimately bringing about our "Democratic Trifecta."
Thank you for explaining a critical issue so clearly. We need an epic turnout to overcome the gerrymandered advantages the GQP has built into most states, and then take charge and clean out the voter suppression and anti-democratic laws and traditions that have been set up to ensure a minority rule. The very concept of voter registration seems pretty clearly tied to voter suppression (which likely harkens back to the Jim Crow laws . . .).
Heather Congratulations on the official publication date of your blockbuster book. Are you some super terrestrial human being? You may even now be on your national book tour while producing a letter perfect LIAA.
I abhor how the Republicans have gerrymandered much of America to work their wicked ways. I wonder how the Democrats could have been so Ben & Jerry, while the Republicans were consolidating their political power.
It reminds me of how the relentless focus of The Federalist Society has resulted in the Stench Court.
Might you assess why the Democrats often gain a majority of votes, while the Republicans obtain the most seats in many states?
It seems to me that the Constitution and many laws in the US were based on people behaving honorably. This is obviously no longer the case. In the NL and the UK, where I am currently, people I talk with are astonished at the behavior of the Republicans and the apparent inability of the Democrats to do much about it!
To be sure, other counties are watching and concerned about what happens if… I can’t even write the words.
This gerrymandering stuff just is so nauseating as it is frightening. I am going to have to reread your letter again, Heather, to understand the gist of the process. Gerrymandering reminds me of a labyrinth for Dems. There’s a starting point but how the heck do you crawl out and achieve a goal?? Looks like in many of these cases, Dems are defeated each and every time. Don’t tell me we can’t come up with a more brilliant plan to stop “the steal”!
23 States have passed vote suppression legislation since 2020; these Republican states have made it more difficult for people to vote, passing onerous voter identification laws necessary not to register to vote which is controlled by federal legislation but to actually vote Thus it is imperative that every person checks to make sure he/she/they has not been purged from the election rolls.
Know what new laws for identification you need in order to vote and to check they are still registrated. At every football game at every basketball game, at every convocation announcements should be made:” go to www.vote.org with your phone right now and check your voter registration is up-to-date or register to vote and then check voteriders.org if you need specific identification in order to vote which may be very different from what was required in 2020. We need to alert every voter in every state where Republicans are in charge of the legislature to check their vote.
I knew gerrymandering was a very bad thing, but after reading this letter I see that it’ gerrymandering is a terrible cheating plot to deny folks their right to a fair vote.
Thanks for this analysis and it is clear that we must do our best to overcome these illegal and unconstitutional obstacles created by the party from Hell.
Katie Fahey’s crew with Voters Not Politicians are inspirational sheroes who persevered against a daunting status quo to win fair redistricting in Michigan!
https://www.facebook.com/votersnotpoliticians?mibextid=LQQJ4d
"Pundits struggle to decide whether Trump’s rise represents something new in the United States or whether it is a continuation of the growing anti-democratic politics of the Republican Party." I am in Europe right now (Germany) and everywhere I am seeing the same signs of breakdown I am witnessing in the US: failing infrastructure, massive class divides, mighty anti-immigrant waves, a growing neo-fascist/new-Nazi movement. The growing anti-democratic politics are spreading all over Europe as well as America. This is a very scary moment.
Gerrymandering may be the one issue out of all the horrors we're confronted with from the Rs that makes me feel most helpless. It's been such a stacked deck for so long it seems insurmountable.
The election of Janet Protasiewicz was almost miraculous and it keeps my hope flickering.
Operation REDMAP was the Republican plan to take over the legislative branch of government. The Federalist Society engineered the takeover of the judicial branch and gave us the gift of the Citizens United ruling. Project 2025 is the Republicans plan to take over the executive branch by flooding all the departments and agencies with additional layers of political appointees replacing career civil servants and guaranteeing fealty to one person--the president--not the constitution.
The intent to replace democracy with authoritarianism is clear and we are in the late stages of the process. The 2024 election is perilously close to being a last stand for democracy.
Card carrying Libra. Good one!
REDMAP + Citizens United = Disaster
Heather Cox Richardson the facts in this letter are maddening but also motivating. REDMAP notwithstanding we are shown how the manipulation has occured and perhaps the road to unraveling this travesty.
Voting marching orders if you will, Professor ⭐
I see no way out of this crisis until the Democratic Party (famously not comprised of like minded people) makes taking back State Legislatures, state election boards, and other state and local offices including education related positions a Huge Priority. Who will lead the Democratic Party in this quest? I’m sad to see Barack Obama (busy building his legacy institutions) basically invisible on this subject 😢
After working for the 2010 Census, going door to cottage door around our county lakes here in Northern Michigan to make sure there were no permanent residents not being counted, I met with my Republican state rep at a local bar. He wanted to help me set up connections for my new business. But when he sat down, he had a huge grin on his face and gleefully announced "Those damn Democrats will never win again after the redistricting we voted in today!" I felt like he'd punched me in the gut. And, in a way he had. Thankfully those damn Democrats organized to write and promote our successful ballot initiative to fairly redraw the districts, ultimately bringing about our "Democratic Trifecta."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Michigan_Proposal_2
Thank you for explaining a critical issue so clearly. We need an epic turnout to overcome the gerrymandered advantages the GQP has built into most states, and then take charge and clean out the voter suppression and anti-democratic laws and traditions that have been set up to ensure a minority rule. The very concept of voter registration seems pretty clearly tied to voter suppression (which likely harkens back to the Jim Crow laws . . .).
I do not understand how any self respecting, democracy loving American who believes the freedom of Choice can be a Republican.
Heather Congratulations on the official publication date of your blockbuster book. Are you some super terrestrial human being? You may even now be on your national book tour while producing a letter perfect LIAA.
I abhor how the Republicans have gerrymandered much of America to work their wicked ways. I wonder how the Democrats could have been so Ben & Jerry, while the Republicans were consolidating their political power.
It reminds me of how the relentless focus of The Federalist Society has resulted in the Stench Court.
Might you assess why the Democrats often gain a majority of votes, while the Republicans obtain the most seats in many states?
It seems to me that the Constitution and many laws in the US were based on people behaving honorably. This is obviously no longer the case. In the NL and the UK, where I am currently, people I talk with are astonished at the behavior of the Republicans and the apparent inability of the Democrats to do much about it!
To be sure, other counties are watching and concerned about what happens if… I can’t even write the words.
This gerrymandering stuff just is so nauseating as it is frightening. I am going to have to reread your letter again, Heather, to understand the gist of the process. Gerrymandering reminds me of a labyrinth for Dems. There’s a starting point but how the heck do you crawl out and achieve a goal?? Looks like in many of these cases, Dems are defeated each and every time. Don’t tell me we can’t come up with a more brilliant plan to stop “the steal”!
23 States have passed vote suppression legislation since 2020; these Republican states have made it more difficult for people to vote, passing onerous voter identification laws necessary not to register to vote which is controlled by federal legislation but to actually vote Thus it is imperative that every person checks to make sure he/she/they has not been purged from the election rolls.
Know what new laws for identification you need in order to vote and to check they are still registrated. At every football game at every basketball game, at every convocation announcements should be made:” go to www.vote.org with your phone right now and check your voter registration is up-to-date or register to vote and then check voteriders.org if you need specific identification in order to vote which may be very different from what was required in 2020. We need to alert every voter in every state where Republicans are in charge of the legislature to check their vote.
I knew gerrymandering was a very bad thing, but after reading this letter I see that it’ gerrymandering is a terrible cheating plot to deny folks their right to a fair vote.
Thanks for this analysis and it is clear that we must do our best to overcome these illegal and unconstitutional obstacles created by the party from Hell.