494 Comments

How DARE that seditious weasel Josh Hawley impugn the honor and integrity of General Milley!!! Hawley has never served in the military. (I am the mom of a 20 year retired soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.) Hawley has NO concept of public service; he is only out to advance himself. He is a hateful weasel who ought to be arrested, indicted, tried and convicted of sedition.

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I sent Hawley an email yesterday with the subject title "You are despicable." He is a disgusting amoral piece of crap to be sure.

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As despicable as Hawley may be, he is the product of our democratic system. In 2018, the voters of Missouri gave him about 6% more votes than Claire McCaskill. As much as he is to blame, those who voted for him, and similar voters throughout the nation, are the real problem. To them, all roads seem to lead to Benghazi, which worked just fine for them in 2016. Things will eventually get better, but only after they get a lot worse. It seems that's the way American democracy works.

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What really concerns me at this time in our history is that there may no longer be a "road back". There are too many domestic enemies, visible and invisible.

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When things gets really bad, American democracy finds a way to extricate itself from the clutches of such enemies. We found a 'road back' in 1776 (although we were barely a nation then), in 1861, in 1932 and we will again when things get bad enough. But that, unfortunately, must happen first.

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The comic strip character Pogo: "I have seen the enemy, and he is us." I am very concerned there are far too many of "them" at this point, set out to fully destroy our Republic. The lurk in the shadows and parade under the light of Tiki Torches.

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Not if all the Democrats turn out to vote.

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Perhaps refusal to extend the debt ceiling will make things bad enough. Janet Yellen’s prediction was horrendous. (I do not want to see it happen!)

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This is a very interesting disquisition on the debt ceiling by Beau of the Fifth Column. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZYTue0F-uw

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From what I am reading, she put it mildly. Very worried.

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You have more optimism than I do, Jack, but I'm glad for that.

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I hope to live long enough to see this happen. I've always been optimistic, but everywhere we look we see threats and destruction.

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Our gerrymandered system. I’m pretty sure that has given the repubs here in MO a 6-8% advantage.

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Jack, i cant except that any of those Republican clowns truly won a fair election. No one cheats worse than a Republican.

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I hear you and I agree.

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Sadly, it will fall on deaf ears.

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That's an understatement.

I can't figure out some veterans who support people like him.

I was on a VoteVets page and some of the comments were more knee jerk reactions instead of a understanding of what was being discussed.

Also, there a ton of trolls on FB. I try to tell people to check the peoples pages and don't take the bait, but nah, people just have to argue.

Faux news is a big reason why we are where we are.

If you have cable (gave it up 25 years ago) then tell them you don't want to pay for faux.

Or better yet, cut the cord. You can see everything on line these days.

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I am a USAF Veteran. Two uncles served in WWII, US Army. One retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Older brother, USN. Distant paternal grandfather, American Revolutionary War, Private with the Virginia 9th Regiment. When I hear or see "veterans" who support Trump and his feces driven scum I want to puke. There are LOTS of them here in W. Virignia. I call them phony patriot losers.

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My ‘On Button ‘ as well.The other group I call “Convenient Christians .” They are when it suits them.I mentioned this before you notice how they don’t use the Phrase anymore “What Would Jesus Do. ? “ Not what they have been doing, that I am 100% positive of.

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They are "Christian" in name only. Were Jesus actually to return, they would once again hang Him on a Cross. They are not mysterious as heretics to those of us who have watched and monitored them closely for nearly four decades. CINO = Christian in Name Only. They have violated and invalidated every principle cited in The Gospels.

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Like I said elsewhere, I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as the Navy, and now they're just old semi-senile white male morons.

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Don't get me wrong, knew a lot of great people I'll never forget, but way too many morons there.

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I hate to tell you this, but all veterans are not equal. As a veteran, I can tell you I never knew so many white male morons in one place at one time as in the Navy. And when I run across them at the VA, they're still the dumbasses they were.

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Thank you, Linda. I agree.

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Jenn, I am the widow, sister and daughter of U. S. Military veterans. Yours was the first comment I read here this morning and I have to say how much I like your description of Hawley as a seditious weasel. Allow me the honor of adding smarmy to your phrasing. Smarmy, seditious weasel impugning the honor of a 42 year military veteran who’s first concern was protecting this country and the constitution. The good folks of Missouri need to send him packing! Thank you for YOUR service too. Being a military mom, especially for 20 years, is tough work.

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Agree “goldstar” family…

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Thank you

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Jenn…I feel and appreciate your courage in expressing the sentiment and outrage of what must be in the minds of thousands and thousands of proud and patriotic parents whose children have served our country. Your choice of the descriptors to describe a public servant who castigates the leaders of our young soldiers is unnerving but deserved.

I am so proud of you. And of our sons and daughters.

May democracy prevail.

United.

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I'm thankful for your child's service, Jenn. I completely identify with this frustration with senators who grandstand in hearings when they've ignored the war and the sacrifices our forces made over 20 years. This mom of a soldier is with you!

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As the mom of a 25+ year veteran who served in the Middle East twice, your words ring true to me as well.

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The Hawleys of our Republic see America as their game board, period.

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I completely agree. It is beyond audacious that a KNOWN traitor like Hawley and his ilk attacks and condemns a KNOWN patriot. I couldn't watch because this uncivil and unAmerican behavior makes my blood boil.

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My license plate reads: "I am a Veteran. My Oath never expires." Sad how Congress treats their Oath as a nuisance, only to be honored at the time of swearing in. After that, they swear at it. I am so sick and tired of the hallowed ground upon which these traitors walk upon, stepping on the necks of average everyday Americans while plying their falsehoods and their offenses. Yet, I am compelled to ask: Where is the outcry and the outrage from Democrats?

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Yes, but also from the entire nation? And the media? Did five years of the Yeti de-sensitize our nation?

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I am not sure if we became "desensitized", but more horror struck. The one "failure" I observed during the "Yeti's" apprenticeship (he really never did quite "get it") is how too many sat back idly hoping it would all go away.

Those who could have been far more critical erred on the side of being safe. The MEDIA, in large part, is a complicit partner in the horrors of Trump. Too many moderate Republicans, Democrats and Independents looked on with disgust; but not with the ferociousness of a head to head attack or rebuttal. Even well-meaning Republicans ran for shelter. Desensitization perhaps more like cowardice? Save my skin. Maybe this will go away.

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Someone once said, "The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." (Sorry if it's not 100% accurate; too lazy to go looking for the exact quote, but I expect most/all here know it anyway.)

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. “ actually a spin off of something said by John Stuart Mill though often falsely attributed to Edmund Burke.

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From Plato: “Your silence gives consent.”

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Then we should hang the bastard, that’s how you deal with traitors, let them sort it out with their maker.

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Sorry, i had to chuckle in sympathy. You said what probably thousands growled under their breath!

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I regret that you, and all the families of those who have served, must see this regrettable scene. Like vermin greedily feasting on remains of the warm bodies. Milley strikes me as someone who is not about to be disturbed by such pitiable and craven opportunism.

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He understands the Oath he took. Republicans in Congress flip the bird at their Oath.

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JennSH, that's too good for him. Drawn and quartered, maybe?

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Can we rent a stadium, sell beer, soda pop and popcorn? I will donate to the cost of the towing rope.

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I'll wield the sword and tie the hangman's knot.

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You and TC need to curb your enthusiasm, but . . .

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Well, considering that they're talking about drawing and quartering Hawley in front of a popcorn-munching, beer drinking audience, and since we (at least Democrats) frown on that sort of behavior, I'm conflicted - sort of.

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Awwww, do we haveta? 😈

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You're right exactly! Thanks for saying so. I hope you send him an email. https://www.hawley.senate.gov/contact-senator-hawley

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Mary, thanks to this share and Stewart’s perfect words, I just unloaded on hawley the wretch!

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I just did.

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Milley is a traitor and self-dealing weasel. He is responsible for the mess of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The fact that you are a mom of a retired soldier does NOT give you any credibility points. However, I bet if your son was one of those killed and maimed as a result of the terrible leadership of the withdrawal, you would have a different opinion about Milley.

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My guess is that you're hoping to promote your newsletter. If your comment is sincere, your goal will not be met here. In my opinion, your ignorance and cruelty make you unfit to shine General Milley's shoes.

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LOL. You do realize that you just recommended writing only stuff to an audience that makes them feel better about themselves, instead of reporting facts and whole truth?

Milley is a self-dealing charlatan unfit to wear the uniform.

So he says he told Biden to retain 2500 troops for the withdrawal. Biden says none of his military advisors told him he needed to retain any troops. Which is it?

Either Biden is lying or Milley is just doing personal CYA.

It is likely both.

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Apparently, you did not read today's newsletter, which fleshes out the advice and circumstances. In any event, we need no further communication.

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Heaven's, but you are way out of your league Mr. Boone.

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Sure sweetheart

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Go fuck yourself, you piece of shit. You just demonstrated with that reply what a klunk you are.

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Go away you talentless troll.

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You are a fucking moron. Go stick your head back up your ass, you talentless, semi-literate piece of shit. Lefties like you are a damn embarrassment. YOU FUCKING MORON!!!!!!!!!!!

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No, what's worse is when the moron thinks it's on our side. The ultra-left are dumber than the ultra-right. This Keyboard Kommando probably thinks he's being a great antifa warrior. What he proves is that the rule is Don't Trust Anybody UNDER 30.

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I like your "Keyboard Kommando"!! I can never get ultra right and ultra left separated in my aging mind. I am ultra centrist, I guess. 😊

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Actually, it turns out he's a Trumpscum. I was wrong. Don't give him further oxygen. He is a Keyboard Kommando.

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Damn! You took the words out of my mouth, TC!

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You brighten my day!

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I couldn’t agree less J Boone.

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Boon you sure are a misfit for our nation. Find a time machine, go back to the 1930s and be a Nationalist Socialist Party German. They would have appreciated you.

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So did Biden lie when he told George Steffymuffin that his military advisors did not tell him he should retain any troops, or was Milley lying under oath to the Senate that he told Biden to retain 2500 troops?

Try to defend your difference of opinion without the personal insults. If you can. I doubt you can.

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J Boone, for 20 years military advisors have recommended keeping military forces in Afghanistan, as well as many other conflicts. I observed the Vietnam War from start to withdrawal. There are always military advisors who want another year, some more forces, some new weapons. Our idea of "winning" as we felt we did in WWII has never worked out. Germany and Japan fortunately accepted our terms, acknowledged their responsibility, took our economic support and became even better western democratic nations at what we do than we sometimes live up to. In contrast, the Confederacy after our Civil War came back as a one party, Democrats, group of states overthrowing Republicans and blacks in their Reconstruction state governments to become Jim Crow, segregation, white supremacists who violently enforced their politics for 100 years. When Democrats led in the Civil Rights laws, these southerners joined the Republican Party with the intentions of returning their states to Jim Crow, one party rule.

Anyway, I heard the testimony of Milley. I take him at his word because it matches what we saw and what I observed during the Vietnam War and what happened when President Trump withdrew our troops suddenly from Syria.

I would like to hear your criticisms of the Trump and Bush administrations during the Afghanistan War, and negotiations and plans that Trump made to rapidly pull out of Afghanistan. Also comment on President Trump's many disparaging comments about US troops who died in wars as "losers" and military leaders in general as not being as very smart, that he, President Trump was smarter and more capable of deciding when and how to address military matters like the withdrawal from Syria. There are always lots of armchair warriors criticizing Presidents and military for not "winning" wars. But looking at how Afghanistan collapsed, I give both Trump and Biden credit for pulling the plug on our occupation and significant daily resources expended in Afghanistan. I regret that we spent 20 years coming to this realization and the Afghanis who suffered along the way as war victims and victims of hope that their nation was ready for being a modern nation.

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There is a lot to unpack here, some I agree with based on my understanding of history and facts, but a few other bits don't match up to what I think I know.

Let me be clear that I am not debating the fact that we withdrew, it was that the withdrawal was terribly executed. A disaster really. The withdrawal of 50 or so military advisors from Syria was NOT botched and was not in conflict with Trump's military leaders. Our advisors were not in northern Syria to defend a Kurdish government but to fight ISIS. The fight to smash the ISIS caliphate was over, and we won.

We can make the same case that we defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan and thus should vacate. Again, that is not the

Bob Woodward's book clearly is filled with information that he acquired from Milley. In that book Milley actually gloats about a traitorous move he made to call his Chinese peer over the head of the commander in chief. And now this disastrous withdrawal. And add the focus on woke indoctrination into service members. Milley is clearly unfit. He is a political animal and self-dealing fame seeker.

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He suffers from mental discordance.

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There is a LOT of rage and anger in his post. Plus, he posits his thoughts based on misinformation and disinformation if I surmise correctly. Likely one of the insurrectionists wannabes if he is not in fact one in the real.

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Harsh words, very harsh, for someone who has his own head up his own ass. Do you even know and understand governance in our country? Or, are you channeling Vladimir Putin and the Ghost of Stalin?

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Although I wouldn’t be sorry to see Hawley gone (or hung as a traitor) there are way too many of these assholes — we might see a repeat of the French Revolution’s blood bath.

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Whoops! My comment above was in response to Dick’s comment above.

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Another “Social Misfit.”

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Another "Lefty" piece of shit to embarrass us all.

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Did you actually read Heather’s post? Are you grieving the loss of someone close? There is no other reason for your hatefulness.

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You must be a Green. You certainly obviously flunk the IQ test low enough to be one of those scum.

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Careful TC! There are a lot of Greens and “Lefties”

who would like to end Hawley’s career, including me every fday of the week and twice on Sunday.

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Impossible for you to be a Green for two reasons: 1. You're not an ignoramus and 2. you're not an asshole.

We're all intelligent lefties of various varieties. The Greens are what is known as "immature" leftists. They think making things worse will convince people to fight a revolution to make it better. "Speed the revolution" didn't work for the German communists in 1933 when the Nazis took power, and these idiots who take Republican money so they can screw Democrats aren't part of the acceptable left either.

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My fondest wish, Hawley plus many of his cohorts, large and small.

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A Call to Action: A few days ago I read a long opinion piece in the Washington Post by Robert Kagan. It’s titled “Our Constitutional Crisis is Already Here” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/. It's grim; it's very grim. But at the end he offers what he believes could avert the complete disaster that is coming at us fast, and that is the formation of a coalition by the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection, a coalition formed for "the sole purpose of saving the republic," a coalition that would join with Democrats to pass into law the Freedom to Vote Act (Manchin's compromise voting act) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

Robert Kagan is a scholar who, in May 2016, wrote another opinion piece in the Post about Trump's campaign called, "This is How Fascism Comes to America."

I am calling on the tens of thousands of us who read Heather's letters, along with anyone else we can inspire, to call or write posted letters -- snail mail, as email is not effective -- to each of these seven senators. Not the time to argue who is sincere, who has integrity. These are who we've got. Below is a list of their Washington addresses and phone numbers.

Please remember that all of these people have suffered greatly for their vote on that day. My suggestion is to appeal to their love of country, not to criticize them, to tell them their country needs them to prevent radical Trumpists from destroying this nation, to prevent the possibility of Trump winning a second term, to prevent one-party rule -- etc., and that we need them to step up now as the 2022 elections could otherwise mark our descent into autocracy.

Thank you.

Richard Burr, NC (retiring)

217 Russell Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-3153

Bill Cassidy, LA

520 Hart Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-5824

Lisa Murkowski, AK

522 Hart Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-6665

Mitt Romney, UT

354 Russell Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-228-0836

Ben Sasse, NE

139 Russell Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-4224

Patrick J. Toomey, PA (retiring)

248 Russell Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-4254

Susan Collins, ME

413 Dirksen Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

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Dear Senator [lastname]:

I am sorry that you have suffered greatly for doing the right thing with your vote to impeach Trump. You have my eternal gratitude. As a fellow American I am writing to ask for your help again. Our country needs your help to save our democracy and defend the Constitution. We need you to step up now as the 2022 elections could possibly result in the replacement of democracy with autocracy, and we especially need you to reach out to your peers and encourage them to help with this effort.

“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill

Thank you.

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Thank you, Janice and Nomi, for making it so easy for us to do something positive!

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If you have decent handwriting and the time, writing each letter out longhand shows an additional level of caring and involvement. It’s a greater investment of time and energy than typing one letter, then printing multiple copies with the name edited and makes your appeal more personal.

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Rats...I used to have decent handwriting. Something happened to it. I did handwrite the envelopes😉

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Lynell, you wrote letters. You wrote letters! A posted letter means a lot.

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Add "The Honorable (Full name) to the address line!

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Smart! Glad you're on our side!!! I knew that, but might have overlooked the protocol.

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The Honorable Senator - ? Good tip, in any case. Thanks.

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The addressee line should read "The Honorable Mary Smith." The greeting line should read "Dear Senator Smith."

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Absolutely brilliant, thank you.

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Thank you, Janice. You made this so much easier...letter is ready to go.

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I will be writing letters. Thank you Janice and Nomi for this info.

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Me too! Thank You

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'Just Janice' is not just Janice, thank you.

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Perfect letter - thanks -especially like the John Stuart Mill quote to end with!

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Will be sending out these perfect letters!

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Done! Thanks JustJanice and Nomi for facilitating this group effort :)

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Thanks for sharing the link to the article.

This particular passage is of note:

"Seven Republican senators voted to convict Trump for inciting an insurrection and attempting to overturn a free and fair election: Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Romney, Sasse and Patrick J. Toomey. It was a brave vote, a display of republican virtue, especially for the five who are not retiring in 2022. All have faced angry backlashes — Romney was booed and called a traitor at the Utah Republican convention; Burr and Cassidy were unanimously censured by their state parties. Yet as much credit as they deserve for taking this stand, it was almost entirely symbolic. When it comes to concrete action that might prevent a debacle in 2024, they have balked."

We can at least write them anyway and try to encourage them to step up, and possibly even recruit a few more of their peers to join them in saving our democracy. We need at least 10 total to turn the tide. It's worth a try.

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Right. I know that passage very well. But he goes on to say that these anti-Trump senators know there is no future for them in a Trumpian-controlled state, and that with that kind of pressure, it is not impossible for them to make the leap of joining the Democrats even if only on voting rights alone.

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Burr, Toomey, Portman, Shelby, and Blunt have all announced 2022 retirements. If the latter three could be convinced, that makes ten.

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Don't think Lisa will retire.

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I didn’t mean convinced to retire, but rather induced to support voting rights. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.

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Great team effort Nomi and Just Janice. While I’m at it, I’ll send letters to my 2 R Senators and 1 D Congressman instead of the usual emails.

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