379 Comments

Take a deep breath, friends. We’ve got this. Welcome Madame President!

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Let’s all think positive thoughts for a peaceful transition. 💙❤️🙏🏼😎🎉🥳 XXXXXXX 💩🎃🤡

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I am a sour old man. It getting harder to think positively when our Constitution is in peril

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founding

Hear, hear!

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Daniel, I'm going search for Ben E. Kings 🎶 Stand by [Her] 🎶 It's very early but, already over 2,000,000 have already voted early or gone to the Colorado Voting booths this morning -- definitely a Rocky Mountain high.

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Wow…go Colorado!

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Oh, Touche! We ALL deserve to be happy. 🙏 for sharing this; those Eagles really had their finger on the pulse.

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Yes. But it’s the women in that song, the ones who would have their lives ruined by getting pregnant, who need to come out and vote for Harris. I’m sure there are 1000s of them, all over Alabama.

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America will turn out for Harris.

Grump and his goonies will do their gargoyle thing lying and trying to create chaos, but Lady Justice will put her foot down and say, "No! The people have spoken. They did not choose you. " 💙❤️🤍

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Thank you, Jane in NC— i LOVE Keb Mo and this is today’s national anthem!

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Seeing Keb'Mo' in March in Nashville, Indiana. Cannot Wait! GO BLUE!

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Jealous!!! Enjoy! GO BLUE! 💙🇺🇸

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Hell to the yes! It’s time!

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This such a wonderful song. We have needed one for these times and this is it. Thanks for posting.

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Jane, thanks! I needed that today! I shared it to a few poll workers I know for the end of their day when they will need it.

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Oh, that's wonderful, Ruth! Please thank your poll worker friends. They're the heroes of every election!

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Jane, I have thanked my poll workers here and my family who run a polling station in Southeast Pennsylvania. You are right! They are the heroes!

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Where in SE PA? I used to live in Kennett Square.

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Jane, My family has a polling place in King of Prussia, 4 members with a couple of other members of the team and they have a blast and so do the voters. My sister and brother-in-law lived in Kennett Sq. for 2 years in the early '80s, and a good friend of mine still has family there since it's where she grew up. A colleague I really enjoyed working with was also from Kennett. It really is a small world. I love that, all the connections. We visited a great ice cream shop there this summer. If I lived closer, I'd visit it a lot. I am a bit down the road, though, near Chester.

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The pink wave!

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Ken, it reminds me of when Ruth Bader Ginsberg was asked when she thought there would be enough women on the Supreme Court and she said "9."

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I can't comment yet; my heart is a rock in my gut right now.

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We've got you, Joyce. You're not alone.

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Joyce, we are thinking of the many women like you whose hearts are nearly on stop waiting to see what kind of nation we will have. If women stand together and say "hell no" more often, we can stop jerks like Trump, Vance, and the rest of their Klan.

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Distract yourself. Your gut will thank you. We're in this together. Think Joy!

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I have no doubt. Women and the men who care will drive this election.

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And Hillbilly really screwed the pooch with his insulting reference to VP Harris as "trash"...way to close out the campaign, mate!

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Please excuse the piggy-back on your insight, Al; and a timely admonishment. I, too, am optimistic, though out of necessity rather than choice.

https://bandyxlee.substack.com/p/the-more-dangerous-state-of-the-world-f77

Anyways, here is a closing essay by Dr Bandy Lee, a psychiatrist -- specializing on re-configuring or, at least, figuring out -- the mind of violence; it spells out the stark challenge democracies face with demagogy. So many demagogues have a blinding ambition that blinds their followers to the oncoming polity of peril.

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Thank you Joyce, for all your hard work and brilliant elucidation.

You and Heather Cox Richardson deserve medals.

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Joyce and Heather have kept me sane and informed, not an easy feat this year.

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Shirley, me too, along with Mary Trump and Robert Reich. I depend on the fabulous 4 and a few others for that sanity since I can't depend on very much of our media. Go Kamala and all the Dems on the ballots who care about the people of this nation and beyond, not just themselves as unfortunately most Republican candidates this time do. Go for the common good!

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Joyce Vance and Heather Cox Richardson are the dynamic duo for me. I read their substacks daily.

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10 hrs ago·edited 10 hrs ago

They have, Shirley, for sure. But, man, oh man, do I feel nervous. I have always figured that my belovèd America would muddle through; that there would be a President F.D. Roosevelt, President Grant, President Lincoln, President Truman, or Presidents Ford-and-Carter to carry us through.

Vice President Harris, backed by Governor (the real) Gipper, has the internal resources to lead us through to a common mission, if not the promised land. That is why my optimism of President Harris by five-to-seven percentage points in the popular vote and well over three hundred votes in the Electoral College is NOT born of my heart but of necessity.

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Agree!!!

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Leave it to the women!

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Or, as J D Vance might say: " the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world"

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10 hrs ago·edited 9 hrs ago

¡Hear, Here! I would like to add that, at this point, disinformation will not work in changing minds since it will only preach to the choir of liars. What frightens me is that it might instigate violence.

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I've never felt more optimistic and anxious all at the same time. The better part of me feels like we will be celebrating a Harris victory late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Then there is that tiny voice reminding me of how truly dark the maga movement has become and I dread the arguments, frivolous lawsuits, and violence that they are so well known for. It will be a long day, but I have to believe we will prevail. 💙

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Exactly. So much depends on this election.

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Off to start my day as a poll worker, which will probably make this very long day go a little bit faster.

Thanks for the wisdom and the insight and the chickens and the dog.

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Same here. I have to be at the town polling station by 7:40a today and I will be staying as long as they need me. It will make a fraught day go much more quickly! But I'm sure as sure we will be hailing Kamala Harris as Madame President when the dust settles!!!

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Thanks for working the polls. Poll workers are our heroes. Thank you! 💙

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Me too. After five days of Observing during early voting, I'm spending most of today doing the same.

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Thanks for doing that..

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Perfect balance of active hopefully optimistic and cautious… thank you 🙏

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Amy, a hearty second! I find that I am on the verge of tears at ALL times now culling the news...fluctuating from tears of gratitude and hope when reading people like Joyce, Heather Cox Richardson, et al. and watching feeds from MeidasTouch, Bullwark, Kimmel, etc.... to pooling tears of anguish and fear when seeing reports of Trump leads, hearing undecideds break fro Trump despite not like him, and simply seeing videos of these dark, imbalanced MAGA leaders and spokes people spew venom and lies. Granted I am in day 8 of a Covid colonisation of every system of my body, so I am mostly in bed, fogged in, and glued to Substack and youtube reports.

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KSC: Have you tried Hopium Chronicles on Substack by Simon Rosenberg? He's a 30-year DEM strategist and has an authentic view of what is happening inside the campaign and in the polls-- unlike almost anyone else. I see you read MeidasTouch and he and Tom Bonier of TargetSmart were on there a couple of days ago. He and Tom were the only two poll analysts to correctly predict in 2022 that there would be no Red Wave. Simon has promoted all along a "Do More, Worry Less" attitude and has engaged thousands of readers to get involved to do the hard work to get VP Harris elected. The comments on his daily posts are full of energized, organized, enthusiastic, hopeful, and joyful people! And FWIW, I ditched main stream media 3-4 months ago b/c their one-sided reporting wasn't worth the anxiety I felt when I watched/read. As a life-long worrier, I can attest that reading Joyce White Vance's Civil Discourse, Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American and Simon Rosenberg's Hopium Chronicles every day are all the media I need to stay informed and calm. Be well.

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Jayne, yes I do follow Simon Rosenberg's Hopium Chronicles. I agree that he allows me to breath when I start going off the rails. To be completely honest, there is this voice in the back of of my head…I am a Boston Red Sox fan unfortunately… that tells me NOT to trust the optimism that favours my hopes. Unfortunately, I have no voice that meets that pitch when it comes to reports of the confidence of the dark-anti-Democracy-side. I am TRYING, tho, to manifest a landslide for Harris, the House, a victory defending the Senate, and the success of each ballot measure protecting womens’ right to choose and reproductive healthcare (not to mention the campaign finance reform measures out there). Thanks for taking the time to respond to my comment.

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Lifelong UGA Football fan-- I completely understand the Red Sox reference. I, too, try not to get my hopes up for fear I will only experience crushing disappointment. In terms of this election, believe me, I have had some days where I was extremely anxious and depressed. But then something shifted and I found myself getting more active and the more I did, the less worried I became. Being around other optimists-- not just empty optimists, but those who know we have been putting in the work to make madame VP become the next President-- has really been helpful for me this time. I wish you well today and in the next few days to come.

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I am a Giants and Red Sox fan, both teams shadows of their former selves, but I don't lose hope, and I am not losing hope now. Although I am a nervous wreck.

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Aren’t we blessed with these fine people sharing with all of us?

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The Hopium Chronicles has been great for my mental health. Also TFN - The Fucking News is lessening my decline into the fetal position. Both of these were mentioned in the comments on this Substack.

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I think this is in The Prophet; I have found it useful more than once:

"In sorrow, not dejected; in joy, not overjoyed."

Today I use it as meaning "Hold steady; trust in the fundamental American, human, heart!"

Light over Darkness.

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founding

Feel better soon, my friend!

All will be well 🩵

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Stephanie Miller every morning!!!! The Queen of Progressive Radio

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KSC- get better soon.💙💙💙

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Oh, please feel better soon!

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Thank you Joyce--for everything that you write and share with all of us! My youngest daughter is working for the Harris campaign and also trying to keep Congressional District 2 in Maine---Blue-- to support Hakeem Jeffries's effort of Democrats all over the country! Fingers crossed there.

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Fellow Mainer..thanks to your daughter for working the polls!! We got this!!

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She is actually a member of the Harris campaign staff and so has been working flat out for weeks

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I'm in District#2 and yes, hoping to keep Golden in place. Jared is a very centrist sort of Dem--understandable in light of how rural and red is the district...Jared Golden is a far better choice than Poliquin (the previous Rep) or the challenger, hand-picked by little Mikey Johnson.

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Hi Diane, I voted absentee in Maine's 2d. Does your daughter this Jared will keep his incumbency? Seems clear that the Presidential elector will go red in that split district.

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I got up at 5:30am to get dressed eat breakfast and will soon drive up to the North Star church precinct in Kennesaw GA where I’ll be poll observing with another volunteer named Lottie. Georgia Polls are open from 7am until whenever after 7pm close all the people then in line get to vote. We’ll help people who get turned away find their correct precinct and answer questions (far enough away from the voting line to be kosher under the law. After that we’ll collect and report to the dem party the precinct’s final Election Day vote count and watch the poll workers seal up and load all the scanners and paper ballots onto a truck to go immediately to neighboring Marietta GA,which is the county seat of Cobb county where all votes countywide will be processed, tabulated and certified. There are ten thousand trained volunteers statewide doing poll observing at precincts as well as observing the vote count in each county into the night. Georgia’s improved system will tabulate and report out the early votes by 8pm or so, and 56% of all active voters voted early. Not sure how long until Election Day results start periodically being reported. But the big counties will go deep into the wee hours.

Tomorrow I’ll go to the Marietta elections office to serve as an attorney volunteer ballot monitor for the dem party of Georgia in Cobb county with a few other credentialed dem volunteers . We’ll have GOP counterparts., other work will be to aid voters in curing Any deficiencies in their ansebtee ballots or provisional ballots until Friday COB. Democracy takes a village!!!

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founding

Thank you for your service, Gail!

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You’re welcome - it feels good to be doing something while waiting to see how it turns out once votes are counted!

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As a fellow Georgian, I thank you for serving as a poll observer for the entire process. A long day indeed, but also very fulfilling! Later this morning, I will be driving to Henry County from my red county to help with whatever the Harris Walz office needs me to do!

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Thank you Jayne!!! Feels good to be helpful.

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Thank you for your service, Gail!

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I'm ready for this. I was 6 when Truman beat Dewey in 1948. I'm thrilled to see a Black South Asian woman elected US President. It's happening!

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What!? Dewey lost?

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William, you are well seasoned in this! Do you, like I, who met Jimmy Carter in '76 as a rising 11 year-old feel like this is some sort of penultimate election?

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In the early 60s, KSC, young Americans had vastly higher expectations. After all we were the children of the New Deal. Our parents were war heroes, survivors of the Great Depression. We had high expectations then, but our violence and Vietnam diverted and demoralized us. Carter asked us to grow up. He's never been forgiven, has he? Meanwhile the climate that made our wealth possible crumbles under our corruptions. Joe Biden, my younger contemporary is the first president to begin to turn the ship around. Electing Kamala aims us in a positive direction but unless there is a new urgency I dare not contemplate ultimates.

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William, I so appreciate you taking the time to reply to my query. I got to say —although I miss the dynamism of American political culture living here in what is relatively a very, very accepting, even docile Swedish political culture — Americans could ‘grow up’ a bit. I mean, when will the voting masses learn that the economic circumstances an incumbent candidate has wrangled with are often, 1. impacted by circumstances beyond any one leader’s control, and are often global as was the 2020+ crisis, and 2. stem, to a marked extent, from the policies of the PRIOR administration (for Biden, Trump’s tax breaks, deregulation, and failure to adequately meet Covid 19) and take time to fix if even fixable. On the latter point, Trump inherited Obama’s economy, as W. inherited Clinton’s. (In the UK, Labor is now in over its’ head because of the Torys ‘policies.’)

Beyond the economy, I really quake to witness how some citizens will spew their blame-the-sitting-government knee-jerk venom as these weather events cause catastrophic damage time-and-short-intervals-of-time again. I am not absolving political leaders in the US, Europe or the King of Spain for complicity in political cowardliness since we first learned of the dangers of climate change, but many of the very same citizens that are hardest hurt now voted in politicians that have denied climate change in order to pad their pockets with money from the petro industry.

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Well said, KSC. Thank you!

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As a hormone crazed 14-year-old, I shook Reagan's hand at the Fort Wayne airport in 1976. My views have changed over the past 20 years. Go Blue!

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I was 8 when Truman won. It was a good day in our home, my parents had both voted for Truman, but the newspaper said Dewey won, until he didn’t.

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Thank you, Joyce! It has occurred to me that perhaps Kamala Harris could address the nation at some point this evening. Before Trump can do so. To remind people about the process, to reassure them that their votes will be counted, and to ask for patience. I understand this has never been done before. I understand the risks. But I wonder . . . Her campaign has been so smart, so strategic. Might she steal his thunder in some way? It was unheard of for a candidate to claim victory that early, so might she claim confidence in the election process? Unheard of, yes. But now there's precedent for "unheard of"! The other possibility, of course, is that there is not nearly the red mirage the Trump campaign is hoping for. That the early numbers do not support claiming victory. Or undercut his doing so. Anyway, I thank you for all your good work in clarifying legal issues and the stakes of this election for months and months and months now. You (and your chickens!) have kept me calm, and I am grateful.

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This is an excellent idea.

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Beth, i think your idea is super. Kamala could keep things positive, calm and off Trump for a bit. I also agree that Joyce has been invaluable in keeping me informed and more knowledgable about issues, their ramifications and the legal activities that ensue. I for one suspect that today, and during some days to come, we may be faced with more tension than we'd like - that damn electoral college and the litigious approach to elections we've come to know and look to Joyce to explain. From the onset it was suspected that only an overwhelming win would result in calm waters. That seems unlikely. So, I hope to continue to learn from Joyce, and this community she's garnered. And give thanks for the sharing of knowledge and opinions and the chickens that I've grown to appreciate and look forward to hearing about amid elections and law suits.

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The red mirage is not as likely to manifest this election, since the GOP has promoted early voting. It would look strange if he claimed victory even as she was leading.

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Beth, I’ve been so focused on writing to corporate media CEOs pressing them to alert the public to the plausibility of a red mirage, replete with an explanation, that your terrific idea of Harris addressing the nation hadn’t occurred to me. Would you consider writing to the Harris campaign kamalaharris.com/contact-us/ and presenting your proposal?

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Watching keenly from NZ and sending love and support to all my sisters in the USA. We’re behind you all the way.

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Thanks for your support, Jill! So much has been done to get out the vote here, and Kamala has run a great and quick campaign, glad today is here and we will know results soon. I am very positive!!

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Paragraph 3- small correction. He lost 61 out of 62 cases…..

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The "he" Joyce was referring to was Mr. Elias. I had to read that over two or three times to realize what was meant. Trump, of course, LOST those legal challenges, but Mark Elias won them.

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It's confusing and terrifying and is worth editing for clarity as it is not at all clear since she jumps from Trump as the subject to some random character she hasn't introduced. Most terrifying typo I've read today as it makes it seem Trump won.

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Absolutely. I came here to say that also. Not bring as versed in the situation, I had to Google Marc Elias for clarification of that statement (

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(Dang so many typos.) Not BEING as versed in the situation, I freaked out when I first read that sentence but calmed down after I googled Marc Elias to find out who he was.

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Start watching Brian Tyler Cohen and Mark Elias on YouTube. Their program is called Democracy Docket and here is a recent one with Jamie Raskin to start you off.

https://youtu.be/4h01V_d3b8g?si=EPhE-2B57wDlz7MT

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Cohen's book Shameless is well worth the read!

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Stephanie Miller each morning...Free Speech TV WCPT Chicago online

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He’s the lead democratic election lawyer.

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I read it as it was intended. But then I knew that info and the guy before reading it wasn’t hard for me to follow.

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Marc Elias is the 8th Wonder! He never gives up and is so believable and positive!

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Thanks

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I voted early and it was a moment that affirmed my faith in my community and country. I am expecting a good result. And yes...welcome Madame President!

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Happy election day everyone. I have been a subscriber for almost a year, but have never posted a comment. I always enjoy reading other folks comments. But today Is different. My husband of 48 years passed away suddenly in July. He was a journalism major and worked for the Birmingham News for years. He left to pursue another career path, but he was always writing. He kept up with politics and worked on several campaigns. We moved to GA a few years ago to be near our daughter. My husband got involved with the local democrats. He was always about the news. I will miss him as I watch the day unfold. I have faith Kamala Harris will be the next President 🙏

Thank you Joyce, for being the voice of reason and knowledge in this uncertain time. Bless you all.

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I’m sorry for your loss Katherine. It might take a while for the sun to fully rise again but today I think we’ll witness it slowly emerging from the horizon to bring the light back. We’re with you. You are not alone.

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Thank you so much for those kind words!

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So sorry for your loss. Not easy to get thru.

Welcome to the comment page! Keep it up! Joyce spoils us daily with sharing her ideas and brilliance. Join in! Her pets are thrilling to see.

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founding

thank you, Joyce, for your measured, determined education for us non-lawyers through the morass. You are a treasure. Enjoy those chickens! Celebrate this country because our system is still preferable to every other system, even with our flaws as long as we retain rule of law.

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I guess it is now common place or the ‘new reality’, but I find it odd that the centre of an election to the highest office of the land is a compulsive lying narcissistic sociopath. Seems odd for a civilized society but then American exceptionalism is a weird concept anyway.

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founding

It's not odd. The patriarchy would take that scenario any day over a woman in the highest office in the land.

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Sad but so true

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If you read Heather Cox Richardson, she explained in yesterday's post that our country has been here several times before-- maybe not the narcissistic sociopath leader part-- but with a minority with almost all the power at the federal level trying to overthrow democracy, and that every single time, ordinary citizens have stood up to the wanna be ruling class.

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Wayne, it is a arrogant doctrine but it is not what is at play here if Trump wins. The concept...up to now.... is quite different than what Trump/Vance have in store should they succeed in winning/taking office. Opposite almost: "Proponents argue that the values, political system, and historical development of the U.S. are unique in human history, often with the implication that it is both destined and entitled to play a distinct and positive role on the world stage." (See Wiki) I read the MAGA movement, seasoned with Vance as VP as moving fast away from playing the kind of role on the world stage that would satisfy that definition. As so much of what is playing out echos the precipice-stakes confronting the allies in WWII, I also note that Winston Churchill, who went to great lengths touting the special contribution of the 'english-speaking peoples' to a peaceful, engaged world order, is spinning in his grave right now, like so many of us spinning now above ground in the here and now.

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Thank you so much Joyce. I would like to recommend that people take care of themselves today. Do not drown in the news pundits' predictions or the latest polls. Turn them off. The polls are irrelevant and deeply flawed. Instead, think of all the hard work so many of us have done with donations, canvassing, phone banking, and postcards. Think of Marc Elias and his team who are working tirelessly each day to defend our voting rights against the frivolous law suits of the other side. Think about the remarkable campaign our side has executed on the ground, in advertising, those incredible rallies and the policy positions put forward by Kamala Harris. Think about Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Olivia Troye, the many National Security and Defense officials who have endorsed VP Harris and are actively campaigning for her. The women, union members, seniors, all of us rational people who have supported the Harris-Walz campaign. Eat healthy today, take a walk if you can (raining here), and don't stay up waiting for results. It's not going to be like 2008 or 2012 when we knew the results for President Obama the same night. I feel we are going to win, perhaps by a wider margin than what the polls are indicating.

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I’ll be walking the golf course with my besties on a beautiful day here in Northern California followed by celebratory bubbly at the 19th hole ☀️🍻🇺🇸💙🎉 We’ve got this!!❤️

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Love your post, Linda🩵 I am with you 100% in Michigan. Playing mah jongg with friends this afternoon for laughs and snacks — oh, yeah, and the game 😊!

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Thank you, Linda. I agree that turning off the reporters' noise is a good choice. They were already at it, full bore, instead of the 6:30 evening news here in Michigan.

Even in a "normal" year, I've always thought that reporting election results should be prohibited until ALL of the polls in all of the states are closed, but I suppose that notion would be impossible now, in the age of social media.

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