‘Republicans for Harris’ launches with support from Chuck Hagel and Melania’s former aide Stephanie Grisham. The initiative is “a grassroots organizing program to further outreach efforts to the millions of Republican voters who continue to reject the chaos, division, and violence of Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda,” the Harris campaign said in a statement on Sunday. Notable endorsements include former White House Press Secretary and Melania Trump chief-of-staff Stephanie Grisham, and former homeland security and counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye. “As a national security official and lifelong Republican, I witnessed firsthand the threat Donald Trump poses to our country while working in the Trump White House,” Troye wrote. “ The stakes are too high to let partisanship jeopardize our freedoms and the Constitution.”
She’s just as bad as he is. Don’t waste any sympathy on her. She’ll probably bail right before he loses all his money and before she’ll miss out on her settlement.
Melanoma stole Michelle's speech word for word!! .... The "jacket" ............ To get a refresher on the "Sloveinan Sphinx" go back and check out all of Laura Benanti`s
Tonight Show apperances on YOUTUBE. Year after year she made grand slama breaking up Colbert again and again.......millions of hits!!!
Marla, you are right about Melania. She, just like her Donnie is a user. They can read a situation and play it in whatever way will get them the most, usually with people who have no clue, but are consumed with anger, fear, resentment, and hatred, emotions that can be easily manipulated and generally used pretty effectively by con artists, which Donnie is, and I suspect she has some skill in that area too, she conned him didn't she! She got pretty much everything she wanted: American citizenship for herself and her family members, lots of money, more attention than she could have gotten in her home country, and a son, and now just hangs on for the fame and attention.
She's waiting for his eulogy. This is why, while he's still alive, he needs to be incarcerated and his illegally gained properties need to be liquidated and proceeds distributed to families who lost someone to COVID.
Technically this whole "Republicans for Harris" was my idea because I posted it here :-)
Didn't occur to me to mention Melania? When has she ever given a sh## about politics? Harris would walk a mile to avoid an endorsement from that, er, [filter applied} person.
I registered in Georgia when I got my license in February and they didn’t accept my real ID DL from Florida (took me time to find my documents cause the boxes were in storage). I voted in the primary in June. But for me to get a mail ballot is a hassle. I’m watching Georgia carefully and blasted Kemp for being a cuck.
Sorry I haven’t commented but my baby kitty Harley Girl has cancer and I’ve been doing hospice care with her, lots of cuddles and snuggles, her will is strong but the mass is blocking more of her intestines and it’s a matter of a day or two now. 😿 I’m losing my ESA kitty.
Thank you. I’ve come to accept the fact but it still hurts deep inside. She fought so hard to live when I originally was going to foster her but she would look in my eyes and show how grateful she was so I kept her.
So sorry, Rusty. I’ve lost 5 pet friends over the years, and it hurts like hell--for a long time. I can still tear up. Keep giving your Harley Girl all that love, and may her passing be gentle into that good night.
I’m so sorry about your kitty… I lost my sweet Toby dog in 2018 bc he had a tumor… I still miss him. I hope you are able to vote with no problems this year… I don’t trust Brian Kemp at all so it’s good you’re keeping an eye on your registration.
Rusty, I think Kemp has feasted on his refusal to break the law for Trump in 2020. I think in other circumstances, or if no one were listening to the call, he would have done the deed. That thought makes me sad that Republicans can be bought so cheaply to sacrifice our Constitution and the rights of the American people.
Agree about Kemp. It’s appalling to me that Trump just slammed both Kemp and Raffensperger yesterday IN GEORGIA, and Kemp’s stupid statement doesn’t say anything about not voting for Trump… Kemp is trying to pander to the “Trump base” and not really speak out against Trump, and then he’ll of course choose party over country and still VOTE for the cretin bc “he’s the Republican candidate”. 🙄
I am so sorry that you are losing Harley Girl. The only thing that made my miserable childhood bearable, was my cat, Pollyanna, who would curl up on my bed and let me use her as a pillow when I was upset. She would purr until I stopped crying. A good cat can make a real difference in our lives. I can tell you that to this day, at least 60 years later, a purring cat is the most comforting thing I know.
It’s very soothing. Harley knew exactly where my back hurt and if I laid on my tummy she would put all 7 pounds on that spot, get it hot and purr. She would sleep tucked up against either my back or tummy and just purr away. If I cried she would run to me and start talking. Now I’ve gotta find the right personality to train.
Harley has already picked out 3 different calico kittens, 2 from the humane society 30 miles away and 1 from a rural shelter 20 miles away. All calico’s and all 3-4 months old.
Saluting Harley. Are the calicos all female? My preference for decades was female orange tabby but now I'm enjoying a couple of brown/gray tabbies, also both females. And a long-haired orange male rescued from a hoarder 7 years ago by police. Still a strange "duck"! May Harley enjoy and be comforted by new family
Yes calico’s are 99% of the time female. They get a bad rap as being like torties with tortitudes but it’s not true. I’m on instagram under Rufkutdiamnd so you can see all the current and former fospice kitties plus mine.
Rusty, I'm sorry for your struggle with your kitty. It must be so very hard for you. I hope you have some wonderful memories of her to take you through the hardest part of her passing.
One of my greatest fears for November is the combination of tools to illegitimately challenge voter rolls and election officials themselves who are 2020 election deniers, so thank you for shining light on this. I live in a state - Oregon - where we vote 100% by mail and have for many years, so this isn’t as high a risk for me. I will know weeks in advance of Election Day if I were to be purged because I wouldn’t get a ballot in the mail and I have time to correct that. We also have a website where I can track the ballot from the time it’s mailed to me until it’s received after I vote and send it back. We also aren’t a swing state so these sorts of fraudulent challenges are less likely. I feel for people who may find out at the polls that they are no longer registered. I’m also very worried about chaos caused by the need to force election officials to do their jobs if they are suborned MAGA minions.
In Colorado, it's about the same. Secure, convenient. It's confounding to me why other states can't do what has been proven to work well by Colorado and Oregon and the several others, for years. Oh, yeah -- here's the reason: Republicans want fewer people to vote, because that is the only way minority rule can prevail.
Yeah, while Postmaster General Louis DeJoy did some shady things in 2020 that affected Pennsylvania in particular with respect to absentee ballots, his “cost cutting measures” haven’t affected purely vote by mail states as much. Shenanigans is removing sorting machines and closing rural mail processing centers may again disenfranchise absentee voters but I’m not sure those states have online ballot tracking so voters likely will never know if their ballots didn’t make it in time. I know Biden is working on appointing new members to the USPS board of governors but as I understand it, several appointees are awaiting senate confirmation.
In general, I wholeheartedly agree. Specifically, my local P>O> is suffering. Sometimes there is no delivery for a few days. Worst of all, the once-wonderful delivery services of UPS and Fed Ex have joined forces with USPS.. After they carry an item across the country, for example, it is handed off to the local P.O for its final destination. Often, it languishes. It takes as long to carry a package four blocks as it did UPS to get it across the ocean!!
Most of us in vote by mail states don't actually mail the thing back. There are drop boxes everywhere. Local police stations and libraries.
A friend who had family in Texas told me they have drop boxes in Texas too. Three in all of Houston. Retrograde state, no wonder they have a governor like Abbott.
Houston is a very diverse city, that mostly votes democratic. They had plenty of drop boxes until after the 2020 election, when they decided they needed to restrict what poor voters and voters of color could do to vote.
I know, and I agree. It's very sad that they have slid so far down that they don't even think like legislators, or a real political party. I'm not sure if it's laziness, greed or the pursuit of power, but whatever it is, it's disgusting. IMO.
Yeah, I do the drop box thing too but that may not be an option in states that are trying to restrict absentee voting and voting by people without a fixed address.
I live in Texas, and while I know that the "leadership" here does a lot of shady things, I live in an area where the people care about doing their job well, so we have fewer problems than most areas.
I wish I could blame it all on Republicans, but here in supposedly true-blue MA our Democratic secretary of state has had to be pushed pushed pushed to implement things like no-fault vote-by-mail. (This was a silver lining in COVID-19: vote-by-mail was instituted temporarily to promote social distancing, then it was made permanent.) Then there's the state legislator who's afraid of being primaried by the large number of college students in his district so he opposes same-day registration and any other measure that might make it easier to vote in our day-after-Labor-Day primary. Republicans are the worst, but politicians trying to protect their perks can be a problem regardless of party.
I live in California, where everyone gets mailed a ballot, by default. We may mail it back, use a Dropbox, go to a polling place, or hand it in to the County Registrar. I’ve already received a postcard from the County Registrar, letting me know that I’m registered to vote for November.
Additionally, we can (and I have) sign up for Ballottrax, which notifies us when our ballots are received and again when they’re counted.
You persuaded me to look up whether we have ballot tracking available in Texas, and we do. I will see if I can find out how to do it, because I've been wondering, given that we vote democratic.
And by law the ballot can be mailed without postage. And if that isn't enough, there are drop boxes that can be used all the way up through Election Day. No excuses, Oregon. (Proud resident of Eugene here - hi, Sioux!)
I live in rural eastern NC, and since DeJoy became Postmaster General, our mail service has become very erratic. I took my 2020 mail in ballot to the Board of Elections office to counted. This year, I'm voting early.
Thank you, Joyce for this invaluable information. I don't see how, in good conscience Brian Kemp can vote for a man who openly insults him and his wife. I thought Southerners we supposed to be proud.
I live in GA, my nephew works for the Secretary of State, I won’t mention his name but you all would know who he is. What I don’t understand is why, with the need for security, brought about by the maggot base, any responsible person would vote repugnantkin. Why Kemp somehow sees Kamala as being more of a threat than the insipid orange turd, who his security detail has to protect him from, and that goes for all of them, is beyond me. Whatever happened to Country first? Just what has Kamala said, that is so un-American, that they would side with the guy that they need protection from? That makes no sense. 🤷♂️
Fay, I think southerners are proud, but when they attach to something or someone, it is hard to move them. Kemp is a Trumper and will do pretty much whatever he can to help Trump and other Georgia Republicans. He really doesn't care if it is against our Constitution. His pride kept him from going along with Trump's cheating scheme, but I think that pride was in place because he knew the call was being monitored and he didn't want to be actually caught cheating. That does not mean he wouldn't cheat for Trump when he wouldn't be so easily caught.
Dick, you are right, Rathensberger was on the call, but I keep thinking Kemp had something to do with it too. Kemp is trying to let people think he is the "moderate" type in GA, and maybe he is, related to constituents of say, Greene, but he has done things lately that make him seem far less than "moderate." His support for Trump is outrageous when he knows that Trump was planning to cheat the people of Georgia. What a guy!
Wouldn't it be simpler if the right wing were honest and agreed to allow every voter to vote, and every vote to be counted? What do they gain when they will be labeled in history as election cheats? The only societal benefit to their craven behavior and cynicism is that eventually Congress will have to pass a new Voting Rights Act that lays out minimum standards for voter registration and the maintenance of voter rolls. In every state! We can't have red states perpetually monkeying with people's sacred civil rights, which include the right to vote!
As you've no doubt noticed, they're also trying to restrict what can be taught as history, so they probably think they've got that covered. The right wing is also the white wing, and that is absolutely what this is about.
In 2021 a federal voting rights law was out of reach; in 2025, a trifecta win of the presidency and U.S. Congress opens that door. Meantime, the challenging anti-voting devices and enablers is a necessity.
"What do they gain when they will be labeled in history as election cheats?" They're trying to change the course of history, then name themselves heroes in new, "acceptable" history books.
For any political party to win a fair and free election they have to appeal to the voters with their ideas and programs, if they can’t win then they need to change, the repugnantkins have mightily resisted that change, lowering taxes for the most wealthy among us, who need lower taxes the least, is not enough, and what strange bedfellows they have concocted, Orban and putin who rockets hospitals full of children. They have lost their minds! 🤷♂️
I'm confused. So Kemp says he wants to work hard against Kamala. Ok. So, who's he supporting? Surely not the goon who attacked him and his family? What makes guys like Kemp and Cruz such wimps?
Very important update. I checked, I'm registered and ready to BE an American! I love my country and what it has given to me (all of you). Thank you. It is critical for us to give back in November by Voting, and then being prepared for the Strumpian aftermath.Don't let him get away with anything ever again y'all.
Why does Trump always tell stories where everybody calls him "Sir"? I can't imagine ANYBODY calling him that under any circumstances! Maybe dog or rat (or worse)!
What really gripes me is how many GOPers call him "Mr. President" and refer to him as "the President." Brian Kemp, whatever else he may be, is not an election denier (at least not publicly), yet he also does this. Those titles are reserved for the currently sitting president alone. According to Emily Post, one addresses a former president as "Mr. LastName." That GOPers continue to address the orange aberration as "Mr. President" and refer to him as "the President" is GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-ATING beyond words!
Yes, i seem to recall that both Judge Engoron and Judge Merchan called him Mr. Trump. What a relief! Of course, that was when we could assume that all of us, without exception, were equal under the law...i.e. before SCOTUS created the immunity ruling for their pet...
Noorillah I couldn't agree more! I kinda like the implications of referring to him repeatedly and openly as "Mr. FORMER President," as sad as that acknowledgement may be. It helps to remind us how we once lost our minds and/or became way too complacent as a democracy.
Complacency, perhaps, for too many, plus James Comey, plus Russian bots homing in on the swing states, plus the "Bernie bros" refusing to vote for Hillary, and other factors beyond our control. A "perfect storm" blew in the wreckage of that former administration. But as they say, "Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us."
Unclear Noorillah. Ambassadors are referred to as Mr Ambassador for life. Same with Senators. It seems odd that only Presidents should lose the honorific?
Not sure why anyone in government should get a lifelong honorific. But there are multiple ambassadors and senators, so those honorifics would not cause any confusion. Only one president at a time, though....
The interviewers spat "sir" at him at his interview, such as it was, at the NABJ meeting. It was an attempt to be respectful toward someone who didn't deserve it and respects ithing and no one.
He's always been treated far better than he deserves.
Gawd...he is so tedious. Not that you asked for validation, but the man, CFDT, is a sick puppy. He believes that trash because a long time ago, when it became apparent that he was a below-average human being, his daddy told him to tell himself he was the best. Now he is one of the few that still believe it. Possibly, the only one.
Thanks, Joyce. It's the electoral college that worries me. I hope the state governors and other officials have a plan on how to make sure the votes are certified accurately and without the shenanigans that they pulled last time or whatever they are planning this time. I'm more hopeful about the voters than I am about the certification procedures, and I hope someone can talk us through that. As for Brian Kemp, if he wants to stop the personal attacks, he should vote for Kamala Harris. It's going to be a busy week. Thanks for all that you do to keep us informed and organized!
I can smell the flop sweat from here. Orange 1 is resorting to his usual clueless tactics of insult and defamation, whether attacking GA governor Kemp who received better than 50% of the vote in 2022, or his new opponent who is stealing his thunder big time. Tantrum is his usual fallback when feeling threatened, showing he has the emotional development of a two year old. This, however, may be the only arrested development we're likely to see for some time.
Once upon a time, mom went to a meeting of the League of Women Voters. 63 years ago. I was 4. Their voters' guides are invaluable. Imagine candidates all asked the same set of questions and having their responses printed for that compare and contrast opportunity. I believe this is still their approach but living in South Texas in a rural community, I don't think they're established here. I would do something directly but I work for a municipality and ever since I've been in public service, I avoid getting directly involved. Funny, right? I'll have to take another look. Best to all!
It's all about how the Republicans plan to steal the election, not if. I trust Marc Elias Law Group to continue to work hard at fighting the corrupt attempts by trump & his cronies to steal elections. Just the fact that trump has told his supporters that they don't need to vote is a SIREN, a TELL that he has people wiling to sell their souls to get him back to the WH. They don't understand that they will face scrutiny and harsh penalties for their illicit actions, and it will help to destroy our country, all for a convicted felon who is, let's face facts, the worst human in America. Do what Joyce has laid out here & help your friends & family to understand what to do to ensure that they will be able to vote & that it will be counted. I yield back my time.
Jen, don't leave Peter Thiel off your list of Worst Human In America!...or Clarence Thomas or Samuel Alito or Kevin Roberts & Paul Dans (of the Heritage Foundation)...
actually, you could list almost all of those gazillionaires who pay so little in taxes; just knowing that if they paid their fair share, we would have zero issues is monstrous on their part.
Perhaps the reason Trump has told his supporters that they don't need to vote is because he's already counting on a (pre-arranged?) 6-3 vote from the Supreme Court over some frivolous voter fraud lawsuit.
I think it's because he plans to change the law that says "two terms." He'll rationalize that it means two consecutive terms, and SCOTUS will rule in his favor. Then, he'll have time to gather support for eliminate term limits altogether. Hence, no need to ever vote for President again. Sound familiar across the world?
‘Republicans for Harris’ launches with support from Chuck Hagel and Melania’s former aide Stephanie Grisham. The initiative is “a grassroots organizing program to further outreach efforts to the millions of Republican voters who continue to reject the chaos, division, and violence of Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda,” the Harris campaign said in a statement on Sunday. Notable endorsements include former White House Press Secretary and Melania Trump chief-of-staff Stephanie Grisham, and former homeland security and counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye. “As a national security official and lifelong Republican, I witnessed firsthand the threat Donald Trump poses to our country while working in the Trump White House,” Troye wrote. “ The stakes are too high to let partisanship jeopardize our freedoms and the Constitution.”
Adam Kinzinger is also part of the Republicans for Harris campaign.
I don't see Melania voting for Trump in the Fall, unless she is being paid. She wants him to lose, so she can dump his fat #ss once and for all!
Oh, please.
She’s just as bad as he is. Don’t waste any sympathy on her. She’ll probably bail right before he loses all his money and before she’ll miss out on her settlement.
Exactly! She was vomiting out that racist birther lie about Barack Obama back in 2012. She's vile.
Melanoma stole Michelle's speech word for word!! .... The "jacket" ............ To get a refresher on the "Sloveinan Sphinx" go back and check out all of Laura Benanti`s
Tonight Show apperances on YOUTUBE. Year after year she made grand slama breaking up Colbert again and again.......millions of hits!!!
Marla, you are right about Melania. She, just like her Donnie is a user. They can read a situation and play it in whatever way will get them the most, usually with people who have no clue, but are consumed with anger, fear, resentment, and hatred, emotions that can be easily manipulated and generally used pretty effectively by con artists, which Donnie is, and I suspect she has some skill in that area too, she conned him didn't she! She got pretty much everything she wanted: American citizenship for herself and her family members, lots of money, more attention than she could have gotten in her home country, and a son, and now just hangs on for the fame and attention.
Why bother paying any attention to her?
She could dump him any time she wishes to. She obviously she doesn’t want to. It’s too lucrative to stay.
She's waiting for his eulogy. This is why, while he's still alive, he needs to be incarcerated and his illegally gained properties need to be liquidated and proceeds distributed to families who lost someone to COVID.
Republican voters against Trump. https://rvat.org/
"Trump hates dogs" repeated daily works.
Great idea on how to distribute the proceeds of his liquidated properties while he's incarcerated! Love it!!!
Pretty sure she's a Russian asset.
Very sure that he is.
Technically this whole "Republicans for Harris" was my idea because I posted it here :-)
Didn't occur to me to mention Melania? When has she ever given a sh## about politics? Harris would walk a mile to avoid an endorsement from that, er, [filter applied} person.
Yup, she "really doesn't care".
But these anti-Trumpers still vote Republican in down ticket races.
I registered in Georgia when I got my license in February and they didn’t accept my real ID DL from Florida (took me time to find my documents cause the boxes were in storage). I voted in the primary in June. But for me to get a mail ballot is a hassle. I’m watching Georgia carefully and blasted Kemp for being a cuck.
Sorry I haven’t commented but my baby kitty Harley Girl has cancer and I’ve been doing hospice care with her, lots of cuddles and snuggles, her will is strong but the mass is blocking more of her intestines and it’s a matter of a day or two now. 😿 I’m losing my ESA kitty.
Just give Harley girl all your love and time at this moment. This should be your priority right now. Sorry for you coming loss.
Thank you. I’ve come to accept the fact but it still hurts deep inside. She fought so hard to live when I originally was going to foster her but she would look in my eyes and show how grateful she was so I kept her.
So sorry, Rusty. I’ve lost 5 pet friends over the years, and it hurts like hell--for a long time. I can still tear up. Keep giving your Harley Girl all that love, and may her passing be gentle into that good night.
I’m so sorry about your kitty… I lost my sweet Toby dog in 2018 bc he had a tumor… I still miss him. I hope you are able to vote with no problems this year… I don’t trust Brian Kemp at all so it’s good you’re keeping an eye on your registration.
He seemed more normal than DeSantis and I really hated what he did to Florida. But he’s a wimp and instead of standing up he cowered with his words.
Rusty, I think Kemp has feasted on his refusal to break the law for Trump in 2020. I think in other circumstances, or if no one were listening to the call, he would have done the deed. That thought makes me sad that Republicans can be bought so cheaply to sacrifice our Constitution and the rights of the American people.
Agree about Kemp. It’s appalling to me that Trump just slammed both Kemp and Raffensperger yesterday IN GEORGIA, and Kemp’s stupid statement doesn’t say anything about not voting for Trump… Kemp is trying to pander to the “Trump base” and not really speak out against Trump, and then he’ll of course choose party over country and still VOTE for the cretin bc “he’s the Republican candidate”. 🙄
Rusty, I'm so sorry for Harley Girl. I'm so glad you are a good and responsible cat parent. I hate losing any furry friend but cats are extra-special.
On an unrelated note, Georgia didn’t accept your REAL ID drivers license from Florida?!?
That's the ultimate voter suppression right there.
Exactly! I had to have the exact same documents for both states.
😢
I am so sorry that you are losing Harley Girl. The only thing that made my miserable childhood bearable, was my cat, Pollyanna, who would curl up on my bed and let me use her as a pillow when I was upset. She would purr until I stopped crying. A good cat can make a real difference in our lives. I can tell you that to this day, at least 60 years later, a purring cat is the most comforting thing I know.
It’s very soothing. Harley knew exactly where my back hurt and if I laid on my tummy she would put all 7 pounds on that spot, get it hot and purr. She would sleep tucked up against either my back or tummy and just purr away. If I cried she would run to me and start talking. Now I’ve gotta find the right personality to train.
No wonder you love her so much!
I am so sorry. I've been there with my cats and never dissuaded from adopting more from our county animal shelter.
Harley has already picked out 3 different calico kittens, 2 from the humane society 30 miles away and 1 from a rural shelter 20 miles away. All calico’s and all 3-4 months old.
Saluting Harley. Are the calicos all female? My preference for decades was female orange tabby but now I'm enjoying a couple of brown/gray tabbies, also both females. And a long-haired orange male rescued from a hoarder 7 years ago by police. Still a strange "duck"! May Harley enjoy and be comforted by new family
Yes calico’s are 99% of the time female. They get a bad rap as being like torties with tortitudes but it’s not true. I’m on instagram under Rufkutdiamnd so you can see all the current and former fospice kitties plus mine.
This sad news about Harley Girl has put me on pause, Rusty. Lifting her up in my mind's eye as you administer to her needs. 💙
So sorry to hear, get in as many cuddles as possible to carry you through.
So very sorry to read this--it is very difficult to lose a beloved pet.
I'm so sorry about your kitty 😺
Rusty, I'm sorry for your struggle with your kitty. It must be so very hard for you. I hope you have some wonderful memories of her to take you through the hardest part of her passing.
Virtual scritches for Harley.
So sorry about your sweet kitty.
So sorry, Rusty. Keep your furry friend close in your heart ❤️.
So sorry🥲
One of my greatest fears for November is the combination of tools to illegitimately challenge voter rolls and election officials themselves who are 2020 election deniers, so thank you for shining light on this. I live in a state - Oregon - where we vote 100% by mail and have for many years, so this isn’t as high a risk for me. I will know weeks in advance of Election Day if I were to be purged because I wouldn’t get a ballot in the mail and I have time to correct that. We also have a website where I can track the ballot from the time it’s mailed to me until it’s received after I vote and send it back. We also aren’t a swing state so these sorts of fraudulent challenges are less likely. I feel for people who may find out at the polls that they are no longer registered. I’m also very worried about chaos caused by the need to force election officials to do their jobs if they are suborned MAGA minions.
In Colorado, it's about the same. Secure, convenient. It's confounding to me why other states can't do what has been proven to work well by Colorado and Oregon and the several others, for years. Oh, yeah -- here's the reason: Republicans want fewer people to vote, because that is the only way minority rule can prevail.
Yeah, while Postmaster General Louis DeJoy did some shady things in 2020 that affected Pennsylvania in particular with respect to absentee ballots, his “cost cutting measures” haven’t affected purely vote by mail states as much. Shenanigans is removing sorting machines and closing rural mail processing centers may again disenfranchise absentee voters but I’m not sure those states have online ballot tracking so voters likely will never know if their ballots didn’t make it in time. I know Biden is working on appointing new members to the USPS board of governors but as I understand it, several appointees are awaiting senate confirmation.
My gawwwd…I want DeJoy to be ousted! You did hear that Biden has placed Val Demmings on the board now, right? This is perfect for her expertise.
In general, I wholeheartedly agree. Specifically, my local P>O> is suffering. Sometimes there is no delivery for a few days. Worst of all, the once-wonderful delivery services of UPS and Fed Ex have joined forces with USPS.. After they carry an item across the country, for example, it is handed off to the local P.O for its final destination. Often, it languishes. It takes as long to carry a package four blocks as it did UPS to get it across the ocean!!
Most of us in vote by mail states don't actually mail the thing back. There are drop boxes everywhere. Local police stations and libraries.
A friend who had family in Texas told me they have drop boxes in Texas too. Three in all of Houston. Retrograde state, no wonder they have a governor like Abbott.
Houston is a very diverse city, that mostly votes democratic. They had plenty of drop boxes until after the 2020 election, when they decided they needed to restrict what poor voters and voters of color could do to vote.
The only way they can win: suppress the vote. They're very good at it. Unfortunately.
I know, and I agree. It's very sad that they have slid so far down that they don't even think like legislators, or a real political party. I'm not sure if it's laziness, greed or the pursuit of power, but whatever it is, it's disgusting. IMO.
Yeah, I do the drop box thing too but that may not be an option in states that are trying to restrict absentee voting and voting by people without a fixed address.
I live in Texas, and while I know that the "leadership" here does a lot of shady things, I live in an area where the people care about doing their job well, so we have fewer problems than most areas.
Biden did appoint another member to the Board. Joyce wrote about it recently. VA has the worst mail delivery in the country. I have items that have been in Richmond since 2022 when DeJoy took office and another stuck in OH since early June. https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/the-week-ahead-c60?r=3oe69&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I wish I could blame it all on Republicans, but here in supposedly true-blue MA our Democratic secretary of state has had to be pushed pushed pushed to implement things like no-fault vote-by-mail. (This was a silver lining in COVID-19: vote-by-mail was instituted temporarily to promote social distancing, then it was made permanent.) Then there's the state legislator who's afraid of being primaried by the large number of college students in his district so he opposes same-day registration and any other measure that might make it easier to vote in our day-after-Labor-Day primary. Republicans are the worst, but politicians trying to protect their perks can be a problem regardless of party.
They know, they’ve said it: If everyone votes, they won’t win.
They could have Vote By Mail. But their administrations don't want them to.
Perhaps because of Jarrod Polis the governor, he’s amazing…it starts from the top!
I live in California, where everyone gets mailed a ballot, by default. We may mail it back, use a Dropbox, go to a polling place, or hand it in to the County Registrar. I’ve already received a postcard from the County Registrar, letting me know that I’m registered to vote for November.
Additionally, we can (and I have) sign up for Ballottrax, which notifies us when our ballots are received and again when they’re counted.
It’s a good, workable system.
You persuaded me to look up whether we have ballot tracking available in Texas, and we do. I will see if I can find out how to do it, because I've been wondering, given that we vote democratic.
And by law the ballot can be mailed without postage. And if that isn't enough, there are drop boxes that can be used all the way up through Election Day. No excuses, Oregon. (Proud resident of Eugene here - hi, Sioux!)
Hi Deborah, I’m in Portland, was in Eugene decades ago for grad school.
I live in rural eastern NC, and since DeJoy became Postmaster General, our mail service has become very erratic. I took my 2020 mail in ballot to the Board of Elections office to counted. This year, I'm voting early.
The Republican push to keep people from voting is the opposite of what we should be all about. My take is that’s the only way they think they can win.
Thank you, Joyce for this invaluable information. I don't see how, in good conscience Brian Kemp can vote for a man who openly insults him and his wife. I thought Southerners we supposed to be proud.
I live in GA, my nephew works for the Secretary of State, I won’t mention his name but you all would know who he is. What I don’t understand is why, with the need for security, brought about by the maggot base, any responsible person would vote repugnantkin. Why Kemp somehow sees Kamala as being more of a threat than the insipid orange turd, who his security detail has to protect him from, and that goes for all of them, is beyond me. Whatever happened to Country first? Just what has Kamala said, that is so un-American, that they would side with the guy that they need protection from? That makes no sense. 🤷♂️
Anything can "make sense" to a person who believes the Earth is flat. No facts, no problem.
Pride goeth before the fall this fall. Hopefully for both Kemp and Trump.
Fay, I think southerners are proud, but when they attach to something or someone, it is hard to move them. Kemp is a Trumper and will do pretty much whatever he can to help Trump and other Georgia Republicans. He really doesn't care if it is against our Constitution. His pride kept him from going along with Trump's cheating scheme, but I think that pride was in place because he knew the call was being monitored and he didn't want to be actually caught cheating. That does not mean he wouldn't cheat for Trump when he wouldn't be so easily caught.
Rathensberger was on the call with the orange turd, not Kemp as far as I know.
Dick, you are right, Rathensberger was on the call, but I keep thinking Kemp had something to do with it too. Kemp is trying to let people think he is the "moderate" type in GA, and maybe he is, related to constituents of say, Greene, but he has done things lately that make him seem far less than "moderate." His support for Trump is outrageous when he knows that Trump was planning to cheat the people of Georgia. What a guy!
As far as I know it was with the Secretary of State’s office not the Governor’s. I need to shut up now 🤷♂️🙏
Venal
Professor, DONE:
✔️ Already Registered to vote & confirmed registered status
✔️ Will vote early per state law & confirm Registrars receipt of my ballot
✔️ I am an authorized Court election Worker for 11/5/24 & my training starts soon
❗️On national Team Harris
✔️Joined ACLU; ready for trial your Honor
Bryan: Pat, would you sing 'ALL FIRED UP'?
Pat: sure, I released this on Cherry Red Records back in the UK; Here ya' go:
*****
🎶 A'int nobody livin' in a perfect world
🎶 Everybody's out there ... crying' to be heard
🎶 Now I got a new fire 🔥 burnin' in my eyes
🎶 Lightin' up the Darkness & movin' real good ... cuz
🎶 I'm All Fired Up
🎶 Yea I'm all Fired Up
🎶 Yes ... All Fired Up
🔥 All fired Up!🔥
[Repeat as Needed]
Registered. Confirmed. Will vote in person at the vote center to which I'll be assigned as election worker. Waiting to hear about training. 🤸♀️
Should have another message Today, Monday.
Wouldn't it be simpler if the right wing were honest and agreed to allow every voter to vote, and every vote to be counted? What do they gain when they will be labeled in history as election cheats? The only societal benefit to their craven behavior and cynicism is that eventually Congress will have to pass a new Voting Rights Act that lays out minimum standards for voter registration and the maintenance of voter rolls. In every state! We can't have red states perpetually monkeying with people's sacred civil rights, which include the right to vote!
As you've no doubt noticed, they're also trying to restrict what can be taught as history, so they probably think they've got that covered. The right wing is also the white wing, and that is absolutely what this is about.
In 2021 a federal voting rights law was out of reach; in 2025, a trifecta win of the presidency and U.S. Congress opens that door. Meantime, the challenging anti-voting devices and enablers is a necessity.
"What do they gain when they will be labeled in history as election cheats?" They're trying to change the course of history, then name themselves heroes in new, "acceptable" history books.
And trying to stay in power, to rule, no matter what, because they are so important and deserving.
For any political party to win a fair and free election they have to appeal to the voters with their ideas and programs, if they can’t win then they need to change, the repugnantkins have mightily resisted that change, lowering taxes for the most wealthy among us, who need lower taxes the least, is not enough, and what strange bedfellows they have concocted, Orban and putin who rockets hospitals full of children. They have lost their minds! 🤷♂️
Absolutely. It WOULD be simpler if the right wing were honest.
Money and power
I'm confused. So Kemp says he wants to work hard against Kamala. Ok. So, who's he supporting? Surely not the goon who attacked him and his family? What makes guys like Kemp and Cruz such wimps?
Mark I so agree I had to re read Kemp posted a few times in that it made absolutely no sense...
Then I remembered cuck cults aren't supposed to make sense
I think wimp is too mild a term for them, though I'm not sure of what a better one would be that is rated G.
The goon who attacks them and their families.
As always, thanks for the update and the encouragement. We must keep the momentum going.
Every time I see him lately, or read his weird messages, I re-experience these flashes of Star Wars:
Star Wars Weird
Watching his political rally lull
I kept getting flashes of Jabba
the Hutt, wet, lulling around in a tub
burbling, "I give no second chances..."
A slug-like alien burping, "Vote for me,
and you’ll never have to vote again..."
The arena cheered his entrance, though
the thrill of the race proved not entertaining
enough to keep Jabba awake. Here he was,
huge mouth agape snoring his ominous
words, "No second chance, vote for me,
and you’ll never have to vote again..."
Jabba’s laugh recalled his massive rancor…
Soon a victim of his own hubris and vengeful
ways. Choked by a woman until he let out
one last gasp, "No second chance, vote for me,
and you’ll never have to vote again."
https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/what-happens-when-election-officials-refuse-to-certify-results/
People may find these two articles informative. They’re from Marc Elias’s newsletter.
https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/the-fight-to-certify-elections-has-already-begun/?utm_source=Democracy+Docket+Newsletters&utm_campaign=f6218d7716-20240801_dailydocket_CC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-79f5309977-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=f6218d7716
Thank you, that was comforting. Let's hope it's a wide margin and someday soon we can get to a place where this crap isn't tolerated.
Maybe the foreign born election manipulators like Musk and Murdoch will lose interest.
Very important update. I checked, I'm registered and ready to BE an American! I love my country and what it has given to me (all of you). Thank you. It is critical for us to give back in November by Voting, and then being prepared for the Strumpian aftermath.Don't let him get away with anything ever again y'all.
Why does Trump always tell stories where everybody calls him "Sir"? I can't imagine ANYBODY calling him that under any circumstances! Maybe dog or rat (or worse)!
What really gripes me is how many GOPers call him "Mr. President" and refer to him as "the President." Brian Kemp, whatever else he may be, is not an election denier (at least not publicly), yet he also does this. Those titles are reserved for the currently sitting president alone. According to Emily Post, one addresses a former president as "Mr. LastName." That GOPers continue to address the orange aberration as "Mr. President" and refer to him as "the President" is GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-ATING beyond words!
The NY judge referred to him as Mr. Trump which pissed him off! This is the one where he was convicted 34 times.
Yes, i seem to recall that both Judge Engoron and Judge Merchan called him Mr. Trump. What a relief! Of course, that was when we could assume that all of us, without exception, were equal under the law...i.e. before SCOTUS created the immunity ruling for their pet...
Noorillah I couldn't agree more! I kinda like the implications of referring to him repeatedly and openly as "Mr. FORMER President," as sad as that acknowledgement may be. It helps to remind us how we once lost our minds and/or became way too complacent as a democracy.
Complacency, perhaps, for too many, plus James Comey, plus Russian bots homing in on the swing states, plus the "Bernie bros" refusing to vote for Hillary, and other factors beyond our control. A "perfect storm" blew in the wreckage of that former administration. But as they say, "Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us."
Unclear Noorillah. Ambassadors are referred to as Mr Ambassador for life. Same with Senators. It seems odd that only Presidents should lose the honorific?
Maybe that's the price they pay for immunity :-)
Not sure why anyone in government should get a lifelong honorific. But there are multiple ambassadors and senators, so those honorifics would not cause any confusion. Only one president at a time, though....
It’s part of his sociopathy.
POS
The interviewers spat "sir" at him at his interview, such as it was, at the NABJ meeting. It was an attempt to be respectful toward someone who didn't deserve it and respects ithing and no one.
He's always been treated far better than he deserves.
Gawd...he is so tedious. Not that you asked for validation, but the man, CFDT, is a sick puppy. He believes that trash because a long time ago, when it became apparent that he was a below-average human being, his daddy told him to tell himself he was the best. Now he is one of the few that still believe it. Possibly, the only one.
Thanks, Joyce. It's the electoral college that worries me. I hope the state governors and other officials have a plan on how to make sure the votes are certified accurately and without the shenanigans that they pulled last time or whatever they are planning this time. I'm more hopeful about the voters than I am about the certification procedures, and I hope someone can talk us through that. As for Brian Kemp, if he wants to stop the personal attacks, he should vote for Kamala Harris. It's going to be a busy week. Thanks for all that you do to keep us informed and organized!
I can smell the flop sweat from here. Orange 1 is resorting to his usual clueless tactics of insult and defamation, whether attacking GA governor Kemp who received better than 50% of the vote in 2022, or his new opponent who is stealing his thunder big time. Tantrum is his usual fallback when feeling threatened, showing he has the emotional development of a two year old. This, however, may be the only arrested development we're likely to see for some time.
Once upon a time, mom went to a meeting of the League of Women Voters. 63 years ago. I was 4. Their voters' guides are invaluable. Imagine candidates all asked the same set of questions and having their responses printed for that compare and contrast opportunity. I believe this is still their approach but living in South Texas in a rural community, I don't think they're established here. I would do something directly but I work for a municipality and ever since I've been in public service, I avoid getting directly involved. Funny, right? I'll have to take another look. Best to all!
It's all about how the Republicans plan to steal the election, not if. I trust Marc Elias Law Group to continue to work hard at fighting the corrupt attempts by trump & his cronies to steal elections. Just the fact that trump has told his supporters that they don't need to vote is a SIREN, a TELL that he has people wiling to sell their souls to get him back to the WH. They don't understand that they will face scrutiny and harsh penalties for their illicit actions, and it will help to destroy our country, all for a convicted felon who is, let's face facts, the worst human in America. Do what Joyce has laid out here & help your friends & family to understand what to do to ensure that they will be able to vote & that it will be counted. I yield back my time.
The worst human in America title is challenged by Charles Koch and Elon Musk
Jen, don't leave Peter Thiel off your list of Worst Human In America!...or Clarence Thomas or Samuel Alito or Kevin Roberts & Paul Dans (of the Heritage Foundation)...
actually, you could list almost all of those gazillionaires who pay so little in taxes; just knowing that if they paid their fair share, we would have zero issues is monstrous on their part.
Perhaps the reason Trump has told his supporters that they don't need to vote is because he's already counting on a (pre-arranged?) 6-3 vote from the Supreme Court over some frivolous voter fraud lawsuit.
I think it's because he plans to change the law that says "two terms." He'll rationalize that it means two consecutive terms, and SCOTUS will rule in his favor. Then, he'll have time to gather support for eliminate term limits altogether. Hence, no need to ever vote for President again. Sound familiar across the world?