Thanks Joyce for emphasizing the importance of down ballot votes. Without the Senate and the House we will suffer from non government again. Work for and vote for Democrats in all elections
Remember: If trump wins, the Republicans retain the House, and Mike Johnson continues as Speaker, there will be two white "Christian" nationalists/supremacists standing second and third in line to the presidency. We must turn the House blue and ensure Hakeem Jeffries holds the gavel.
If Joe Biden had done due diligence and had cracked down on border transgressions early on in his administration, we wouldn’t need to be hoping for a miracle.
I'm sure what you mean to say is that if the bipartisan conservative-leaning border bill had been signed and not killed by Orange 1 for campaign purposes, the immigration "issue" would be just a simple matter of putting the entire city of Springfield, OH at risk for violence. And other defamatory and inciteful statements and actions dealing with immigrants.
Biden accomplished some amazing things with razor thin congressional majorities in the first half of his administration. I have no doubt that immigration reform would have been on the short list had the congressional majority not been lost to the GOP in November 2022. Immigration reform has always been the task of Congress first, administration second. He did the hard work of coming to agreement with a horribly dysfunctional congress, only to have the non-elected leader of the GOP fire a torpedo into the legislative process and kill the bill. Indeed, perhaps it should have been at the front of the agenda from day 1 in 2021, but remember, we WERE in the midst of a global pandemic, a flash recession and reeling from a near coup in DC.
What Some Ancient Rulers Have in Common with Trump
(From "Donald's Vanity Tantrums." Biden didn't want to follow Trump inititives at the border. Mayham resulted.)
During ancient Egyptian dynasties, monarchs often defaced or destroyed statues representing the previous ruler to erase the reputation and deeds of the former ruler. Sometimes damage was limited to facial disfigurement as with Pharaoh Senwosrett III (1878-1840 BC) whose nose was broken off because ancients believed that the life force emanates through the nose.
Trump shares this goal when renegotiating and tearing up Clinton and Obama-era treaties.
NAFTA is one such remake that removes Clinton’s name from the global trade agreement. As Politico writer Adam Behsudi quotes Lori Wallace, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch said, “For those who trusted Trump’s pledge to make NAFTA ‘much better’ for working people, it’s a punch in the face because the proposal describes TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) or any other same-old, same-old trade deal.” There are no improvements -- only the removal of the Obama legacy and any other former president’s name.
This symbolic effigy-smashing of Obama extends to the Iran Nuclear Deal, to recertify to Congress every 90 days that the Iranians are complying with the rules; the Paris Climate Agreement; The Affordable Healthcare Act and all other agreements that Obama successfully negotiated regarding the environment and human rights.
In the land that I call home, tens of millions of Americans who couldn’t tell the difference between shit and Shinola, resulting in the election of a malevolent quasi-life form that makes George W. seem like Jesus, Moses, and George Washington rolled into one. Maybe our next president, if we are still electing presidents that is, will take cues from Trump and the ancients as well. A good start would be to remove any future White House portrait of him that might eventually be instaslled.
I don’t question that Trump and his administration want to put their own imprimatur on everything in an attempt to purge progressive ideals from our history, but, he will go far beyond defacing any physical symbols of those ideals. He wants to rebrand America as his own experiment in authoritarianism.
I am unsure about that. We have had other bad presidents, although I will concede that Trump will go down as the worst. Does Andrew Johnson have a portrait up anywhere in our DC federal buildings?
Optimism from outer space and contemporary " very" seniors...
The brave astronauts , currently stuck in outer space, announced they will.be casting their votes from.their capsule! Now if that doesn't touch yours sense of duty to vote...shame on you! One very senior lady shared that due to her hands being compromised by arthritis she could not write post cards...so she volunteered to make phone calls! That's the spirit it takes to succeed!
God Bless our astronauts and all those who volunteer any way they can!
Time is short! Find any way you are able to help...
Hi Bill - I am afraid you are oversimplifying the situation and the Biden administration has been picking up the pieces that the former President left us ever since.
Not just the former president, but all the way back to Reagan. He has had the guts to try to turn around Reaganomics, which is why our economy is thriving, and his reward is being pushed out by the truly wealthy in our country and the politicians who are beholden to them, counting on Harris to make less of a tax hit on them. This is true with her plans asking for them to pay already more than 10% less. So, they got what they wished for, which is if Trump does not make it, they have an opponent who is asking for less from them.
This is today's Popular Information - a simple explanation (if anyone needs it) of WHY people in the bottom of our economy feel the way they do - and it puts the blame where it belongs & has belonged for 40 years!! Good read.
Oh! Bill Katz, that’s a judgement too far. Biden was working from the beginning to get Congress to do its job rather than rely of executive rulings. When he finally went that way was after a lot of hard bipartisan work was derailed by DJT and all those Rs who fear they might lose an election, I.e., their place in the Congress.
I’ve been meaning to go back to G.W. Bush’s first year to take a look at the comprehensive immigration reform he proposed only to have the ring wing powers outside of government derailed what was considered in 2002 (or was it 2001?) to have been a good effort to move forward. Remember too that the only other immigration reform occurred in 1986
And not just this year. In Virginia, where I live, state and local elections are in the off-years. It is especially important to not forget about these offices. They are the officials who actually affect your day-to-day life, like making decisions on whether your road gets widened or where the new supermarket is going to go. Electing Democrats to these offices can go a long way towards showing people that having Democrats in office can - and does! - improve their lives. It also helps us to build our bench for future elections.
So Vote in each and every election. There are no elections that are “too small” to be bothered with. And vote Democratic for every office every time.
I, personally, volunteered for a GOTV group (Daily Kos and Vote Forward) to send letters encouraging people to get registered (targeted letters) in Georgia. I'm 77 and a bit limited physically, but it only took a couple hours and $20 for stamps and envelopes. (I "adopted" 20 potential voters) I've participated before in their campaign to encourage people (who are registered, but rarely vote) to vote. The letters are non-partisan and the details are clearly laid out for the volunteers. The letters are targeted toward voters in swing states. I'm now considering volunteering once again for the second "option." Just sayin.......
I keep thinking of this when Kamala Harris talks about what she *will do* as president. She cannot do these things or anything significant without Congress. No president can. I wish she would say what she will do *with Congress’ help* and ask or remind people to also vote for Democrats or
X, Y, Z candidates depending on where she is speaking.
Sooooooo very true. When the media and republicans disparage President Biden and VP Harris, they need to be reminded that those offices cannot make law without the help of Congress. And, until the Senate abolishes that stupid filibuster, everything is in doubt. Why was the filibuster even invented in the first place ? That and the rule affording one Senator the power to literally stop Senate function is beyond stupid………
We need massive Democratic majorities in both houses so they can clean up some of these arcane “norms” that permit the minority to rule the majority———just like the Electoral College.
The filibuster, as I understand it, was used from the beginning to slow down the senate and prevent passage of bills. Originally it required long speeches, actually physically delaying senate action. It has only recently evolved into something that a senator just has to announce, no physical work required. The republicans have been mishandling this like never before - think Tommy Tuberville and military promotions.
Susan, yes, and the filibuster should have remained a speaking event and that it is over when one gives up the floor. I am OK with that, but there must then be a vote to forward the bill, ditch it, or review the parts of the bill through debate. If the guy who filibusters is any good with his argument, he will have convinced people. If not, well, good try, but try again later.
That's why I'm hoping that the dems get a significant majority, Ruth, enough so they can do in the filibuster, or at least change the rules for it so that it ceases to be minority rule. I think that these days the Rs use it as a power grab, not because they have any issues they want to convince other about.
Ever see James Stewart in " Mr Smith Goes to Washington?" Congress sure simplifies time and labor for themselves while garnering better pay days / perks for themselves! Perhaps they emboldened SCOTUS ?
We simple must get a huge majority of Democrats of integrity in both houses to get money out of politics. It feels like politicians are purchased by wealthy corporations and have little to no allegiance to their non-corporate constituents.😓. The system is to sucker the voters to get elected, sell yourself to the corporation, and then vote to assure continued corporate funding to guarentee your next election——with a lot f help from SCOTUS blessed gerrymandering.
Nona, or they buy their own seat as the Republicans in PA, OH, and MT are trying to do. Dr. Oz tried it in PA 2 years ago. That should never be permitted. If corporations are persons as the Supreme Court says and individuals are individuals, there should be contribution limits for money given to candidates or PACs and every single penny donated to any candidate or political effort should be recorded and there can be no tax-exemption for donating to candidates even for corporations. I am thinking about no more than $2500 per donor, per candidate. We need that until we get some kind of public financing. Also, we need to follow all that money that is raised: who gets it, how much can be contributed to any "receiver" (media, company making gear and signs), and salaries for workers. Too much money slips through the cracks collected by who knows who.
I know I've seen part of the movie, but really don't watch movies. I would not be surprised if they emboldened SCOTUS. The republicans in both places are pretty unsavory.
You’re correct, but we don’t need to risk that. Call your state reps and ask to get your state to sign on to the National Popular Vote Pact, and all your state’s electoral votes will be cast for the winner of the national popular vote.
I have heard Jill say that on the Sister’s podcast. If it is that simple, I wonder why he or Obama didn’t do just that ?? Can’t imagine those two fellows being against ERA………
Nona, the filibuster as well as the electoral college helped to keep white men in power and everyone else down under them. Old white men from the South, the disgraced ones ended up with so much power and still have it and have proven they care only for their "lost cause" and not the needs of the people of their states or anyone else today. They want to control people of color and women to the point that neither group will have any say in what happens in their own lives, thus, minority rule. White men, and old white men in particular are a definite minority, yet we still give them enormous power despite their ignorance of how the world is working now and that women and people of color are proving to be at least as talented, creative, competent as any men and that scares those old guard white guys. They are trying to train the new guys coming up like J.D. Vance and the Steves, but alas, their minority is becoming smaller each day and they can't stand it. They could work together with others for the benefit of our nation, but somehow, when they were growing up, they missed any lessons on collaboration and cooperation for anything beyond their own needs and wants, so everyone else covered for them. Women who have been treated like dirt and people of color who have been incarcerated just for being Black, Latino, etc. are not going to go along with this for much longer no matter what those old white guys under Trump and Mitch want. Let's vote them out of office now so we can make our nation a more perfect union as our founders hoped would happen.
Yes, yes, yes! Nothing (or almost nothing) she proposes can be done without a blue Congress! I hope she brings Dem candidates on stage during her rallies.
Maureen - it is important to vote Dems down ballot in all races in November. The Republicans no longer exist. They are a mere empty shell of what once was a long time ago. And they are all supporting the big lie that the former president won the 2020 election.
Love you Joyce! Will you be doing a piece about the recent revelations about John Roberts from The NY Times? I really like to hear your thoughts.
It worries me greatly that the Supreme Court is going to somehow overturn the election and install Trump. Elie Mystal says that’s exactly what they want to do.
I think that might be a bridge too far, even for this twisted court. On the other hand, if there is a blue tsunami SCOTUS might burn the whole thing down rather than face reform.
My old hands are just too arthritic to write postcards, but I've been phone banking diligently for 6 months! We all need to do our part to ensure that Kamala Harris is elected along with all of the Blue candidates down ballot in November. 🇺🇲
You are one of this nation's quiet hero's, MS Ross!
Our time on.earth is not infinite, dear lady. Thank you for devoting the gift of precious time to this crusade to preserve democracy for our beloved land. 🤗
You stand tall, MS Ross...you and others like you! You.may well be the reason for a victory symbolizing all that is courageous and inherently good.in.our country.
Here's another, and maybe the most important, reason to vote (up and down the ballot); your act of voting will go a long way to relieving the frustration you feel about how crazy this world is. If you're thinking your vote doesn't matter or that it's a drop in the bucket...screw that! When you vote, you will feel your power. I know this because I vote. Try it. You'll see.
I knew I was registered to vote, and (as a U.S. voter living in Canada) that I had requested my mail-in ballot -- but after several weeks, the ballot hadn't arrived, and I was worried. So I emailed the Board of Elections where I vote, and they responded promptly to tell me that all was well and I'd be getting my ballot in the next few weeks.
If you're uncertain about whether you're registered to vote, or have other questions regarding your voting status, just go to https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote and follow the straight-forward directions. Two minutes of your time can save you (and me) from four years of misery.
Exactly what I conveyed in my comment. Republicans are doing their utmost to purge people from the voter rolls in States all over the country. They know if they don't keep people from voting, they don't win.
Something both Harris and Walz say when asked about an ongoing problem is that, "we have more work to do". I think this is a way to catch Gen Z's attention, especially focusing on housing and education expenses, along with any number of domestic problems facing them.
They are committing to representing all Americans, and they are careful and, in my view, expert listeners. The Democratic party has long underfunded down ballot candidates, and Harris designated 25 million from her campaign to help reduce the gap. As usual, the fossilized Chuck Schumer has been little to no help, and the House candidates are busy with their individual races.
Messaging how a Dem controlled Senate AND House will get the American citizenry much closer to their desired legislation will go a long way to help them understand how their individual vote counts. If people don't even know what the three branches of government are, it's for darned sure they don't know how laws are developed and passed.
Telling all my kids, grandkids, friends, to doublecheck their voter registration, iwillvote.com. Then to pass it on to their relatives and friends with the same instructions.
We absolutely must vote SANELY (not Republican) down ballot, too!
I'm checking my voter registration status every month (Sep is done; Oct soon), and once again just before I go in to vote.
And, I'm voting either on Day One of Early Voting (Oct. 26 in NY) or on the next day, because if there's a problem I will be have time to resolve that problem.
I am a registered voter & I always vote for Democrats up & down my ballot. I plan to vote for Kamala Harris for President & down ballots for Democrats. We have 2 Senators who are Brian Schatz & Mazie Hirono.
My daughter who lives in DC helped her neighbor who is 90 years old and has never voted to register for the very first time! She will ensure he gets to the polls and casts his first vote this year!!!!
Thanks Joyce for emphasizing the importance of down ballot votes. Without the Senate and the House we will suffer from non government again. Work for and vote for Democrats in all elections
Remember: If trump wins, the Republicans retain the House, and Mike Johnson continues as Speaker, there will be two white "Christian" nationalists/supremacists standing second and third in line to the presidency. We must turn the House blue and ensure Hakeem Jeffries holds the gavel.
If Joe Biden had done due diligence and had cracked down on border transgressions early on in his administration, we wouldn’t need to be hoping for a miracle.
I'm sure what you mean to say is that if the bipartisan conservative-leaning border bill had been signed and not killed by Orange 1 for campaign purposes, the immigration "issue" would be just a simple matter of putting the entire city of Springfield, OH at risk for violence. And other defamatory and inciteful statements and actions dealing with immigrants.
Thank you. You conveyed perfectly exactly how I feel!
Biden accomplished some amazing things with razor thin congressional majorities in the first half of his administration. I have no doubt that immigration reform would have been on the short list had the congressional majority not been lost to the GOP in November 2022. Immigration reform has always been the task of Congress first, administration second. He did the hard work of coming to agreement with a horribly dysfunctional congress, only to have the non-elected leader of the GOP fire a torpedo into the legislative process and kill the bill. Indeed, perhaps it should have been at the front of the agenda from day 1 in 2021, but remember, we WERE in the midst of a global pandemic, a flash recession and reeling from a near coup in DC.
What Some Ancient Rulers Have in Common with Trump
(From "Donald's Vanity Tantrums." Biden didn't want to follow Trump inititives at the border. Mayham resulted.)
During ancient Egyptian dynasties, monarchs often defaced or destroyed statues representing the previous ruler to erase the reputation and deeds of the former ruler. Sometimes damage was limited to facial disfigurement as with Pharaoh Senwosrett III (1878-1840 BC) whose nose was broken off because ancients believed that the life force emanates through the nose.
Trump shares this goal when renegotiating and tearing up Clinton and Obama-era treaties.
NAFTA is one such remake that removes Clinton’s name from the global trade agreement. As Politico writer Adam Behsudi quotes Lori Wallace, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch said, “For those who trusted Trump’s pledge to make NAFTA ‘much better’ for working people, it’s a punch in the face because the proposal describes TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) or any other same-old, same-old trade deal.” There are no improvements -- only the removal of the Obama legacy and any other former president’s name.
This symbolic effigy-smashing of Obama extends to the Iran Nuclear Deal, to recertify to Congress every 90 days that the Iranians are complying with the rules; the Paris Climate Agreement; The Affordable Healthcare Act and all other agreements that Obama successfully negotiated regarding the environment and human rights.
In the land that I call home, tens of millions of Americans who couldn’t tell the difference between shit and Shinola, resulting in the election of a malevolent quasi-life form that makes George W. seem like Jesus, Moses, and George Washington rolled into one. Maybe our next president, if we are still electing presidents that is, will take cues from Trump and the ancients as well. A good start would be to remove any future White House portrait of him that might eventually be instaslled.
I'm in favor of a portrait of Humptey Dumptey sitting on the mostly incomplete wall.
I don’t question that Trump and his administration want to put their own imprimatur on everything in an attempt to purge progressive ideals from our history, but, he will go far beyond defacing any physical symbols of those ideals. He wants to rebrand America as his own experiment in authoritarianism.
trump does sort of look like an ancient rotting corpse awakened from ancient Egypt......
I am unsure about that. We have had other bad presidents, although I will concede that Trump will go down as the worst. Does Andrew Johnson have a portrait up anywhere in our DC federal buildings?
It isn't going to take a miracle. Dems have a good chance to flip house.
I am still expecting a blue tsunami provided they do not cheat and steal.on the local levels. Fingers crossed.
Optimism from outer space and contemporary " very" seniors...
The brave astronauts , currently stuck in outer space, announced they will.be casting their votes from.their capsule! Now if that doesn't touch yours sense of duty to vote...shame on you! One very senior lady shared that due to her hands being compromised by arthritis she could not write post cards...so she volunteered to make phone calls! That's the spirit it takes to succeed!
God Bless our astronauts and all those who volunteer any way they can!
Time is short! Find any way you are able to help...
Vote Blue up/ down the ballot!
It's the Senate we have to worry about.
Hi Bill - I am afraid you are oversimplifying the situation and the Biden administration has been picking up the pieces that the former President left us ever since.
Not just the former president, but all the way back to Reagan. He has had the guts to try to turn around Reaganomics, which is why our economy is thriving, and his reward is being pushed out by the truly wealthy in our country and the politicians who are beholden to them, counting on Harris to make less of a tax hit on them. This is true with her plans asking for them to pay already more than 10% less. So, they got what they wished for, which is if Trump does not make it, they have an opponent who is asking for less from them.
This is today's Popular Information - a simple explanation (if anyone needs it) of WHY people in the bottom of our economy feel the way they do - and it puts the blame where it belongs & has belonged for 40 years!! Good read.
https://popular.info/p/a-new-government-report-reveals-the?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=b9ign&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
I don't believe people make these decisions on these issues. They either like one or the other. They manufacture a reason to like one or the other.
Oh! Bill Katz, that’s a judgement too far. Biden was working from the beginning to get Congress to do its job rather than rely of executive rulings. When he finally went that way was after a lot of hard bipartisan work was derailed by DJT and all those Rs who fear they might lose an election, I.e., their place in the Congress.
I’ve been meaning to go back to G.W. Bush’s first year to take a look at the comprehensive immigration reform he proposed only to have the ring wing powers outside of government derailed what was considered in 2002 (or was it 2001?) to have been a good effort to move forward. Remember too that the only other immigration reform occurred in 1986
Agree. We need to stay focused on this!
And not just this year. In Virginia, where I live, state and local elections are in the off-years. It is especially important to not forget about these offices. They are the officials who actually affect your day-to-day life, like making decisions on whether your road gets widened or where the new supermarket is going to go. Electing Democrats to these offices can go a long way towards showing people that having Democrats in office can - and does! - improve their lives. It also helps us to build our bench for future elections.
So Vote in each and every election. There are no elections that are “too small” to be bothered with. And vote Democratic for every office every time.
You must have forgotten.
https://forgottendemocrats.org/
State Dems
https://dlcc.org/
Blue America
https://blueamerica.crooksandliars.com/
I, personally, volunteered for a GOTV group (Daily Kos and Vote Forward) to send letters encouraging people to get registered (targeted letters) in Georgia. I'm 77 and a bit limited physically, but it only took a couple hours and $20 for stamps and envelopes. (I "adopted" 20 potential voters) I've participated before in their campaign to encourage people (who are registered, but rarely vote) to vote. The letters are non-partisan and the details are clearly laid out for the volunteers. The letters are targeted toward voters in swing states. I'm now considering volunteering once again for the second "option." Just sayin.......
I keep thinking of this when Kamala Harris talks about what she *will do* as president. She cannot do these things or anything significant without Congress. No president can. I wish she would say what she will do *with Congress’ help* and ask or remind people to also vote for Democrats or
X, Y, Z candidates depending on where she is speaking.
Sooooooo very true. When the media and republicans disparage President Biden and VP Harris, they need to be reminded that those offices cannot make law without the help of Congress. And, until the Senate abolishes that stupid filibuster, everything is in doubt. Why was the filibuster even invented in the first place ? That and the rule affording one Senator the power to literally stop Senate function is beyond stupid………
We need massive Democratic majorities in both houses so they can clean up some of these arcane “norms” that permit the minority to rule the majority———just like the Electoral College.
The filibuster, as I understand it, was used from the beginning to slow down the senate and prevent passage of bills. Originally it required long speeches, actually physically delaying senate action. It has only recently evolved into something that a senator just has to announce, no physical work required. The republicans have been mishandling this like never before - think Tommy Tuberville and military promotions.
Susan, yes, and the filibuster should have remained a speaking event and that it is over when one gives up the floor. I am OK with that, but there must then be a vote to forward the bill, ditch it, or review the parts of the bill through debate. If the guy who filibusters is any good with his argument, he will have convinced people. If not, well, good try, but try again later.
That's why I'm hoping that the dems get a significant majority, Ruth, enough so they can do in the filibuster, or at least change the rules for it so that it ceases to be minority rule. I think that these days the Rs use it as a power grab, not because they have any issues they want to convince other about.
Compare...then and now !
Ever see James Stewart in " Mr Smith Goes to Washington?" Congress sure simplifies time and labor for themselves while garnering better pay days / perks for themselves! Perhaps they emboldened SCOTUS ?
We simple must get a huge majority of Democrats of integrity in both houses to get money out of politics. It feels like politicians are purchased by wealthy corporations and have little to no allegiance to their non-corporate constituents.😓. The system is to sucker the voters to get elected, sell yourself to the corporation, and then vote to assure continued corporate funding to guarentee your next election——with a lot f help from SCOTUS blessed gerrymandering.
Nona, or they buy their own seat as the Republicans in PA, OH, and MT are trying to do. Dr. Oz tried it in PA 2 years ago. That should never be permitted. If corporations are persons as the Supreme Court says and individuals are individuals, there should be contribution limits for money given to candidates or PACs and every single penny donated to any candidate or political effort should be recorded and there can be no tax-exemption for donating to candidates even for corporations. I am thinking about no more than $2500 per donor, per candidate. We need that until we get some kind of public financing. Also, we need to follow all that money that is raised: who gets it, how much can be contributed to any "receiver" (media, company making gear and signs), and salaries for workers. Too much money slips through the cracks collected by who knows who.
I know I've seen part of the movie, but really don't watch movies. I would not be surprised if they emboldened SCOTUS. The republicans in both places are pretty unsavory.
Trouble is it will take an amendment to the constitution to get rid of the Electoral College, am I correct? That just isn’t likely.
You’re correct, but we don’t need to risk that. Call your state reps and ask to get your state to sign on to the National Popular Vote Pact, and all your state’s electoral votes will be cast for the winner of the national popular vote.
Robert Reich spells it out clearly in recent Substack.
Terrific democratic concept, if we had representatives of integrity and belief in the concept of “ majority rule”; and gerrymandering were abolished.
I’m in Pa, a very red area. The R reps won’t do it.
And we can’t even get ERA in the Constitution………
I thought of that. All the states needed did ratify it. Jill Wine-Banks believes Biden could tell the Archives to publish it and it takes effect.
I have heard Jill say that on the Sister’s podcast. If it is that simple, I wonder why he or Obama didn’t do just that ?? Can’t imagine those two fellows being against ERA………
Kamala will do it! And force all the misogynists to reveal themselves when they fight her action!
No, and didn’t Obama teach constitutional law?
Biden won't because The Pope has had a word with him.
Nona, the filibuster as well as the electoral college helped to keep white men in power and everyone else down under them. Old white men from the South, the disgraced ones ended up with so much power and still have it and have proven they care only for their "lost cause" and not the needs of the people of their states or anyone else today. They want to control people of color and women to the point that neither group will have any say in what happens in their own lives, thus, minority rule. White men, and old white men in particular are a definite minority, yet we still give them enormous power despite their ignorance of how the world is working now and that women and people of color are proving to be at least as talented, creative, competent as any men and that scares those old guard white guys. They are trying to train the new guys coming up like J.D. Vance and the Steves, but alas, their minority is becoming smaller each day and they can't stand it. They could work together with others for the benefit of our nation, but somehow, when they were growing up, they missed any lessons on collaboration and cooperation for anything beyond their own needs and wants, so everyone else covered for them. Women who have been treated like dirt and people of color who have been incarcerated just for being Black, Latino, etc. are not going to go along with this for much longer no matter what those old white guys under Trump and Mitch want. Let's vote them out of office now so we can make our nation a more perfect union as our founders hoped would happen.
Thankfully, the Harris campaign is giving a lot of money to down-ballot candidates 🙂
That’s true. I think it’s important for her to stress the need to vote for them.
Hope she pours some help towards Jon Tester…….
Tester is getting lots of help from Harris, the DNC and people like me who are donating to tight races across the country.☺️
Yes, yes, yes! Nothing (or almost nothing) she proposes can be done without a blue Congress! I hope she brings Dem candidates on stage during her rallies.
Maureen - it is important to vote Dems down ballot in all races in November. The Republicans no longer exist. They are a mere empty shell of what once was a long time ago. And they are all supporting the big lie that the former president won the 2020 election.
Including state and local races.
I do believe that Kamala Harris said that during her acceptance speech. Surely she has repeated it during her rallies/stump speeches.
Love you Joyce! Will you be doing a piece about the recent revelations about John Roberts from The NY Times? I really like to hear your thoughts.
It worries me greatly that the Supreme Court is going to somehow overturn the election and install Trump. Elie Mystal says that’s exactly what they want to do.
I see a Civil War happening if that occurs.
I think that might be a bridge too far, even for this twisted court. On the other hand, if there is a blue tsunami SCOTUS might burn the whole thing down rather than face reform.
Nothing is a bridge too far for 6 corrupt SCOTUS justices.
Glad you’re using “blue tsunami” (v wave) too. It must be that.
Markers For Democracy is passionate about down ballot voting, so much so we created our own postcarding platform to write for these candidates.
https://postcards.markersfordemocracy.org/
Join us!!
My old hands are just too arthritic to write postcards, but I've been phone banking diligently for 6 months! We all need to do our part to ensure that Kamala Harris is elected along with all of the Blue candidates down ballot in November. 🇺🇲
You are one of this nation's quiet hero's, MS Ross!
Our time on.earth is not infinite, dear lady. Thank you for devoting the gift of precious time to this crusade to preserve democracy for our beloved land. 🤗
I'm more than happy to do it and it gives me great hope talking with actual voters! Thank you for your very kind words ☺️
You stand tall, MS Ross...you and others like you! You.may well be the reason for a victory symbolizing all that is courageous and inherently good.in.our country.
Thank you so much for doing this most important work!
Thank you! I'm retired and am loving doing it.😊
good for you Megan!
Here's another, and maybe the most important, reason to vote (up and down the ballot); your act of voting will go a long way to relieving the frustration you feel about how crazy this world is. If you're thinking your vote doesn't matter or that it's a drop in the bucket...screw that! When you vote, you will feel your power. I know this because I vote. Try it. You'll see.
I knew I was registered to vote, and (as a U.S. voter living in Canada) that I had requested my mail-in ballot -- but after several weeks, the ballot hadn't arrived, and I was worried. So I emailed the Board of Elections where I vote, and they responded promptly to tell me that all was well and I'd be getting my ballot in the next few weeks.
If you're uncertain about whether you're registered to vote, or have other questions regarding your voting status, just go to https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote and follow the straight-forward directions. Two minutes of your time can save you (and me) from four years of misery.
Exactly what I conveyed in my comment. Republicans are doing their utmost to purge people from the voter rolls in States all over the country. They know if they don't keep people from voting, they don't win.
Yes, Votes, down-ballot! Vote Blue! 💙
Something both Harris and Walz say when asked about an ongoing problem is that, "we have more work to do". I think this is a way to catch Gen Z's attention, especially focusing on housing and education expenses, along with any number of domestic problems facing them.
They are committing to representing all Americans, and they are careful and, in my view, expert listeners. The Democratic party has long underfunded down ballot candidates, and Harris designated 25 million from her campaign to help reduce the gap. As usual, the fossilized Chuck Schumer has been little to no help, and the House candidates are busy with their individual races.
Messaging how a Dem controlled Senate AND House will get the American citizenry much closer to their desired legislation will go a long way to help them understand how their individual vote counts. If people don't even know what the three branches of government are, it's for darned sure they don't know how laws are developed and passed.
Telling all my kids, grandkids, friends, to doublecheck their voter registration, iwillvote.com. Then to pass it on to their relatives and friends with the same instructions.
We absolutely must vote SANELY (not Republican) down ballot, too!
Everyone I know is already registered. There are a few I'd like to UNregister!
I'm checking my voter registration status every month (Sep is done; Oct soon), and once again just before I go in to vote.
And, I'm voting either on Day One of Early Voting (Oct. 26 in NY) or on the next day, because if there's a problem I will be have time to resolve that problem.
You can:
go to the national web site, vote.gov, or
go to the League of Women Voters web site, vote411.org, which provides enhanced information about elections.
This, +1
I am a registered voter & I always vote for Democrats up & down my ballot. I plan to vote for Kamala Harris for President & down ballots for Democrats. We have 2 Senators who are Brian Schatz & Mazie Hirono.
Vote early; vote often! as my former boss used to say.
With all the MAGA fascism using voter fraud as an excuse, I am very cautious about joking about it.
However,
WC Fields had this saying:
Cast a vote for Fields and look for the silver lining.
Cast several votes for Fields, and look for the police.
Vote ALL THE WAY DOWN the ballot! It's the only way to have a chance!
How can we dispose of the Electoral College debacle ????? How can we prevent gerrymandering nation wide ?
SCOTUS sure as heck won’t solve those two gapping holes in our democratic system of government………
It will take an an act of Congress to change anything, so we have to Blue vote en masse.
Not just now but for decades to come.
We Dems have been sleepwalking in a dream world in which playing nice was the way to win.
My daughter who lives in DC helped her neighbor who is 90 years old and has never voted to register for the very first time! She will ensure he gets to the polls and casts his first vote this year!!!!
As a DC voter, thank her from me.
Go, Joyce, go!