This conception stands to destroy any idea of a Democracy we hold for this country. To think, a handful of local governments can determine the outcome of a national election is preposterous. The people have a voice and that voice is a reflection of each and every individual vote. The "Electoral College" stands in direct opposition to the American ideal. Gerrymandering, redistricting, and voter suppression are Republican tactics aimed at diminishing the Democratic voice in this country. The only determining factor employed in an election should be the outcome of the popular vote. Give the people back the power to elect the President their ballots have chosen. For too long this antiquated policy of choosing our leader has selected candidates other than who the people have decided upon. People need to get back the voice Trump promised to restore in 2016 and failed so miserably in his attempts, if he tried at all. He is again stating his desire to abolish the Deep State, personally I don't think Trump even understands the concept. We are a Democracy, and the only voice we need to hear is that of the people, not something scraped from the compiled totals of a sick bureaucratic nightmare. Why have the people vote at all if their choices are to be overlooked because of a sick ploy designed to steal an election. Trump will take this country away from us, if given the chance. Let's see who votes for his vision of our new hell.
Margaret - So also is the fact that 2 senators in a state of 4 milllion have the same clout as 2 senators in a state of 40 million. it's simply wrongly undemocratic.
Yes, my state is under 4 million, at about 3.2 and we have two senators. But Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota combined are 2.2 million and have six senators between them. This serves to emphasize what you say, it is wrong and downright undemocratic.
...and remember to point out to Republican operatives that the inequity cuts both ways: In 2012, Mitt Romney received 900,000 votes in Los Angeles County alone... but all of California's electoral votes went to Obama. If Romney had received 900,000 votes in a less populous state like Wyoming or North Dakota, he would have gotten a handful of electoral votes. That makes no more sense in the 21st century than the 2-senators-per-state system.
Nobody seems to like the electoral system they live in.Preferential voting here in Australia.Proportional representation in NZ,and first past the post in the UK.
If my team wins the electoral system is perfect,no changes are needed.If my team loses we need changes before the next election.
Pumpkin head takes this to lying extremes.Whatever the electoral system is it will always be wrong if pumpkin head loses. Stolen election,false votes,machines that altered the votes.The really stupid and baseless one.The votes are counted in Italy,then returned to the USA after they have been changed,not a lot of people know that. This is how determined people are to steal elections.
Send me more money to fight for you blah,blah,blah.
Thank God Obama was on the receiving end of the unbalanced system in this instance! But you are correct about the system that makes no sense. I don't remember, if it was ever explained or not, the reasoning behind the electoral college concept, unless it was initiated in case the voting public was not "educated" in how to vote! How do we eliminate the electoral college?
Yes, this is a conspiracy to commit election fraud and end democracy. Jack Smith needs to add all of them to his prosecution to demask the continuing fraud in advance of the election so that the actions of the Supreme Court can also be placed into their proper perspective (including Clarence Thomas' refusing to recuse himself despite his wife’s actions.)
This is the end game that Putin masterminded, and it will produce the bloodshed that Trump has promised. We, literally, will be faced with having to arrest and remove them from the House if they follow through, which will only be possible by unmasking the fraud in advance. And this will mean the end of the Pax Americana that has lasted since World War II, as well as civilization, as Putin will put into place Phase II of Putin’s invasion of Europe, and China will take the opportunity to invade Taiwan, and the fight against global climate change will be sabotaged. (Perhaps the good news is that this Summer is slated to be a scorcher that will make the heat waves of the past seem mild, but most people will be unable to connect the dots.)
The survival of the United States, and the world, will all get down to convincing Lachlan Murdoch that the fate not just of democracy but of civilization is in his hands.
Heather CoxRichardson explain Bill Barr as well as Samuel Alito interpretation of the law in 1986, Theory perfectly today in her writing.
We are in deep shit even more than a deep state if T.Rump & Mega Terrorist get in 2024 for sure. They will definitely cheat to win so maybe we need to cheat too. Register Independent or Republicans and VOTE BLUE.🤔😃
One thing I pretty sure of if Trump get in , it won’t be long before Putin kills him. As for the rest of Mega they’ll sink into their own pile of “QuickShit”
HCR was excellent today, I agree. I disagree that we can cheat. This is a problem. Then it's not the rule of law and the Constitution anymore and we have aided that demise. I do think people can legitimately register R and vote D.
Registering Republican and voting blue is an iinteresting concept that leaves me with one question: when ballots are inspected during a final vote count, will those ballots of registered Republicans be disqualified for their blue votes?
No. Your ballot does not identify you, nor your party. The envelope containing your ballot identifies you and has your signature (biometic proof), but the ballot does not.
Nothing Putin does surprises me anymore. In the long game that Moscow is playing, disposing of Trump would be just another minor casualty in their plan for world domination. The Murdochs would just find another terrible person to fill their poisoned pages.
Amen Tweedleee-that was a hair-raising article! That obese POS buying into the subversion is nauseating, an leaves me wondering if he has already secured a position in trump's potential new government. And we will all be rounded up for these posts!
The Constitutional effect of the two Senators to a state law is to entrench rural and smaller states having a huge advantage over states that are larger with more urban areas. They will not vote for a change; it won’t happen.
The move to abolish (side-step in this case) via the states is already in motion and stands at 209 electoral votes going to the candidate winning the popular vote. 18 states and D.C. have enacted the legislation. Let us hope this movement can get to the 270 number!
There are still enough non-red to make it happen, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise I totally agree-women and youth need to vote, and in person. Avoid mail-in voting.
It takes a constitutional amendment to change it, a
An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.
You should lose that screen name. Iknow why you chose it, ; "to own the libs". There is one thing that both sides share and that is visceral idiots, including right wing boobs like you.
Me, I stay with the facts, with reality, and the logical consequences of actions and policies, and I am not a centrist, nor leftist, nor rightist.
Just and old fart that tries (I said tries) to use the critical faculties our species is suppose to have, evidence is that said faculties area rare commodity.
I am surrounded by emotional idiots who are either fearful, hateful, venal or greedy or so open minded that the brain is exposed o the air and rots.
Please do your homework. Such a change cannot be made by one Party. And even if there was BIPARTISAN support in Congress, there would have to be BIPARTISAN support among the great majority of all states.
So who are the "you guys" that could pull this off if they/we wanted?
With a national popular vote for president, Trump would have had to ask state officials to "find" about 8 MILLION more votes for him, not just a few thousand in one state. And as Hillary Clinton said after 2016, "If Democrats were stealing elections, I'd be your president now." Regardless of any opinions about her, she was right.
I'm afraid that even with 8 million more popular votes it will never do us any good with the electoral college in place. It was set up like that in a different era when only white men who owned property could vote. The Supreme Court seems to think that this is the way it should be even now. With their mindset we are doomed!
Gerrymandering plus electoral college has already spelled disaster for Congress and the SCOTUS. It may soon put the nail in the coffin to fair elections.
True. But we have to dislodge those in power who cling to tfg. Apparently, there is a network of Christian nationalists leaders - leaders who are prophets. They prophesize events that will happen such Jan 6. Theirfollowerd werec Per the author, their
Delete last line. The author believes they are.a real threat to our democracy and we should engage their leaders in open dialogue.. There is a spectrum of difference among the leaders who could be persuaded to detach from the more radical hard. right believers and tfg and hid ilk.
I too, agree that the electoral college is an unnecessary obstacle to our voting rights and should be abolished. However, the one thing that disturbs me is, if this should happen and the election were decided strictly by the numbers of voters, do we even have an accurate headcount of how many MAGA voters are out there compared to those who will vote blue? I would hate to think that Maga voters are so numerous that the election results might, God forbid, end up in their favor.
No worries on that score, Ilene. The Rs are in the minority to begin with, and not all Rs are MAGAs. Also, most independents skew toward the blue side.
Can we all push to get those last 44 electoral votes so that the national popular vote wins? There are 1 or 2 organizations working on getting this accomplished, but I forget who they are. Do any of you know?
The actual verbiage is on the site, but no, it's an agreement between states, which have sole authority to assign electoral votes. Most are winner take all in each state as you know, with the exception of Nebraska and I think Maine. So candidates only campaign where the voters never can make up their damn minds.
Under the agreement, once enough states ' legislatures have ratified this agreement, its rules kick in, which are that the state will assign its electors to the winner of the national popular vote. Which would make candidates campaign everywhere, and certainly in populous states like New York California Texas and Florida as well as the dumb "swing" states.
We all pretty much know we won't ever get an electoral college removal from the constition; you can't get an amendment through the Senate probably ever again.
But this agreement, had it been in place would have prevented the disastrous presidencies of W and drumpf. It's time.
The map shows we can get there with just 4 more states whose legislatures have passed this in one congressional chamber.
Jen the Republican legislature of Nebraska, just changed the vote, all electoral votes will go to the winner of the states popular vote. If Nebraks flips over abortion, then they could go to Biden, otherwise Trump.
The Democrats need to play up the abortion issue in every state, big time.
You just provided an example of my previous comment. Here you resort to emotion to advance your cause and "own the libs""
We know that you and your kind could care less about "babies", born or "unborn", especially after they are born.
Babies are just a tool to use to dominate women, keep them submissive and under male control. Women who have power and control over their own bodies, are a threat to weak males,and there ability to erect and penetrate.
And the women who support the patriarchal misogynistic agenda, are the very type that these weakling need, morons who have no mind of their own, or schemers who think that their bread is buttered by supporting a male, that they don't have to work,.
A fact that pleases no one. The 19th amendment gave women the vote, and it was passed by men. Why would men, practically all of whom were misogynistic patriarchs, give women the vote. , it was brought before the Senate and, after Southern Democrats abandoned a filibuster, 36 Republican senators were joined by 20 Democrats to pass the amendment with 56 yeas, 25 nays, and 14 not voting. The final vote tally was: 20 Democrats Yea. 17 Democrats Nay.
But why? Because the Senators, and those that ratified it believed that it would double the vote of the party that passed it, in other words they believed, and rightly so at that time, they women had no brains and voted as their husband told me.
As a voter-rich New Yorker, I see the power of the NY voter diminished at every national election at the same time that the power of the average voter in low-population states like North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and others is increased. This is working against democracy and tilting the Electoral College toward right-wing so-called conservatives and against generally more and better educated liberal voters. This anti-democratic imbalance favors wannabe despots like TFG, and that just isn't OK with me, and with citizens in traditionally Democratic or even 'toss-up' states. If you don't have a majority of the votes, then you shouldn't win because the voters prefer someone else.
Porter--Everyone has but one vote to stand as their selection in any particular election, at the end of the day all the ballots are tabulated, and a winner is determined by whoever received the most votes. No other determining factor need apply. We the People.---
William--Donald was my father's name, I was raised as a Bob. The name means great chief, Donald that is, don't know about that, but Bob has served me well all these years. Just ask our mentor, Mr. Reich. As for Trump sharing mine, he should feel special. I don't cheat while playing golf, my bridge skills would leave Donnie Boy shuffling the cards. Sitting across from me for a good game of chess might leave him wondering what he was thinking. Trump can't think, he even has trouble reading a teleprompter.
Who the fuck are you talking to. You can't even follow a thread, not a sign of intelligence. This comment wound up in my in box.
And speaking 8th grade morons. Your insult that someone is an 8th grade girl, is puerile, infantile and what is expected of an 8th grader, and best of all it shows what you think of the female gender. a real misogynist, but we know that from your previous comments.
But it does. Look at the Senate. Porters comment is about states without enough voters to have more than the minimum of a single House representative. Yet they have two senators. Absurd.
We can't take away their statehood. But they get to prevent statehood for DC and Puerto Rico. Considering they were made states to begin with -- hell, they couldn't even come up with two names for the Dakotas-- to balance more slave states, we're still here. Still in a power bs situation.
I think it's time we start considering the Constitution to be what it is: a deeply flawed document that needs desperately to be interpreted in light of current moral standards, not the stupidity of its founding days.
But that means starting over and wow what a nightmare that would be.
Jen--What the constitution was and is stands as a foundation for other countries who have been held under some jerk's boot for far too long. I agree what we have needs some serious reconsideration with regards to an upgrade. Times will change and we must also if we are to compete on the world's stage.
It would be a nightmare. We could practically end up with a civil war about whether we are a Christian Nation mandated the Ten Commandments and prayer (Christian only) everywhere.
About asking Congresspeople to say they’ll certify the election — yes, I want to know who accepts the 2020 count, after all the court cases and reassurances. That should be a given, at this stage. Every person in Congress should have to agree that the 2020 election was certified, and challenges were successfully addressed through recounts AND hearings in our courts, and Biden was the winner. That should be without question.
But, if we’re asking them to commit to certifying the 2024, are we just giving them an opening to make MORE scary predictions? Are we going to specify what assurances we all have that the 2024 counts will be accurate, so they can agree to certification? We DO have a great many assurances … I am not saying the votes will be derelict, but people are already afraid. Can we reassure our electorate that we have checks in place to catch votes by dead people or non-citizens or people voting multiple times? Can we assure our electorate that we HAVE poll watchers who actually CAN see what’s going on? That verification of voter eligibility DOES exist? That the vote IS secure?
If a Congressperson refused to agree to certifying the election before it even happens, can they make a credible case for withholding that promise until they “see” the facts on the ground? [Florida’s count was WRONG, after all, and if the recount were not so intensely impeded, we’d have known it was wrong BEFORE the Supreme Court got a chance to stop it!]
I totally think we need to get anybody in Congress to agree that 2020 was an accurate and fair election, and Joe Biden won.
I worry that asking them to certify 2024 before it happens just gives them a chance to make us MORE scared, not less.
We do need to talk to people about WHY we think our vote tallies are accurate. {When you think about it, Republicans KNOW our vote tallies are accurate, too, but they also know that they never win a majority, which is WHY they need all these schemes to get around the popular vote.}
Still, American voters have had our confidence shaken. That is part of the scheme to take elections out of our hands!
American voters need reassurance that our votes are protected, the counts will be accurate, and we will be able to verify them in court, if challenged — as was done in 2020 —
These reassurances DO exist, though Republicans don’t want us to trust the process.
It is imperative that we help our electorate regain confidence in our elections.
Then we can demand that our elected officials will certify, too.
Urf, I too often wonder if it is not all more arcane and twisted than we can manage — SO many people to keep track of. SO many votes to count.
But this is where we are, and who we are. Our people need to find a modicum of trust in our system, and vote for democracy. When we see it from closer to home, we can see what we trust.
Pat--Every society reaches a precipitous, at which point they either progress and move on or they succumb to the elements and simply fade into time. It's very possibly we could have reached ours.
Eeek, can’t “like” that, but it’s a thought I’ve had often, too, Donald.
We can make it over this precipice, and we can pull ourselves together, or we can plunge like lemmings into the void. {I often marvel that the QAnon people love their lemming motto, “Where we go one, we go all.”}
That’s why we have to try so hard … Our fate has been taking us by the hand and dragging us down the road for a while now. Where are we headed? Are we paying attention? Are we choosing or just dragging along? The Oligarchs want to drag us to Aristocrat Heaven….
Where do we really WANT to go …? Most of us, anyway…?
At least 20 mainstream Republicans have left Congress, and with good luck (I don't believe in luck BTW) most of the vacancies will be filled by Democrats, And if there is a blue wave (because of Dobbs and the now open despicability of the basket of deplorables) the Republicans who survive will get the message, and change their tune and votes.
Matt Seligman and Larry Lessig wrote this book HOW TO STEAL A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. to be a wake up call for Americans. There are still far too many ways for bad actors to subvert the results of a legitimate presidential election.
It’s not too late to defend our elections. Step one is to get informed and spread the word.
That’s why they hope you’ll join them tomorrow night. Tuesday 4/30 at 7PM EST . you can also share the event page with family and friends, and on social media.
Also I think FartManTrump threatened the crap out of Barr. On that CNN interview he was so beaten looking, slummed over no eye contact. It was weird even for him.
Sure seems like it since that despicable toad Barr said recently he would vote for Trump in November. A lot of what's happening today can be blamed on Barr not doing his job when he was AG and he still continues to be that same spineless, controlled lapdog for that demented criminal.
Barr is neither spineless or a controlled lapdog. Barr is a trad rad Catholic, a misogynistic patriarch, and Trump is his ticket. Liberals are the enemy of theocrats, everywhere, be they Muslim, Christians, Jews or Hindus, and in the USA Democrats are the enemy, because Democrats are by and large liberal and pose an existential threat to male domination, and serendipitously to white supremacy.
Non believers are a threat to believers, even if the non believers are believers in another ideology. For instance Capitalism believers and Communism believers.
The same applies to religion, because religion is an ideology as well, a sectarian ideology, but an ideology known the less.
Islam, where it is dominant, requires conversion to Islam, they make an exception for Peoples of the Book, Christians and Jews in Sunni Islam, includes Zoroastrians in Shia Islam.
There is a catch though, they can practice their religion but only as dhimmi's, that is second class citizens and are required to pay the jizzyah, an onerous poll tax.
Atheists, agnostics, polytheists like Hindus, have no choice other than conversion or losing their heads.
Tweedle--Something isn't right, Barr seems to have done a complete 180 in his position on Trump. Maybe what caused Bannon to succumb to Trumpism has infected Barr.
Nope Barr hasn't done a 180 on Trump. He jumped the Trump Train in December a couple of weeks before the insurrection. He knew what was a foot, and he didn't want to be caught up in the aftermath, neither did he warn us.
He has enjoyed the lionization by his hated liberal enemies, and has relished wearing a mantle of a constiutionalist, but he has his own agenda
As I posted above
Barr is neither spineless or a controlled lapdog. Barr is a trad rad Catholic, a misogynistic patriarch, and Trump is his ticket. Liberals are the enemy of theocrats, everywhere, be they Muslim, Christians, Jews or Hindus, and in the USA Democrats are the enemy, because Democrats are by and large liberal and pose an existential threat to male domination, and serendipitously to white supremacy.
Tweedle--Something has been threatening people for a long time now, Trump had a mentor in Capone. Hitler was his idol while the tactics of good old Al held a special appeal to our orange friend. You don't get into the Casino business without rubbing elbows with some different types of people.
I agree that Trump has the goods on every powerful enemy AND friend. His dementia means he didn't gather the dirt himself. But he had plenty of hard core supporters with shovels (and laptops).
Donald, I know that you know that this country was not founded as a democracy, but as a Republic and a Republic is rule by "wise men" as in Plato's Republic, which means rule by those with a vested interest in the state, and that means those who own property. The Roman Senate was composed of wealthy land owners, and the plebes simply voted for them.
Thus was founded the governing body of the newly minted United States, only landed free men, which at the time included non whites (that didn't last) could vote and as a consquence hold office.
It took at least three amendments, the 15th, 17th and 19th to make us a democracy.
At first not all men could vote and hold office, only those who owned property.
But the various state quickly realized that they could expand their power by enfranchising all free white men, and so it stood until the 15th Amendment.
There were only three state constitutions from 1776 to 1790 — Georgia until 1789, South Carolina, and Virginia — that defined voters as “white.” By 1807, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, and New Jersey were added to that list.
There were some property owning free blacks, and unless prohibited by law were able to vote in our first elections.
For instance: Under the 1780 Massachusetts constitution African-American men had the right to vote.
Article 9, 1780 Constitution of Massachusetts
All elections ought to be free; and all the inhabitants of this commonwealth, having such qualifications as they shall establish by their frame of government, have an equal right to elect officers, and to be elected, for public employments.
CNN just had a new dweeb on their program, this lost soul said we shouldn't encourage new voter registrations because we might be asking Trump supporters to register as well. Really, and this guy is out in public without an escort? If I was asked, I might infer that this opinion was fostered by a Trump loyalist, not a true Democrat. We should encourage everyone to register, the vote is how we keep this country free.
It is a surprise to me that so many politicians are willing to reinforce the lie about the 2020 election. There is a wealth of knowledge and information available that totally contradicts that false narrative. The media regularly disappoints us when it comes to the issue while chasing the buck. Add to that politicians like Sanunu who does a 180 and makes up his own lie that this election is about politics and not about keeping our form of government as we know it. With the current group of republicans pitching curve balls like that and further claiming it is the Biden administration that is destroying our country it is a call to action for we the majority. Many of the “deniers” are up for reelection or are opposing incumbents who know and put out the truth. Our work will put this right. I believe that we will in the coming months set a course for America away from those who would support the jackass for president.
M J--Sign me up! Well said and might I add, Netanyahu is obviously unstable, and seen as a deterrent to peace as long as he is in charge. And we have Trump to contend with. The world is watching to see how we handle our countries with two crazy men in our respective crow's nests.
There is a movement afoot to get a commitment from states to allocate their Electoral votes to the person who receives a majority of votes OVERALL in the country … Some states have agreed to that. We’ll see if it helps.
The shenanigans being used to subvert the popular vote are gobsmacking …
Unfortunately the states that have agreed are blue and blue leaning states, and there electoral votes number 226.it takes 270 to win, there are 235 red and red and red leaning states.
There are 18 states that have signed onto the National Popular vote Compact, a list of them here, at the bottom of the page, they are are all blue and blue leaning
Is the electoral system outdated? Maybe it should be changed.
But the toxic atmosphere that is created in some twenty years is the real cause of the problem. Carl Schmitt was the ideologue of Hitler and his central social problem was the difference between friend or foe. That seems the problem America has created for itself.
It is not just Trump. It is a large far right group of people who seek to dominate the US. Trump you likely realize is a con man who seeks power, but too stupid to know what to do with it. It is pretty apparent that Putin is contributing to the destruction of our nation. It looks like a worldwide cabal of oligarchs that are behind it. .... How is that for a conspiracy theory?
Yep, the worldwide conspiracy of the Oligarchs actually seems plausible to me. They think Trump will be their useful puppet. Of course the Oligarchs of Germany thought they could control Hitler. The Oligarchs of America are putting their chips on a man suffering from escalating dementia who would be able to launch the nuclear arsenal. Oligarchs are really not all that bright. Of course they haven't had to think beyond their next quarterly report to shareholders.
Ted--Understandable. Trump is the catalyst that has precipitated the mess we are having to deal with in this time. He followers aren't numerous but they sure are noisy. Putin is a ray of light to Donnie Boy, but in no way is he a figure Trump bows to. The very idea of a new "Conspiracy theory" leaves MTG less than dry. And this guy has designs on running for congress, Santos might desire a return,
Leftest--I did learn about the EC and I would have thought you would have learned it was enacted because of the time this country spent embracing the institution of slavery. As a country I think that time has passed. I'll have to give you credit for your efforts; are humorous.
And ‘how da 🔥hell’ you going to get agreement from these corrupt, complicit GOP Trumpers? We’ve had a corrupt SCOTUS, and the pig🐷like traitors like Bill Barr who cannot make up even his own mind as to whether he stands against or with Trump. The most astonishing thing to me has been the brazen, clear ignorance of Americans. And the amount of hatred unleashed by someone like Trump. Mostly white entitled privilege against all others through blatant racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny. Equal rights under the law? Dream on. Justice in America? Not even close.
I am losing hope no longer by the day, but by the hour. What an 🍊+🤡 shit show.
Tim, I do understand how easy it is to lose hope, but I also understand how putin and his group here in America will keep hitting at us praying that we will give up, shut up, and let his takeover happen. Please, stay in the fight. Take a breather. Go out and smell the flowers, admire nature and come back with a resolve NOT to let these traitors, grifters and liars steal our country so that it can become like russia!! Please know that there are people on this feed who will lift you up, stand with you, and will NEVER give up!!! Vote Blue, America!!
Matt Seligman and Larry Lessig wrote this book HOW TO STEAL A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. to be a wake up call for Americans. There are still far too many ways for bad actors to subvert the results of a legitimate presidential election.
It’s not too late to defend our elections. Step one is to get informed and spread the word.
That’s why they hope you’ll join them tomorrow night. Tuesday 4/30 at 7PM EST . you can also share the event page with family and friends, and on social media.
There are websites that say the earth is flat, but that doesn't make it true. Trump is a horrible man who has spent his life lying, cheating and stealing. All those documents he stole were only good for selling to other governments. He's the last person that should be president. Get out of your bubble.
Joe Biden didn't steal documents, he misplaced them, and reported it to the DOJ of his own accord when he realized he had them. The Justice Department released a report which concluded that the "evidence does not establish Mr. Biden's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt", so "no criminal charges are warranted in this matter". Jack Smith has noted in public court filings that "Whatever risks are posed by storing documents in a private garage" are dwarfed by the risks of storing documents at "an active social club" with "hundreds of members" and "more than 150 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees," which, between January 2021 and August 2022, "hosted more than 150 social events, including weddings, movie premieres, and fundraisers that together drew tens of thousands of guests." Trump hid the ones he took and he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it."
Joe Biden loaned money to family and it was repaid with money legally obtained through
business with Chinese entities, there's nothing wrong with that, if there were we would have had a Biden impeachment by now. Trump got millions from China while he was in office. Joe Biden doesn't have a daughter named Haley, he has a daughter named Ashley who's diary was obtained by Project Veritas, who has a history of undercover operations and other secretive tactics that critics have long said are far more manipulative than journalistic. Ashley has publicly said about this "Repeatedly, I hear others grossly misinterpret my once-private writings and lob false accusations that defame my character and those of the people I love." Theres no reason to think Joe Biden is an icestuous pedophile. Putin is a mobster boss and a thug, calling for regime change in Russia is completely appropriate. It's unlikely, but not impossible that his uncle was eaten by cannibals. Cannibalism did exist in the area at the time, so it's likely this was family "lore" a colorful theory on what became of Bosie. Still, this is one he should not have said. It doesn't compare with Trump showing off documents of which he said "As president, I could have declassified, but now I can’t,” but Biden shouldn't have said it. What you have portrayed are distortions, these are the facts, you are in the bubble.
Missed the boat on that one. Canada no longer allows foreigners to buy residential property in response to the rapid increase in their price of housing. Same for New Zealand.
There are cities in the U. S. where there are so many ghost homes (2nd and 3rd homes, corporate owned retreat condos, bought on speculation and left vacant, fly-in executive extended meeting stays) that if every home was occupied there would not be a housing shortage.
I was going to throw out a couple of my own ideas, but I feared everyone else would beat me to it and they’d be no place left to buy. Kinda like opening SubStack and already seeing 832 comments.
Plus, I found them very nice about gringas butchering their language. One time I got it right and asked for “vino tinto” instead of vino rojo. The bartender was so excited that he gave me the glass for free!
Az ; there are right wingers who love tRUMP up there, too! Plus it takes five years to be able to emigrate to Canada. the world is small ; remember when tRUMP was threatening Canada? He respects no one! Should NEVER have that kind of power again!
To migrate to Canada, one needs to have a quarter of a millon dollars, to deposit in a Canadian bank, and to bring a job or business that will employ five or more people.
They don't. For one thing Canada and New Zealand have national health care, free, and it is already a drain on their society and government, they don't want free loaders from the south, just because us southerners (American citizens) don't have health care, or affordable health care.
According to my sister, we still have a castle in Scotland! The problem is in her research she discovered that our ancestors were not the fine, upstanding Scots we would want them to be!! They were constantly starting fights and trying to take other land that wasn't theirs!! Not sure I want to visit that castle!!
The Scots were a pugnacious people….likely still are. They would have to be living next door to the English, many of whom were transplants from France aka Normans who invaded more than once. My particular lineage says we came from the very NW of Scotland before the Revolution ….unwillingly. We believe they got caught smuggling. If they’d gotten caught after the Revolution, I’d be writing this from Australia.
Oh Peggy, you must visit!!! There are very few places in the world that don't have bad memories haunting them. We need to know everything. I will never forget walking the battlefield at Culloden. I was overwhelmed by the significance of that piece of land. The heather was blooming next to the Well of The Dead. I have some Scottish blood myself but there are no castles for us. Apparently our clan used to gather at Clach-Na-Coileach, a nice rock about the size of a one-car garage, where once upon a time the cock crowed before sunrise, waking up the clan in time to avoid being slaughtered by some other kilt-wearing hooligans. Go see your castle, please, and report back!
Agree with you. It is simplistic and naive to the extreme to “demand” that the election denying Republicans commit to the election results, as if we are to trust whatever they “promise”.
The only true solution is to win by such a huge margin that there is no question about who won and to begin to take back state governments (and school boards). We, the Blue team, have been complacent because we believe people are good, moral and justice will prevail. We believe in MLk’s words that the “The Arc of the Moral Universe is Long, But it Bends Toward Justice”. We might be wrong. Face it, MLK was killed.
Re Paul Bjarnason’s post. His reference is to Heartland.org. So I looked up the source and its credibility. This is one of 7 sources.
“A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence.”
Several times when I comment on articles, I haven’t considered the Source of the information. When pointed out, I see if other sources have the same information. I have several times had to reconsider my comments. I’d never heard of Paul’s source, so I googled it and found 5 different sources that questioned information from Paul’s source. I quoted one of the articles. I also looked up Paul’s point of view and only found it in the source he cited. So if Paul can find other sources for his point of view, that would be helpful.
Tim, I listen to “my anthem” when I need to boost my resolve/energy: Jackson Browne’s Til I Go Down—have listened to it A LOT since TFFG first ran for office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmzimxfqgfw
“If Johnson and his cronies had so few scruples then, why should we assume they’ll have more scruples in the weeks following November’s elections?”
You shouldn’t assume they have any scruples, because this election, to them, isn’t about Trump. Trump is the vessel for a far “right-wing” religious agenda that has been infiltrating every aspect of government since Reagan.
Trump owes his political career to the evangelicals, who gave him 83% of their vote in 2016 and 20’.
Is it a wonder that The Federalist Society, a religious political organization, got to vet and choose all of Trump’s judicial nominees? Or putting several of them into cabinet positions: Barr, Pompeo, Meadows, and many others.
The house is filled with these religious conservatives who want to destroy every semblance of our democratic institutions. They’ve been very successful with the federal judiciary and the House, thanks to extreme gerrymandering. They even have many members in the senate: Cruz, Rubio, Hawley, Paul, Scott and Johnson come to mind.
Why do you think people like Barr and Pence who detest Trump, will continue to vote for a man they called a threat to democracy and incompetent? It’s because Trump is a means to an end.
He’s their Cyrus, the King of Persia who allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and build their new temple. Except Trump is leading white nationalist evangelical’s to the promise land. To the religious right he is a useful idiot. And they will show the ultimate fealty when they become the majority of his cabinet and administration officials; while undermining democracy at the same time.
So don’t expect any of these people to ever accept a Biden victory. These electoral shenanigans have always been to inflict more draconian voter laws (against inferior people of color and religion), restrict voting, and sow chaos and confusion within the electorate so they can deflect and distract, while the rest of us are outraged, while dividing this nation further into political paralysis.
Lastly, don’t underestimate these religious fanatics; they are deliberate and they have a plan: Heritage Foundation Plan 2025. Additionally, they have many billionaire backers, and since dark money is legal in politics, these rich plutocrats can hide their complicity in these schemes to overthrow our government from within; installing a white nationalist Christian theocracy in its place.
Personally I don't care what you do. I know you enjoy beating up on others that don't agree with you. Perhaps you should sign up for one of the Mercenary groups out there. Wagner comes to mind but I'm sure you'll be able to find many others. Just Google "How to be a real mercenary." You may get lucky.
Today Heather Cox Ricardson has a discussion about Bill Barr:
"In 2019, Barr explained to an audience at the University of Notre Dame the ideology behind the strong executive and weakened representation. Rejecting the clear words of the Constitution’s framers, Barr said that the U.S. was never meant to be a secular democracy. When the nation’s founders had spoken so extensively about self-government, he said, they had not meant the right to elect representatives of their own choosing. Instead, he said, the founders meant the ability of individuals to “restrain and govern themselves.” And, because people are willful, the only way to achieve self-government is through religion. "
I pointed out the irony is if white supremacists took power, they'd send him to the ovens based on his DNA as one of the mud people. Barr's father was Jewish but converted to Catholicism.
This came out during the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, as Barr's father hired Epstein at his prep school.
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy think tank known for its rejection of both the scientific consensus on climate change and the negative health impacts of smoking.[2]
Founded in 1984, it worked with tobacco company Philip Morris throughout the 1990s to attempt to discredit the health risks of secondhand smoke and lobby against smoking bans.[3]: 233–234 [4] Since the 2000s, the Heartland Institute has been a leading promoter of climate change denial.[5][6] Wikipedia
Really? Because all evidence points to the contrary. Barr does not believe in a separation of Church and State. He’s a Catholic who has been a Republican loyalist for almost 40 years. He has said that the American government is based on Judeo-Christian values, and that the Framers believed religion was necessary for a free government. However, his views go against our Constitution: Barr has also criticized "militant secularists" and the rise of "moral relativism", which he says public schools are "actively promoting".
Check out his speech at Notre Dame University Law School when he was AG.
I saw your link, and it’s nonsense. An on-line poll by a partisan polling company, Rasmussen, and the Heartland Institute, which is a conservative think tank, is not scientific. How can you even claim this is legitimate?
Online polls are easily corrupted. And Trump lost every lawsuit, and had over three hand counts in more than five swing states. Gore couldn’t even get one recount concluded before a conservative court stepped in and handed the Country to Bush; even though a recount was required under Florida’s Constitution, and Florida’s SC ruled in favor of completing the recount.
Even Cyber Ninja’s, a Republican polling company with no experience in election audits, but managed to audit AZ, admitted there was no fraud in the election, and Biden won Arizona by a wider margin than first thought. And Cyber Ninjas were the ones who claimed China was sending bamboo paper which proves the election was rigged. It wasn’t!
So sorry Paul, if you want legitimacy in this comment thread, then at least send some evidence of the fraud.
We’ve proven the election wasn’t stolen through several audits and recounts in all five swing states from 2020. Yet that wasn’t enough to convince republicans like yourself. Biden won 61 lawsuits filed, and some were in front of Trump judges. Yet, it wasn’t enough to convince you and MAGA.
Even Barr, who said he’d vote for Trump again said the DOJ found no instances of fraud that could overturn the election. Additionally, we had republican Secretary’s of State who certified their respective states for Biden and said there was no widespread voter fraud that could impact the election.
What exactly do I need to provide to you, to convince you the election wasn’t stolen? Apparently, no amount of evidence will suffice. No amount of testimonies from republicans, including Bill Barr, who was the Attorney General will do.
So please either provide scientific data to make your case, or stop wasting our time. We aren’t gullible rubes on this site; all of us are well read on the subjects we discuss.
Robert, may I suggest these folks: https://www.stopthecoup2025.org/ I have been, since the “mandate” first dropped (I thought it was a spoof…boy was I quickly disabused of that idea!), been telling family, friends & strangers about it & to take the move seriously. This has been on the burner for a long time (at least since Reagan) and has big big money behind it as you say. Seems dystopian novels (1984, Handmaid’s Tale, etc) were prescient…or perhaps some readers thought “hey, that’s a great idea, let’s do it!!”. Sigh.
Thank you for the link, and exactly. They don’t even hide their agenda at this point. As long as the rest of us are divided, and at each other’s throats with MSN complicit; they win…:)
Robert, I completely agree. The first thought into my head upon reading Reich’s introductory statement was “Ain’t never going to happen.” I hope we all can do better than another round of wishful magical thinking.
Yep, the Oligarchs are buying up the political process, piece by piece. They expect to run things, whether or not the office holder is an avowed "evangelical." Follow the money and there's not much doubt what the Richie Rich's want: no taxes (for them), no unions, low-paid employees with no benefits and no legal rights, monopolies, no environmental standards or oversight, ability to buy or sue their way into anything and everything they want. And Trump would happily give it all to them. Their useful demented idiot.
Spot on Robert, our founders in their wisdom decided to make our new nation secular, because they remembered what religious wars had wrought in Europe. We are not a Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist Nation, all of those denominations and many more are welcome here, but none of them govern us which is why we have never had religious wars here, it needs to stay that way!
No, because Trump committed the crimes which isn’t in dispute. Michael Cohen went to jail for Trump’s crime, and Trump was an unindicted co-conspirator in the case, and got off Scot-free because he was President. You can’t prosecute a sitting President.
Trump also stole top secret documents from the Whitehouse and shared them with people without a clearance. Not to mention, he ignored a federal warrant and refused to return the documents and lied about it. These crimes aren’t in dispute.
He tried to overthrow a democratic election and continued to lie to the American people about a stolen election. Not in dispute.
And this case is being prosecuted by NYS, not the Justice Department. And if Biden was trying to weaponize the DOJ, why couldn’t he get Garland to drop the charges against his son Hunter?
It’s because Trump and his minions are liars. Biden has respected the independence of the DOJ, unlike Trump, who had Barr refuse to defend the appeals for Manafort, Flynn and Bannon, after they were convicted of felonies; their convictions were overturned as a result.
Garland also didn’t send a summary of the Hunter Biden Report issued by a US attorney appointed by Trump in order to change the narrative of the report, like Barr did for Trump.
Bottom line; Trump, the religious right and his conspirators in the media (ie. Fox), are fomenting hate, corruption and divisiveness, to distract us from their true goals and agenda: a White Nationalist Christian theocracy.
Excellent, Robert!! Sometimes the trolls need to be smacked in the face with the truth. It hurts but when enough of us speak truth they tend to get weaker!!
Right Leftist Loser, Trump didn’t commit crimes. And Cohen, who went to jail for implementing Trump’s scheme is guilty, for making payoffs on his behalf; yet in your mind, Trump is innocent while Cohen did it all by himself. Is that what you honestly believe?
And Trump didn’t take top secret documents from the Whitehouse which were the property of the US Government? And had he returned them, he wouldn’t be facing charges or been prosecuted.
However, he lied about having them to begin with: Perjury! Lying also triggers a second offense: Obstruction of justice. And even lied again after returning some of the documents, but not others.
He conspired to keep the documents hidden by having his employees at Mar A Largo move them away from federal officials when they arrived with a warrant. He had his advisers and employees Lock them in a different area when the FBI came to retrieve them. And finally, he tried to erase the tapes of the security camera footage showing his minions moving the documents. What exactly isn’t a crime in this scenario?
Several of his own advisers have testified as part of the grand jury that Trump was advised the documents were the property of theUS government, yet he took them anyway. He showed them to people without a security clearance. People have gotten five years or more for doing the same.
He is also on tape trying to get Republican Secretary Of States to find imaginary votes (GA, MI, AZ, NV). This is undisputed.
He conspired with Eastman and others to send fake electors to Washington: a crime for which many of his loyal acolytes have been indicted, with many of them pleading guilty. So his advisors and sycophants are guilty, just not Trump?
He also put pressure on Pence not to certify the election. Also a crime called extortion and intimidation.
So seriously, please take your meds. You have zero credibility since all you do is tell us how Trump is being framed by everyone, without providing an inkling of proof.
Paul ; This criminal is facing prosecutions for breaking laws. He incited an insurrection/ seditious attack on our Capitol, He took secret documents, hid them moved them when he was asked to give them back . the documents case would have jailed anyone else in this country, by itself! what rock are you hiding under? You project what he is doing wrong onto those who must enforce the laws! Just like he does!
Paul A 'lot' could still be a minority. Do you believe that the taking of secret documents from a skiff and improperly storing them in a public place, then moving them around to hide them from the feds is OK? I think Donald Trump should, at least clear his name before being on the ballot. The complicit Supreme court members that he installed with help from the religious right and billionaires supporting the Federalist Society ignored the Constitution's 14th amendment, section 3, which disqualified Donald Trump from holding any office or running for any office again. He violated this oath of office, as many still holding seats in Congress have, and now the Supreme Court 6 have done, This corrupt court removed the remedy for removing traitors from our government. Including themselves : That is a violation of the rule of law and the Constitution. I don't have to agree to be agreeable, and will push to challenge lawlessness where and when I see it. Cheating and lying may allow a 'win', but those who know history, and have ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary war, (and even those who don't have such ancestors), know wrong when they see it. If you think the 91 charges are meaningless, you don't want to believe the truth, and are ignorant of the rule of law and why we have laws.
It doesn’t matter what people think, we have laws and a former president isn’t above the law.
15-20% of Americans believe in “flat earth theory,” should we take their word for it, and ignore science?
Please explain why these lawsuits are political?
Is taking top secret documents from the Whitehouse, refusing to give them back, and then sign an affidavit that all said documents were returned, and no longer in the defendants possession, not a crime?
No, Biden didn’t commit the crimes he is being accused of from right wing media. We spent the last two years with several hearings on Biden’s corruption in China and Ukraine and nothing was found. If it were found, Biden would be impeached.
All of the so called whistleblower’s for the republicans are either convicted criminals, indicted and on the run, relocated to Russia or sitting in a jail cell.
As for the documents case against Biden? He wasn’t charged because his own people notified the DOJ and FBI that they had secret and confidential documents in their possession.
Trump would have gotten off without charges had he just returned the documents when asked by the National Archives. Instead, the National Archives spent a year trying to get them returned to no avail.
That’s when the National Archives sent a referral to the DOJ requesting help. The DOJ negotiated for ten months and returned some documents but not all of them. And it was a Trump whistleblower who told the DOJ that many of the documents requested were still in Trump’s possession. This after Trump’s lawyers had signed an affidavit stating that the documents had been returned.
So don’t blame Biden for Trump’s criminal predicament l. He has no one to blame but his hubris, and arrogance; as well as a bunch of Librarians at the National Archives with Top Secret clearances for his downfall.
It had nothing to do with Biden or a weaponized DOJ…:)
Paul ; You blindly support a man who wants to enslave all the women in this country of childbearing age, and cause considerable pain to anyone who loves them, and their daughters and granddaughters. Women have already died because the medical remedies to save their lives have been withheld from them. Doctors who took the Hippocratic Oath to "do no harm" are threatened with harsh prison terms and fines ; even loss of their right to practice medicine, at a time when medical care is harder to get because, who would want such a job now? Bottom line ;These hateful control freaks don't care if the fetus dies, Or the woman carrying them die! You come onto this forum to insult and disrespect us here as we try to understand and remedy the challenges to our lives and freedom! "We just have to agree to disagree"? I don't think so and find your lying , hateful posts objectionable and harmful! I will report you to the Substack management! I don't have to put up with your careless gaslighting! Remember that respect is a two way street. The word is from ancient language respect ; respicere ; "To look at". We look at each other and regard each other ; try to see each other. This forum has a cartoon contest and humor is enjoyed. But we aren't here to take potshots at each other; we care about Democracy and like to discuss politics and ideas about government, freedom and fairness. the Common Good.
I already reported his obscenity-laden, threatening (at least twice) posts. Please feel free to do the same. Paul is not engaging in civil discourse, he is spreading hate and conspiracies.
Professor Reich, I have been so worried, afraid, angry, and bewildered over all things political!! I really never imagined how bad everything had become until trump made it into the White House and then I began to sit up and take notice. Suddenly, all of the things he did and said were breathtakingly God awful and it seemed that America was allowing it and even being embraced by it!! The egregious acts he did - COVID response, babies in cages, humiliation on the world stage, ugly, nasty comments about our military and so on and so on, was being glossed over as if our president always behaved in this fashion!! It is so hard for me to believe there are Americans in our country who embrace that man and everything he has done!! Just when I think we will turn the tide and put President Biden back in the White House, some news comes out about how trump is ahead in the polls, the supreme court will grant him immunity, and his 'shadow cabinet' is moving forward with project 2025. It is an excruciating and painful roller coaster ride. Yes, we should have election deniers in Congress take the 2024 presidential pledge to certify, but how could we make that happen? If they refuse, the right-wing nutters won't care, they will still vote for trump. Young people are mad at President Biden about the war in Israel even though President Biden is NOT responsible, people are mad about the border even though a bipartisan bill was put forth that addressed everything the republicans wanted and they still voted it down because trump didn't want President Biden to have the "win"! President Biden still gets blamed even though it is perfectly obvious who was at fault!! I can continue to wring my hands and cry or I can continue to write post cards, sign petitions and talk. Since my mom told me crying only causes your eyes and nose to swell and turn red, I don't think that is an option. I will keep working hard with hope in my heart. Vote Blue, America!! Vote like your life depends on it, because it does!!
It's like that commercial, Jaime. If you tell your friend, and they tell their friends, and so on and so on. That's how a movement takes shape, builds momentum, and becomes a tidal wave of blue votes that no one can argue isn't legitimate!!! Vote Blue, America!!!
We know that those postcards give infrequent voters that personal reminder that effectively gets them to the polls. You are helping many voters to put voting front and center and to get it done. Thank you.
History is no mystery. We, the People of the United States along with other democracies around the world are finding out today, to our dismay, that Fascism Never Sleeps. When people talk about the 100 year Rise of Fascism that's been observed throughout recent history I point to the FACT that Russia attacked Ukraine in 1922 AND 2022. Facts are Facts.
Just Me, that is a very good reason to stay vigilante and never let our guard down. We have come too close, in my opinion, this go round; however, I believe the majority of Americans will simply not let fascism take over here.
Agreed. :) I just wish Democrats would stop asking ME what THEY ought to do about it all and put their heads down and plow a course to a stronger and more educated constituency, (namely by addressing the SCOTUS problem and reversing the 2010 Citizens United decision and shut down the bribery $$$ before it's too late). As it is, less then 50% of fully grown American Citizens read at or above the 6th grade level today. Fascists and those who support authoritarian/dictatorial religions and/or governments have learned better than anybody from human history. Ignorant people are easier to govern.
So true, Just Me. That is why I constantly talk about the dumbing down of our children in school because of these far-right agendas designed to keep children from learning truths about our country, our history, our rights, and our diversity!! The propaganda is staggering and is aimed at making our children ignorant so they can take over!
Cry it out loud my friend. This is one of the most impactful response I have read and Peggy you work through all that noise and hand wringing to give hope . Because of all your dedication with post cards, petitions, ect. Shouting out loud to anyone to listen to register to vote, you my friend are a role model for many and all I can say is keep up the wonderful work because you are making a difference. Thank you
Thank you, Tina! I believe all of us are working hard to ensure our Democracy stands up to the ravages that are trying to consume the United States of America. We cannot, we must not ever let those who would tear our country apart get the upper hand. I believe in Democracy. It may get messy at times but it has worked for over 200 years and I want it to continue to work for my grandchildren!! Vote Blue, America!!
Yes, keep writing those post cards, letters, making phone calls and canvassing! We can win this but we all have to do our part - let’s get to work and remain positive. What’s our alternative?
Richard, thank you and we all must sing it out loud!! If we don't stand up for our Democracy - who will? We must stay in this fight together and never let them take over our country. I think of the many, many men and women who fought to preserve what we all hold most dear. I simply cannot stand by and do nothing otherwise their sacrifice was for nothing!! Vote Blue, America!!!
OMG, you are SO right. You say: "Long before we reach this constitutional crisis, Speaker Johnson and others in the Republican House leadership must pledge to certify the results of the November elections. They should be asked by the media to make this commitment. If they won’t, Americans need to know — and know why." And, i would add, we must pressure media outlets to step up to this critical task.
Yeah, Lani, and well all know how well they keep their word. Think of all the backtracking done since they said on the floor of Congress that TFFG should be held accountable by a court of law…now, not so much.
There should be no doubt whatsoever that this scenario and others designed to create chaos is real possibility as MAGA and the GOP will throw everything they’ve got to make January 6th look like a picnic by comparison. Let’s hope the Biden administration is war-gaming every conceivable scenario and leaves nothing to the imagination.
I do believe the DOJ and Merrick Garland need a plan as well. When R’s start breaking laws they need to act decisively and swiftly. There is no fear right now because not a single Congressperson or Senator was ever charged with their roles in 1/6. Or Ginni Thomas. Time to take the kidskin gloves off.
The question is, will his followers drink his "Cool-Aid" and show up or "Stand Back and Stand By" to see the recounts and wait for the true outcome of the election? For all the bluster, I trust Americans to stand by their Constitution...He is no longer the President and heading the call to stop the vote would just keep Joe Biden in office as the sitting president.
RR's fears are well-justified. To my mind, they are a bit over-stated. Most vocal election-deniers have fared poorly in elections. There is little reason to assume they will do better in November 2024. Furthermore, tRump has seized total control of the RNC, which is now funding his legal bills and not much else. Any Republican elected in November 2024 will have little to thank tRump for; additionally, the Dobbs decision concerning abortion is enraging women and will make many Republicans unelectable. Finally, we can all anticipate the next round of Presidential Debates, which will feature Joe BIden vs. a tRump decaying as rapidly in mind as he is in body.
His people will never let him debate. They are trying desperately to minimize his opportunities to demonstrate to the voters how far the dementia has progressed...
The "unless I win, the election is rigged" attitude. . .
is selfish, self-serving, mean-spirited, divisive, ugly, unAmerican, wrong and seems to be spreading like wildfire throughout the so-called "Republican" party of Trump cult worshipers and led by House speaker "suck-up-to-Trump" bible-thumping Johnson, and is a detriment to our country. [sorry for the long sentence, not normally my style] Johnson's refusal to certify the 2020 election results should have disqualified him from ever becoming the Speaker of the House.
Sweetie, you are not convincing anyone in this group. Wouldn't you rather rant to a group of people who share your conspiracies? You could be quite popular there. I'd suggest toning down the M--F--- language however, unless you find a site where that is de rigueur.
One of the best phrases I heard was: "Not everyone has the same moral standards as you."
Expecting others to live by morals we endorce is setting ourselves up for disappointment. It's abundantly clear that morals are not guiding the GOP; and they are misleading their party-loyal followers, so as to not lose support.
The best fight Democrats can put up is to vote. Complaining alone is not sufficient to bring victory. We have seen what the political opposition is willing to do; and we know their followers vote. We can't hope for a win if we don't get out and vote. We have to make it clear to our fellow party-loyal followers they too must vote.
Robert, you are so right about setting ourselves up for disappointment. I truly thought for the longest time that everyone had the same or close to the same moral standards as I did. I learned very quickly that is just simply not the case!! It was a surprising discovery but I am learning to adapt!
We were taught that "good decent Americans" believe "these things" (insert list here), do "these things" (insert another list), and don't do "those things" (yet another list).
It pushes compliant and conformist behavior, which good-hearted people willingly support, because it is "what good, decent Americans are supposed to do."
But, when the lists are written, and enforced, by wolves in sheep's clothing, to attain and sustain power, control, wealth, etc., we lose faith in our leaders. We don't know whom to trust anymore.
Complaining has its value: it can open the eyes of those who may not want to look. But, a complaint is not a vote. Only the act of voting will get us what we claim we want.
Voting can also restore faith in a political system that works beautifully, ... if we work. Remember President Obama's inauguration speech, not just the man and his words, but the diverse crowd, shown on TV screens across the world, who voted and got him to the podium.
Yes, Robert, Yes!!! We are up against forces of evil and the puppet master - Putin - is cackling like he honestly thinks he is going to win. I will not go down without a fight!! I will continue to speak truth and urge everyone to Vote Blue, America!!!
I remember when the Soviet Union would regularly challenge our military readiness. Even though it was called the Cold War, there was more going on than the public was told. At the time, Putin was a KGB Intel analyst.
Then, in 2013, I watched Putin hold a meeting with prominent Soviet business leaders. At one point, he stood up, approached one business leader and began to beat the seated man with his fists. The man did not fight back, and Putin did not stop for a few moments. The event was broadcast on Russian state controlled television news and shown for several days in a row.
Since 2015, I've been telling people Putin wants to bring back the old USSR. As KGB Intel, he understands espionage, propaganda, cyber warfare, etc.
And, I suspect he is very aware of China's President Xi quest to dominate the world. Xi has also taken billionaire Chinese businessmen aside and let them know who's in charge.
The events unfolding across the world make this election far more than just the "red v blue" shown on our news. If players like Putin, Xi, Jung, and Trump get their way, you can forget about red v blue. They won't exist anymore. It is imperative we vote for candidates who have integrity and willingness to fight to preserve our democracy.
Yes, Peggy, but the call is also coming from inside our house. Think of Bill Barr disparaging TFFG & then saying he would certainly vote for him because the Biden Admin is destroying the country (paraphrasing his words)—really? What earth is he living on? There are, and have been, many in this country who have a 180 deg opposite vision of what our country stands for and should be, they’ve laid it all out in the “mandate” Project 2025, a jaw dropping “plan” to remake the USA. Upthread, I posted a link to my “anthem” to boost my resolve: Jackson Browne’s Til I Go Down….and it’s danceable!
I love it, Barbara!! My resolve becomes even stronger when I hear from everyone working so hard to keep our Democracy!! I won't back down, I won't shut up, and I won't give up! Vote Blue, America!!!
Oh my goodness! Do you kiss your momma with that mouth? Sorry if my opinions bother you - here's some advice - scroll right on past me and then you want have to use such vulgar language!
You know what, Loser? What is truly sad is that when you cannot debate in a respectful fashion, you resort to vile and vulgar rhetoric. You feel that if you insult and intimidate someone, you have achieved whatever you set out to do. That's not true. Your hate just has no place. In future, I will simply scroll past you and not respond because I don't believe any response will change the enormous hate you feel. Please seek help from someone qualified to give it. Have a good day.
Yes on all counts. As you say, "Good faith can no longer be assumed." One creep is sideways shuffling: Johnson... who can forget how he sat behind President Biden during the 2024 State of the Union Address and kept shaking his head and laughing as if everything President Biden said was nonsense. Johnson is being attacked by his own maga-head radicals (Major Failure Neanderthal from Georgia most visible), so he sided with the Democrats in passing the recent huge foreign military aid bill including funding for Ukraine, which the Korporate Neanderthals vehemently (and meaninglessly) oppose. Well, meaningless until you consider that they are manipulating their maga base, the Simple People (Proverbs 1) who are not capable (I'm sad to say) of intellectual thought, but only schoolyard bullying. Their korporate (and putin) manipulators want to divide & conquer... so turn the Simple People against anything (doesn't matter what) that supports the Democrats... like keeping NATO afloat, saving Europe, and finally after all these generations beating the shit out of Russia. Not that I hate Russia. It's a beautiful country with lovely people... including of course the Simple People who believe whatever Putain says. Bottom line, let's start by never trusting shifty Johnson. JTC Sheep Heil!
George Bush, Jeb Bush, Dick and Liz Cheney and all Republicans who still are Republicans need to come out against Trump. Biden should invite them to speak at the Democratic Convention and stand along side Obama, Clinton and all Democrats for the good of the country. The media also needs to be responsible and stop covering Trump 24/7. He is trash and doesn’t deserve so much attention. We already know what he did and are sick of hearing about it. We also know he is guilty because we heard and saw it on tv. How many times does he need to tell us who he is??? I think the polls are incorrect and we are being forced to listen to all this crap because of money. In the end women will save us. If one more disgusting creep on the Supreme Court or one more man like Trump tries to tell us what we can or cannot do with our bodies we are all going to destroy them. I can’t wait til November! Get ready!
Seriously, can someone with money put up a challenge that would pay out a large sum if anyone can provide a shred of evidence that would prove Trump had won in 2020? Put this challenge up in all the news outlets and newspapers, so ordinary people can see that there is absolutely no evidence to support Trump's claim.
This is great! As someone with a doctorate in mathematics and having practiced statistics for more than a half century, I'm always interested in numbers. So let's get down to it. How many counties did Trump win and by how much? How many bellwether counties did Trump win and by how much? And how do those numbers affect the overall votes in whichever state(s) you're talking about? You say "All of the statistics...proves that your guy cheated." I keep hearing these statements, but I have yet to see the "statistics." If you truly believe the "statistics", let's see the numbers. If you can show me the numbers to back what you're claiming and assuming the math works out, I will vote for Trump.
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
3:52 AM (0 minutes ago)
The Electoral College--
This conception stands to destroy any idea of a Democracy we hold for this country. To think, a handful of local governments can determine the outcome of a national election is preposterous. The people have a voice and that voice is a reflection of each and every individual vote. The "Electoral College" stands in direct opposition to the American ideal. Gerrymandering, redistricting, and voter suppression are Republican tactics aimed at diminishing the Democratic voice in this country. The only determining factor employed in an election should be the outcome of the popular vote. Give the people back the power to elect the President their ballots have chosen. For too long this antiquated policy of choosing our leader has selected candidates other than who the people have decided upon. People need to get back the voice Trump promised to restore in 2016 and failed so miserably in his attempts, if he tried at all. He is again stating his desire to abolish the Deep State, personally I don't think Trump even understands the concept. We are a Democracy, and the only voice we need to hear is that of the people, not something scraped from the compiled totals of a sick bureaucratic nightmare. Why have the people vote at all if their choices are to be overlooked because of a sick ploy designed to steal an election. Trump will take this country away from us, if given the chance. Let's see who votes for his vision of our new hell.
Yes, the electoral college is taking away the voice of the people. The popular vote is the answer.
Margaret - So also is the fact that 2 senators in a state of 4 milllion have the same clout as 2 senators in a state of 40 million. it's simply wrongly undemocratic.
Yes, my state is under 4 million, at about 3.2 and we have two senators. But Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota combined are 2.2 million and have six senators between them. This serves to emphasize what you say, it is wrong and downright undemocratic.
...and remember to point out to Republican operatives that the inequity cuts both ways: In 2012, Mitt Romney received 900,000 votes in Los Angeles County alone... but all of California's electoral votes went to Obama. If Romney had received 900,000 votes in a less populous state like Wyoming or North Dakota, he would have gotten a handful of electoral votes. That makes no more sense in the 21st century than the 2-senators-per-state system.
Nobody seems to like the electoral system they live in.Preferential voting here in Australia.Proportional representation in NZ,and first past the post in the UK.
If my team wins the electoral system is perfect,no changes are needed.If my team loses we need changes before the next election.
Pumpkin head takes this to lying extremes.Whatever the electoral system is it will always be wrong if pumpkin head loses. Stolen election,false votes,machines that altered the votes.The really stupid and baseless one.The votes are counted in Italy,then returned to the USA after they have been changed,not a lot of people know that. This is how determined people are to steal elections.
Send me more money to fight for you blah,blah,blah.
Thank God Obama was on the receiving end of the unbalanced system in this instance! But you are correct about the system that makes no sense. I don't remember, if it was ever explained or not, the reasoning behind the electoral college concept, unless it was initiated in case the voting public was not "educated" in how to vote! How do we eliminate the electoral college?
With all due respect, that last line was unnecessary.
Yes, this is a conspiracy to commit election fraud and end democracy. Jack Smith needs to add all of them to his prosecution to demask the continuing fraud in advance of the election so that the actions of the Supreme Court can also be placed into their proper perspective (including Clarence Thomas' refusing to recuse himself despite his wife’s actions.)
This is the end game that Putin masterminded, and it will produce the bloodshed that Trump has promised. We, literally, will be faced with having to arrest and remove them from the House if they follow through, which will only be possible by unmasking the fraud in advance. And this will mean the end of the Pax Americana that has lasted since World War II, as well as civilization, as Putin will put into place Phase II of Putin’s invasion of Europe, and China will take the opportunity to invade Taiwan, and the fight against global climate change will be sabotaged. (Perhaps the good news is that this Summer is slated to be a scorcher that will make the heat waves of the past seem mild, but most people will be unable to connect the dots.)
The survival of the United States, and the world, will all get down to convincing Lachlan Murdoch that the fate not just of democracy but of civilization is in his hands.
Heather CoxRichardson explain Bill Barr as well as Samuel Alito interpretation of the law in 1986, Theory perfectly today in her writing.
We are in deep shit even more than a deep state if T.Rump & Mega Terrorist get in 2024 for sure. They will definitely cheat to win so maybe we need to cheat too. Register Independent or Republicans and VOTE BLUE.🤔😃
One thing I pretty sure of if Trump get in , it won’t be long before Putin kills him. As for the rest of Mega they’ll sink into their own pile of “QuickShit”
HCR was excellent today, I agree. I disagree that we can cheat. This is a problem. Then it's not the rule of law and the Constitution anymore and we have aided that demise. I do think people can legitimately register R and vote D.
Registering Republican and voting blue is an iinteresting concept that leaves me with one question: when ballots are inspected during a final vote count, will those ballots of registered Republicans be disqualified for their blue votes?
No. Your ballot does not identify you, nor your party. The envelope containing your ballot identifies you and has your signature (biometic proof), but the ballot does not.
That's where vigilance on the part of honest watchers is necessary
I hadn't thought of that, but that's a great idea.
Nothing Putin does surprises me anymore. In the long game that Moscow is playing, disposing of Trump would be just another minor casualty in their plan for world domination. The Murdochs would just find another terrible person to fill their poisoned pages.
Amen Tweedleee-that was a hair-raising article! That obese POS buying into the subversion is nauseating, an leaves me wondering if he has already secured a position in trump's potential new government. And we will all be rounded up for these posts!
Why would Putin kill his "useful idiot?
Incredibly depressing.
Just go away. Have your tantrum elsewhere.
We know it, They know it, Everybody knows it. So why can't it be changed?
The Constitutional effect of the two Senators to a state law is to entrench rural and smaller states having a huge advantage over states that are larger with more urban areas. They will not vote for a change; it won’t happen.
The move to abolish (side-step in this case) via the states is already in motion and stands at 209 electoral votes going to the candidate winning the popular vote. 18 states and D.C. have enacted the legislation. Let us hope this movement can get to the 270 number!
The Red states will never vote for it.
The only hope we have is to vote in overwhelming numbers.
The youth, especially women, must vote. This their future.
There are still enough non-red to make it happen, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise I totally agree-women and youth need to vote, and in person. Avoid mail-in voting.
yes.. this is the way.
I hope this happens - it may as more states trade rural areas for cities but I doubt that it will be soon.
It takes a constitutional amendment to change it, a
An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.
You should lose that screen name. Iknow why you chose it, ; "to own the libs". There is one thing that both sides share and that is visceral idiots, including right wing boobs like you.
Me, I stay with the facts, with reality, and the logical consequences of actions and policies, and I am not a centrist, nor leftist, nor rightist.
Just and old fart that tries (I said tries) to use the critical faculties our species is suppose to have, evidence is that said faculties area rare commodity.
I am surrounded by emotional idiots who are either fearful, hateful, venal or greedy or so open minded that the brain is exposed o the air and rots.
Please do your homework. Such a change cannot be made by one Party. And even if there was BIPARTISAN support in Congress, there would have to be BIPARTISAN support among the great majority of all states.
So who are the "you guys" that could pull this off if they/we wanted?
With a national popular vote for president, Trump would have had to ask state officials to "find" about 8 MILLION more votes for him, not just a few thousand in one state. And as Hillary Clinton said after 2016, "If Democrats were stealing elections, I'd be your president now." Regardless of any opinions about her, she was right.
I'm afraid that even with 8 million more popular votes it will never do us any good with the electoral college in place. It was set up like that in a different era when only white men who owned property could vote. The Supreme Court seems to think that this is the way it should be even now. With their mindset we are doomed!
Oh, honey. You are just showing your own ignorance. Find another blog where people would love your tirades.
Margaret--Check, check, and check some more, yes.
Gerrymandering plus electoral college has already spelled disaster for Congress and the SCOTUS. It may soon put the nail in the coffin to fair elections.
True. But we have to dislodge those in power who cling to tfg. Apparently, there is a network of Christian nationalists leaders - leaders who are prophets. They prophesize events that will happen such Jan 6. Theirfollowerd werec Per the author, their
Delete last line. The author believes they are.a real threat to our democracy and we should engage their leaders in open dialogue.. There is a spectrum of difference among the leaders who could be persuaded to detach from the more radical hard. right believers and tfg and hid ilk.
I too, agree that the electoral college is an unnecessary obstacle to our voting rights and should be abolished. However, the one thing that disturbs me is, if this should happen and the election were decided strictly by the numbers of voters, do we even have an accurate headcount of how many MAGA voters are out there compared to those who will vote blue? I would hate to think that Maga voters are so numerous that the election results might, God forbid, end up in their favor.
No worries on that score, Ilene. The Rs are in the minority to begin with, and not all Rs are MAGAs. Also, most independents skew toward the blue side.
We are I think 44 electoral votes away from achieving the agreement of the National popular vote compact, with Maine joining about a week ago.
Jen--Where can we find 11,780 --you know.
Here's where
https://www.nationalpopularvote.com/state-status
Thanks. You just answered my question. Can we collectively help this group get other states onboard before November?
I guess I forgot what I wrote, because I have no clue what you mean by "a Civil War" lady. Sorry.
Can we all push to get those last 44 electoral votes so that the national popular vote wins? There are 1 or 2 organizations working on getting this accomplished, but I forget who they are. Do any of you know?
I think Common Cause is one of them.
They may be. I'll have to check. They do good work in any case. Thanks.
Jen, will this need a consitutional amendment?
The actual verbiage is on the site, but no, it's an agreement between states, which have sole authority to assign electoral votes. Most are winner take all in each state as you know, with the exception of Nebraska and I think Maine. So candidates only campaign where the voters never can make up their damn minds.
Under the agreement, once enough states ' legislatures have ratified this agreement, its rules kick in, which are that the state will assign its electors to the winner of the national popular vote. Which would make candidates campaign everywhere, and certainly in populous states like New York California Texas and Florida as well as the dumb "swing" states.
We all pretty much know we won't ever get an electoral college removal from the constition; you can't get an amendment through the Senate probably ever again.
But this agreement, had it been in place would have prevented the disastrous presidencies of W and drumpf. It's time.
The map shows we can get there with just 4 more states whose legislatures have passed this in one congressional chamber.
Jen the Republican legislature of Nebraska, just changed the vote, all electoral votes will go to the winner of the states popular vote. If Nebraks flips over abortion, then they could go to Biden, otherwise Trump.
The Democrats need to play up the abortion issue in every state, big time.
I thought it hadn't been finalized yet.
Piece of advice. Stay away from the keyboard when drinking, or more likely high on oxicotin or meth.
What the fuck are you ranting about? Your out of your fucking mind. Wait, I misspoke, I assumed that you had a mind. Xin loi.
You just provided an example of my previous comment. Here you resort to emotion to advance your cause and "own the libs""
We know that you and your kind could care less about "babies", born or "unborn", especially after they are born.
Babies are just a tool to use to dominate women, keep them submissive and under male control. Women who have power and control over their own bodies, are a threat to weak males,and there ability to erect and penetrate.
And the women who support the patriarchal misogynistic agenda, are the very type that these weakling need, morons who have no mind of their own, or schemers who think that their bread is buttered by supporting a male, that they don't have to work,.
A fact that pleases no one. The 19th amendment gave women the vote, and it was passed by men. Why would men, practically all of whom were misogynistic patriarchs, give women the vote. , it was brought before the Senate and, after Southern Democrats abandoned a filibuster, 36 Republican senators were joined by 20 Democrats to pass the amendment with 56 yeas, 25 nays, and 14 not voting. The final vote tally was: 20 Democrats Yea. 17 Democrats Nay.
But why? Because the Senators, and those that ratified it believed that it would double the vote of the party that passed it, in other words they believed, and rightly so at that time, they women had no brains and voted as their husband told me.
As a voter-rich New Yorker, I see the power of the NY voter diminished at every national election at the same time that the power of the average voter in low-population states like North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and others is increased. This is working against democracy and tilting the Electoral College toward right-wing so-called conservatives and against generally more and better educated liberal voters. This anti-democratic imbalance favors wannabe despots like TFG, and that just isn't OK with me, and with citizens in traditionally Democratic or even 'toss-up' states. If you don't have a majority of the votes, then you shouldn't win because the voters prefer someone else.
Porter--Everyone has but one vote to stand as their selection in any particular election, at the end of the day all the ballots are tabulated, and a winner is determined by whoever received the most votes. No other determining factor need apply. We the People.---
But as you know Donald, that is not the way at it is. BTW how does it feel sharing your name with Trump?
William--Donald was my father's name, I was raised as a Bob. The name means great chief, Donald that is, don't know about that, but Bob has served me well all these years. Just ask our mentor, Mr. Reich. As for Trump sharing mine, he should feel special. I don't cheat while playing golf, my bridge skills would leave Donnie Boy shuffling the cards. Sitting across from me for a good game of chess might leave him wondering what he was thinking. Trump can't think, he even has trouble reading a teleprompter.
Donald (Bob) - I think that you might also like dogs too….
Anon--What do you mean, I am a dog. 💕Thanks for the "Bob"
Who the fuck are you talking to. You can't even follow a thread, not a sign of intelligence. This comment wound up in my in box.
And speaking 8th grade morons. Your insult that someone is an 8th grade girl, is puerile, infantile and what is expected of an 8th grader, and best of all it shows what you think of the female gender. a real misogynist, but we know that from your previous comments.
But it does. Look at the Senate. Porters comment is about states without enough voters to have more than the minimum of a single House representative. Yet they have two senators. Absurd.
We can't take away their statehood. But they get to prevent statehood for DC and Puerto Rico. Considering they were made states to begin with -- hell, they couldn't even come up with two names for the Dakotas-- to balance more slave states, we're still here. Still in a power bs situation.
I think it's time we start considering the Constitution to be what it is: a deeply flawed document that needs desperately to be interpreted in light of current moral standards, not the stupidity of its founding days.
But that means starting over and wow what a nightmare that would be.
Jen--What the constitution was and is stands as a foundation for other countries who have been held under some jerk's boot for far too long. I agree what we have needs some serious reconsideration with regards to an upgrade. Times will change and we must also if we are to compete on the world's stage.
It would be a nightmare. We could practically end up with a civil war about whether we are a Christian Nation mandated the Ten Commandments and prayer (Christian only) everywhere.
About asking Congresspeople to say they’ll certify the election — yes, I want to know who accepts the 2020 count, after all the court cases and reassurances. That should be a given, at this stage. Every person in Congress should have to agree that the 2020 election was certified, and challenges were successfully addressed through recounts AND hearings in our courts, and Biden was the winner. That should be without question.
But, if we’re asking them to commit to certifying the 2024, are we just giving them an opening to make MORE scary predictions? Are we going to specify what assurances we all have that the 2024 counts will be accurate, so they can agree to certification? We DO have a great many assurances … I am not saying the votes will be derelict, but people are already afraid. Can we reassure our electorate that we have checks in place to catch votes by dead people or non-citizens or people voting multiple times? Can we assure our electorate that we HAVE poll watchers who actually CAN see what’s going on? That verification of voter eligibility DOES exist? That the vote IS secure?
If a Congressperson refused to agree to certifying the election before it even happens, can they make a credible case for withholding that promise until they “see” the facts on the ground? [Florida’s count was WRONG, after all, and if the recount were not so intensely impeded, we’d have known it was wrong BEFORE the Supreme Court got a chance to stop it!]
I totally think we need to get anybody in Congress to agree that 2020 was an accurate and fair election, and Joe Biden won.
I worry that asking them to certify 2024 before it happens just gives them a chance to make us MORE scared, not less.
We do need to talk to people about WHY we think our vote tallies are accurate. {When you think about it, Republicans KNOW our vote tallies are accurate, too, but they also know that they never win a majority, which is WHY they need all these schemes to get around the popular vote.}
Still, American voters have had our confidence shaken. That is part of the scheme to take elections out of our hands!
American voters need reassurance that our votes are protected, the counts will be accurate, and we will be able to verify them in court, if challenged — as was done in 2020 —
These reassurances DO exist, though Republicans don’t want us to trust the process.
It is imperative that we help our electorate regain confidence in our elections.
Then we can demand that our elected officials will certify, too.
Pat--I hear you.
Urf, I too often wonder if it is not all more arcane and twisted than we can manage — SO many people to keep track of. SO many votes to count.
But this is where we are, and who we are. Our people need to find a modicum of trust in our system, and vote for democracy. When we see it from closer to home, we can see what we trust.
Blue! Through and through.
Pat--Every society reaches a precipitous, at which point they either progress and move on or they succumb to the elements and simply fade into time. It's very possibly we could have reached ours.
Eeek, can’t “like” that, but it’s a thought I’ve had often, too, Donald.
We can make it over this precipice, and we can pull ourselves together, or we can plunge like lemmings into the void. {I often marvel that the QAnon people love their lemming motto, “Where we go one, we go all.”}
That’s why we have to try so hard … Our fate has been taking us by the hand and dragging us down the road for a while now. Where are we headed? Are we paying attention? Are we choosing or just dragging along? The Oligarchs want to drag us to Aristocrat Heaven….
Where do we really WANT to go …? Most of us, anyway…?
We’ll see
Pat--Did you hear the skinny about the Lemmings?
At least 20 mainstream Republicans have left Congress, and with good luck (I don't believe in luck BTW) most of the vacancies will be filled by Democrats, And if there is a blue wave (because of Dobbs and the now open despicability of the basket of deplorables) the Republicans who survive will get the message, and change their tune and votes.
Quite the ask isn't it.?
From your keyboard to the ears of the Gods of Luck.
Matt Seligman and Larry Lessig wrote this book HOW TO STEAL A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. to be a wake up call for Americans. There are still far too many ways for bad actors to subvert the results of a legitimate presidential election.
It’s not too late to defend our elections. Step one is to get informed and spread the word.
That’s why they hope you’ll join them tomorrow night. Tuesday 4/30 at 7PM EST . you can also share the event page with family and friends, and on social media.
Sign up here https://equalcitizens.us/how-to-steal-a-presidential-election/
Also I think FartManTrump threatened the crap out of Barr. On that CNN interview he was so beaten looking, slummed over no eye contact. It was weird even for him.
Sure seems like it since that despicable toad Barr said recently he would vote for Trump in November. A lot of what's happening today can be blamed on Barr not doing his job when he was AG and he still continues to be that same spineless, controlled lapdog for that demented criminal.
Barr is neither spineless or a controlled lapdog. Barr is a trad rad Catholic, a misogynistic patriarch, and Trump is his ticket. Liberals are the enemy of theocrats, everywhere, be they Muslim, Christians, Jews or Hindus, and in the USA Democrats are the enemy, because Democrats are by and large liberal and pose an existential threat to male domination, and serendipitously to white supremacy.
I'd say we're a threat to Religious Nationalists everywhere.
Non believers are a threat to believers, even if the non believers are believers in another ideology. For instance Capitalism believers and Communism believers.
The same applies to religion, because religion is an ideology as well, a sectarian ideology, but an ideology known the less.
Islam, where it is dominant, requires conversion to Islam, they make an exception for Peoples of the Book, Christians and Jews in Sunni Islam, includes Zoroastrians in Shia Islam.
There is a catch though, they can practice their religion but only as dhimmi's, that is second class citizens and are required to pay the jizzyah, an onerous poll tax.
Atheists, agnostics, polytheists like Hindus, have no choice other than conversion or losing their heads.
Fascinating, thanks! I guess I’d better keep my mouth shut to avoid losing my head!
Even the freaking idiot Bolton won't cross him completely .
Seems like that’s one description that maybe Trump got right!
Tweedle--Something isn't right, Barr seems to have done a complete 180 in his position on Trump. Maybe what caused Bannon to succumb to Trumpism has infected Barr.
Nope Barr hasn't done a 180 on Trump. He jumped the Trump Train in December a couple of weeks before the insurrection. He knew what was a foot, and he didn't want to be caught up in the aftermath, neither did he warn us.
He has enjoyed the lionization by his hated liberal enemies, and has relished wearing a mantle of a constiutionalist, but he has his own agenda
As I posted above
Barr is neither spineless or a controlled lapdog. Barr is a trad rad Catholic, a misogynistic patriarch, and Trump is his ticket. Liberals are the enemy of theocrats, everywhere, be they Muslim, Christians, Jews or Hindus, and in the USA Democrats are the enemy, because Democrats are by and large liberal and pose an existential threat to male domination, and serendipitously to white supremacy.
William--If Trump jumped ship why degrade Biden the way he did, when it's obvious he was wrong in his assessment.
I agree that why I think these people are threatened . I
Tweedle--Something has been threatening people for a long time now, Trump had a mentor in Capone. Hitler was his idol while the tactics of good old Al held a special appeal to our orange friend. You don't get into the Casino business without rubbing elbows with some different types of people.
I agree that Trump has the goods on every powerful enemy AND friend. His dementia means he didn't gather the dirt himself. But he had plenty of hard core supporters with shovels (and laptops).
Donald, I know that you know that this country was not founded as a democracy, but as a Republic and a Republic is rule by "wise men" as in Plato's Republic, which means rule by those with a vested interest in the state, and that means those who own property. The Roman Senate was composed of wealthy land owners, and the plebes simply voted for them.
Thus was founded the governing body of the newly minted United States, only landed free men, which at the time included non whites (that didn't last) could vote and as a consquence hold office.
It took at least three amendments, the 15th, 17th and 19th to make us a democracy.
At first not all men could vote and hold office, only those who owned property.
But the various state quickly realized that they could expand their power by enfranchising all free white men, and so it stood until the 15th Amendment.
There were only three state constitutions from 1776 to 1790 — Georgia until 1789, South Carolina, and Virginia — that defined voters as “white.” By 1807, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, and New Jersey were added to that list.
There were some property owning free blacks, and unless prohibited by law were able to vote in our first elections.
For instance: Under the 1780 Massachusetts constitution African-American men had the right to vote.
Article 9, 1780 Constitution of Massachusetts
All elections ought to be free; and all the inhabitants of this commonwealth, having such qualifications as they shall establish by their frame of government, have an equal right to elect officers, and to be elected, for public employments.
William--Agreed--
1 of 780
Regester voters--
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
10:49 PM (0 minutes ago)
CNN just had a new dweeb on their program, this lost soul said we shouldn't encourage new voter registrations because we might be asking Trump supporters to register as well. Really, and this guy is out in public without an escort? If I was asked, I might infer that this opinion was fostered by a Trump loyalist, not a true Democrat. We should encourage everyone to register, the vote is how we keep this country free.
Well said D Hodgins.
It is a surprise to me that so many politicians are willing to reinforce the lie about the 2020 election. There is a wealth of knowledge and information available that totally contradicts that false narrative. The media regularly disappoints us when it comes to the issue while chasing the buck. Add to that politicians like Sanunu who does a 180 and makes up his own lie that this election is about politics and not about keeping our form of government as we know it. With the current group of republicans pitching curve balls like that and further claiming it is the Biden administration that is destroying our country it is a call to action for we the majority. Many of the “deniers” are up for reelection or are opposing incumbents who know and put out the truth. Our work will put this right. I believe that we will in the coming months set a course for America away from those who would support the jackass for president.
M J--Sign me up! Well said and might I add, Netanyahu is obviously unstable, and seen as a deterrent to peace as long as he is in charge. And we have Trump to contend with. The world is watching to see how we handle our countries with two crazy men in our respective crow's nests.
There is a movement afoot to get a commitment from states to allocate their Electoral votes to the person who receives a majority of votes OVERALL in the country … Some states have agreed to that. We’ll see if it helps.
The shenanigans being used to subvert the popular vote are gobsmacking …
Pat---The simplest and best way to satisfy the needs of the people is to make the popular vote the determining factor in all elections.
I am for that, Donald.
Unfortunately the states that have agreed are blue and blue leaning states, and there electoral votes number 226.it takes 270 to win, there are 235 red and red and red leaning states.
There are 18 states that have signed onto the National Popular vote Compact, a list of them here, at the bottom of the page, they are are all blue and blue leaning
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact#:~:text=The%20National%20Popular%20Vote%20Interstate,and%20the%20District%20of%20Columbia.
I echo your pain, anger -- and maybe despair. I feel it.
Can't Biden do something to shut down the antiquated, anti-democratic Electoral College? I need to know.
Eric--The individual states would have to change the way in which they decide who won an election. The popular vote would be the deciding factor.
Eric--If we don't give the people back their voice, elections will become an exercise in futility.
Thank you. Do you think this can be orchestrated for this election, which may be the last one for a long time?
Eric--We will have to wait and see.
Its in the Constitution. So the answer is no, he can't. But this may help eventually
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact
Is the electoral system outdated? Maybe it should be changed.
But the toxic atmosphere that is created in some twenty years is the real cause of the problem. Carl Schmitt was the ideologue of Hitler and his central social problem was the difference between friend or foe. That seems the problem America has created for itself.
This is the workaround:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact
Tomm--This repulsive antiquated system was designed to help the Republicans win an election they obviously lost.
Tom--Easy fix, trash the "electoral college."
It is not just Trump. It is a large far right group of people who seek to dominate the US. Trump you likely realize is a con man who seeks power, but too stupid to know what to do with it. It is pretty apparent that Putin is contributing to the destruction of our nation. It looks like a worldwide cabal of oligarchs that are behind it. .... How is that for a conspiracy theory?
Yep, the worldwide conspiracy of the Oligarchs actually seems plausible to me. They think Trump will be their useful puppet. Of course the Oligarchs of Germany thought they could control Hitler. The Oligarchs of America are putting their chips on a man suffering from escalating dementia who would be able to launch the nuclear arsenal. Oligarchs are really not all that bright. Of course they haven't had to think beyond their next quarterly report to shareholders.
Ted--Understandable. Trump is the catalyst that has precipitated the mess we are having to deal with in this time. He followers aren't numerous but they sure are noisy. Putin is a ray of light to Donnie Boy, but in no way is he a figure Trump bows to. The very idea of a new "Conspiracy theory" leaves MTG less than dry. And this guy has designs on running for congress, Santos might desire a return,
Very well express Donald.
Leftest--I did learn about the EC and I would have thought you would have learned it was enacted because of the time this country spent embracing the institution of slavery. As a country I think that time has passed. I'll have to give you credit for your efforts; are humorous.
Leftist--The man does have a gift; it's making foolish people like you believe he's a good man.
Leftist--By the way, I'm a registered Republican.
Leftist--You may have a point or two but no matter how you look at its Biden is twice the man Trump ever was on a good day.
And ‘how da 🔥hell’ you going to get agreement from these corrupt, complicit GOP Trumpers? We’ve had a corrupt SCOTUS, and the pig🐷like traitors like Bill Barr who cannot make up even his own mind as to whether he stands against or with Trump. The most astonishing thing to me has been the brazen, clear ignorance of Americans. And the amount of hatred unleashed by someone like Trump. Mostly white entitled privilege against all others through blatant racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny. Equal rights under the law? Dream on. Justice in America? Not even close.
I am losing hope no longer by the day, but by the hour. What an 🍊+🤡 shit show.
Tim, I do understand how easy it is to lose hope, but I also understand how putin and his group here in America will keep hitting at us praying that we will give up, shut up, and let his takeover happen. Please, stay in the fight. Take a breather. Go out and smell the flowers, admire nature and come back with a resolve NOT to let these traitors, grifters and liars steal our country so that it can become like russia!! Please know that there are people on this feed who will lift you up, stand with you, and will NEVER give up!!! Vote Blue, America!!
Thank yot, Peggy. I needed that. It does look bad but ain't over till the chubby lady sings 🌞
Sabine, come November this fat lady will be singing President Biden's praises at the top of my lungs!! Vote Blue, America!!
I'll be your backup singer!! 😉
You're on!! Hahahahahaha!!
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There are websites that say the earth is flat, but that doesn't make it true. Trump is a horrible man who has spent his life lying, cheating and stealing. All those documents he stole were only good for selling to other governments. He's the last person that should be president. Get out of your bubble.
Joe Biden didn't steal documents, he misplaced them, and reported it to the DOJ of his own accord when he realized he had them. The Justice Department released a report which concluded that the "evidence does not establish Mr. Biden's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt", so "no criminal charges are warranted in this matter". Jack Smith has noted in public court filings that "Whatever risks are posed by storing documents in a private garage" are dwarfed by the risks of storing documents at "an active social club" with "hundreds of members" and "more than 150 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees," which, between January 2021 and August 2022, "hosted more than 150 social events, including weddings, movie premieres, and fundraisers that together drew tens of thousands of guests." Trump hid the ones he took and he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it."
Joe Biden loaned money to family and it was repaid with money legally obtained through
business with Chinese entities, there's nothing wrong with that, if there were we would have had a Biden impeachment by now. Trump got millions from China while he was in office. Joe Biden doesn't have a daughter named Haley, he has a daughter named Ashley who's diary was obtained by Project Veritas, who has a history of undercover operations and other secretive tactics that critics have long said are far more manipulative than journalistic. Ashley has publicly said about this "Repeatedly, I hear others grossly misinterpret my once-private writings and lob false accusations that defame my character and those of the people I love." Theres no reason to think Joe Biden is an icestuous pedophile. Putin is a mobster boss and a thug, calling for regime change in Russia is completely appropriate. It's unlikely, but not impossible that his uncle was eaten by cannibals. Cannibalism did exist in the area at the time, so it's likely this was family "lore" a colorful theory on what became of Bosie. Still, this is one he should not have said. It doesn't compare with Trump showing off documents of which he said "As president, I could have declassified, but now I can’t,” but Biden shouldn't have said it. What you have portrayed are distortions, these are the facts, you are in the bubble.
The heartland institute denies climate change and that smoking is harmful to your health. They get paid to lie. That's what they are.
Paul : Troll!
Fake news and fake 'evidence!
Oh, Paul...
Just wondering who's paying you?
Missed the boat on that one. Canada no longer allows foreigners to buy residential property in response to the rapid increase in their price of housing. Same for New Zealand.
Meanwhile, in America we’re busy as bees converting homes into commercial operations via Airbnb and VRBO.
Also , Wall street is buying single family homes, to rent out for high prices ; limiting access to home ownership for working and middle class buyers.
There are actions being taken to end this practice.
Laurie, what actions? I am horribly depressed about what is happening to our housing market. Please give me hope?!
There are cities in the U. S. where there are so many ghost homes (2nd and 3rd homes, corporate owned retreat condos, bought on speculation and left vacant, fly-in executive extended meeting stays) that if every home was occupied there would not be a housing shortage.
I imagine you might be able to cut a deal for a little something North of the Arctic Circle! 😁
I was going to throw out a couple of my own ideas, but I feared everyone else would beat me to it and they’d be no place left to buy. Kinda like opening SubStack and already seeing 832 comments.
If he succeeds in regaining power, there will be few places to run to and hide in. Nobody deserves to live under tyranny!
Or Costa Rica. The climate there is much more agreeable
My first choice
My son's as well. Beautiful country, minimal corporate influence, no military, lots of American expats or dual citizens.
And about 30% of the country is national parks!
Plus, I found them very nice about gringas butchering their language. One time I got it right and asked for “vino tinto” instead of vino rojo. The bartender was so excited that he gave me the glass for free!
Az ; there are right wingers who love tRUMP up there, too! Plus it takes five years to be able to emigrate to Canada. the world is small ; remember when tRUMP was threatening Canada? He respects no one! Should NEVER have that kind of power again!
I'm in Minnesota and as much as I love Canada and Canadians, the last place I would want to live is a country colder than Minnesota!
Good idea!
To migrate to Canada, one needs to have a quarter of a millon dollars, to deposit in a Canadian bank, and to bring a job or business that will employ five or more people.
They don't. For one thing Canada and New Zealand have national health care, free, and it is already a drain on their society and government, they don't want free loaders from the south, just because us southerners (American citizens) don't have health care, or affordable health care.
Hahahahahahaha!! Good one!! I was thinking how pretty Greece is or maybe Scotland??
I love Scotland, but the overcast, rainy, cold weather that eats into my bones....
According to my sister, we still have a castle in Scotland! The problem is in her research she discovered that our ancestors were not the fine, upstanding Scots we would want them to be!! They were constantly starting fights and trying to take other land that wasn't theirs!! Not sure I want to visit that castle!!
The Scots were a pugnacious people….likely still are. They would have to be living next door to the English, many of whom were transplants from France aka Normans who invaded more than once. My particular lineage says we came from the very NW of Scotland before the Revolution ….unwillingly. We believe they got caught smuggling. If they’d gotten caught after the Revolution, I’d be writing this from Australia.
Oh Peggy, you must visit!!! There are very few places in the world that don't have bad memories haunting them. We need to know everything. I will never forget walking the battlefield at Culloden. I was overwhelmed by the significance of that piece of land. The heather was blooming next to the Well of The Dead. I have some Scottish blood myself but there are no castles for us. Apparently our clan used to gather at Clach-Na-Coileach, a nice rock about the size of a one-car garage, where once upon a time the cock crowed before sunrise, waking up the clan in time to avoid being slaughtered by some other kilt-wearing hooligans. Go see your castle, please, and report back!
I believe you have to have a very clean health record or a ton of money for Canada to take you in.
Stay and fight
Some call it a cult. But it looks more like a cabal manipulating everyday people.
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Agree with you. It is simplistic and naive to the extreme to “demand” that the election denying Republicans commit to the election results, as if we are to trust whatever they “promise”.
The only true solution is to win by such a huge margin that there is no question about who won and to begin to take back state governments (and school boards). We, the Blue team, have been complacent because we believe people are good, moral and justice will prevail. We believe in MLk’s words that the “The Arc of the Moral Universe is Long, But it Bends Toward Justice”. We might be wrong. Face it, MLK was killed.
VOTE BLUE FOR FREEDOM stickers.
https://thecommunety.etsy.com/listing/1616219621
Re Paul Bjarnason’s post. His reference is to Heartland.org. So I looked up the source and its credibility. This is one of 7 sources.
“A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence.”
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/heartland-institute/
Ninah, so is Paul a questionable source? Or just someone who believes only questionable sources? (Or both?)
Several times when I comment on articles, I haven’t considered the Source of the information. When pointed out, I see if other sources have the same information. I have several times had to reconsider my comments. I’d never heard of Paul’s source, so I googled it and found 5 different sources that questioned information from Paul’s source. I quoted one of the articles. I also looked up Paul’s point of view and only found it in the source he cited. So if Paul can find other sources for his point of view, that would be helpful.
Tim, I listen to “my anthem” when I need to boost my resolve/energy: Jackson Browne’s Til I Go Down—have listened to it A LOT since TFFG first ran for office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmzimxfqgfw
That’s funny. “Little old ladies.”
H.B. and the orange cockroach 🪳 will use the military against the American people.
“If Johnson and his cronies had so few scruples then, why should we assume they’ll have more scruples in the weeks following November’s elections?”
You shouldn’t assume they have any scruples, because this election, to them, isn’t about Trump. Trump is the vessel for a far “right-wing” religious agenda that has been infiltrating every aspect of government since Reagan.
Trump owes his political career to the evangelicals, who gave him 83% of their vote in 2016 and 20’.
Is it a wonder that The Federalist Society, a religious political organization, got to vet and choose all of Trump’s judicial nominees? Or putting several of them into cabinet positions: Barr, Pompeo, Meadows, and many others.
The house is filled with these religious conservatives who want to destroy every semblance of our democratic institutions. They’ve been very successful with the federal judiciary and the House, thanks to extreme gerrymandering. They even have many members in the senate: Cruz, Rubio, Hawley, Paul, Scott and Johnson come to mind.
Why do you think people like Barr and Pence who detest Trump, will continue to vote for a man they called a threat to democracy and incompetent? It’s because Trump is a means to an end.
He’s their Cyrus, the King of Persia who allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and build their new temple. Except Trump is leading white nationalist evangelical’s to the promise land. To the religious right he is a useful idiot. And they will show the ultimate fealty when they become the majority of his cabinet and administration officials; while undermining democracy at the same time.
So don’t expect any of these people to ever accept a Biden victory. These electoral shenanigans have always been to inflict more draconian voter laws (against inferior people of color and religion), restrict voting, and sow chaos and confusion within the electorate so they can deflect and distract, while the rest of us are outraged, while dividing this nation further into political paralysis.
Lastly, don’t underestimate these religious fanatics; they are deliberate and they have a plan: Heritage Foundation Plan 2025. Additionally, they have many billionaire backers, and since dark money is legal in politics, these rich plutocrats can hide their complicity in these schemes to overthrow our government from within; installing a white nationalist Christian theocracy in its place.
Let that sink in…:)
Trump is the symptom, not the cause.
Personally I don't care what you do. I know you enjoy beating up on others that don't agree with you. Perhaps you should sign up for one of the Mercenary groups out there. Wagner comes to mind but I'm sure you'll be able to find many others. Just Google "How to be a real mercenary." You may get lucky.
And if you do, we'll all consider ourselves lucky.
Just go away. Read a book or something.....
I'll leave it to you. Say hi to Vald next time you see him.
You're right.
If everyone who wants them to lose does a lot more than just vote, Biden will win and the House will turn BLUE.
One-third of the electorate didn't vote on 2020. Get them off the couch and into the voting booth:
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CitizensNotPoliticians.org is fighting gerrymandering in Ohio. Help them!
An eye opener, as usual, Robert!!
Thank you…:)
Today Heather Cox Ricardson has a discussion about Bill Barr:
"In 2019, Barr explained to an audience at the University of Notre Dame the ideology behind the strong executive and weakened representation. Rejecting the clear words of the Constitution’s framers, Barr said that the U.S. was never meant to be a secular democracy. When the nation’s founders had spoken so extensively about self-government, he said, they had not meant the right to elect representatives of their own choosing. Instead, he said, the founders meant the ability of individuals to “restrain and govern themselves.” And, because people are willful, the only way to achieve self-government is through religion. "
I pointed out the irony is if white supremacists took power, they'd send him to the ovens based on his DNA as one of the mud people. Barr's father was Jewish but converted to Catholicism.
This came out during the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, as Barr's father hired Epstein at his prep school.
Exactly, Barr isn’t defending Trump, he’s defending his parochial principles, and like it or not, his agenda is forever tied to the mango moron…:)
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy think tank known for its rejection of both the scientific consensus on climate change and the negative health impacts of smoking.[2]
Founded in 1984, it worked with tobacco company Philip Morris throughout the 1990s to attempt to discredit the health risks of secondhand smoke and lobby against smoking bans.[3]: 233–234 [4] Since the 2000s, the Heartland Institute has been a leading promoter of climate change denial.[5][6] Wikipedia
Please stop referencing the Heartland Institute! It has been discredited over and over again. Look for truth, not propoganda!
Really? Because all evidence points to the contrary. Barr does not believe in a separation of Church and State. He’s a Catholic who has been a Republican loyalist for almost 40 years. He has said that the American government is based on Judeo-Christian values, and that the Framers believed religion was necessary for a free government. However, his views go against our Constitution: Barr has also criticized "militant secularists" and the rise of "moral relativism", which he says public schools are "actively promoting".
Check out his speech at Notre Dame University Law School when he was AG.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-william-p-barr-delivers-remarks-law-school-and-de-nicola-center-ethics
I saw your link, and it’s nonsense. An on-line poll by a partisan polling company, Rasmussen, and the Heartland Institute, which is a conservative think tank, is not scientific. How can you even claim this is legitimate?
Online polls are easily corrupted. And Trump lost every lawsuit, and had over three hand counts in more than five swing states. Gore couldn’t even get one recount concluded before a conservative court stepped in and handed the Country to Bush; even though a recount was required under Florida’s Constitution, and Florida’s SC ruled in favor of completing the recount.
Even Cyber Ninja’s, a Republican polling company with no experience in election audits, but managed to audit AZ, admitted there was no fraud in the election, and Biden won Arizona by a wider margin than first thought. And Cyber Ninjas were the ones who claimed China was sending bamboo paper which proves the election was rigged. It wasn’t!
So sorry Paul, if you want legitimacy in this comment thread, then at least send some evidence of the fraud.
We’ve proven the election wasn’t stolen through several audits and recounts in all five swing states from 2020. Yet that wasn’t enough to convince republicans like yourself. Biden won 61 lawsuits filed, and some were in front of Trump judges. Yet, it wasn’t enough to convince you and MAGA.
Even Barr, who said he’d vote for Trump again said the DOJ found no instances of fraud that could overturn the election. Additionally, we had republican Secretary’s of State who certified their respective states for Biden and said there was no widespread voter fraud that could impact the election.
What exactly do I need to provide to you, to convince you the election wasn’t stolen? Apparently, no amount of evidence will suffice. No amount of testimonies from republicans, including Bill Barr, who was the Attorney General will do.
So please either provide scientific data to make your case, or stop wasting our time. We aren’t gullible rubes on this site; all of us are well read on the subjects we discuss.
I guess Barr dozed off in law school when they taught the constitutional Article VI no religious test and the First Amendment Establishment Clause.
You are welcome, Robert! Keep putting the truth out there. We need to hear it and use it! Always a pleasure to read your thoughts and ideas!!
Now that this is all very clear, we all should actively get out the vote now, today.
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Robert, may I suggest these folks: https://www.stopthecoup2025.org/ I have been, since the “mandate” first dropped (I thought it was a spoof…boy was I quickly disabused of that idea!), been telling family, friends & strangers about it & to take the move seriously. This has been on the burner for a long time (at least since Reagan) and has big big money behind it as you say. Seems dystopian novels (1984, Handmaid’s Tale, etc) were prescient…or perhaps some readers thought “hey, that’s a great idea, let’s do it!!”. Sigh.
Thank you for the link, and exactly. They don’t even hide their agenda at this point. As long as the rest of us are divided, and at each other’s throats with MSN complicit; they win…:)
The obscenely rich should be properly taxed! they have way too much money!
Robert, I completely agree. The first thought into my head upon reading Reich’s introductory statement was “Ain’t never going to happen.” I hope we all can do better than another round of wishful magical thinking.
Yep, the Oligarchs are buying up the political process, piece by piece. They expect to run things, whether or not the office holder is an avowed "evangelical." Follow the money and there's not much doubt what the Richie Rich's want: no taxes (for them), no unions, low-paid employees with no benefits and no legal rights, monopolies, no environmental standards or oversight, ability to buy or sue their way into anything and everything they want. And Trump would happily give it all to them. Their useful demented idiot.
Spot on Robert, our founders in their wisdom decided to make our new nation secular, because they remembered what religious wars had wrought in Europe. We are not a Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist Nation, all of those denominations and many more are welcome here, but none of them govern us which is why we have never had religious wars here, it needs to stay that way!
Agreed. The Establishment Clause of the Constitution makes this clear….:)
No, because Trump committed the crimes which isn’t in dispute. Michael Cohen went to jail for Trump’s crime, and Trump was an unindicted co-conspirator in the case, and got off Scot-free because he was President. You can’t prosecute a sitting President.
Trump also stole top secret documents from the Whitehouse and shared them with people without a clearance. Not to mention, he ignored a federal warrant and refused to return the documents and lied about it. These crimes aren’t in dispute.
He tried to overthrow a democratic election and continued to lie to the American people about a stolen election. Not in dispute.
And this case is being prosecuted by NYS, not the Justice Department. And if Biden was trying to weaponize the DOJ, why couldn’t he get Garland to drop the charges against his son Hunter?
It’s because Trump and his minions are liars. Biden has respected the independence of the DOJ, unlike Trump, who had Barr refuse to defend the appeals for Manafort, Flynn and Bannon, after they were convicted of felonies; their convictions were overturned as a result.
Garland also didn’t send a summary of the Hunter Biden Report issued by a US attorney appointed by Trump in order to change the narrative of the report, like Barr did for Trump.
Bottom line; Trump, the religious right and his conspirators in the media (ie. Fox), are fomenting hate, corruption and divisiveness, to distract us from their true goals and agenda: a White Nationalist Christian theocracy.
I hope this helps…:)
Excellent, Robert!! Sometimes the trolls need to be smacked in the face with the truth. It hurts but when enough of us speak truth they tend to get weaker!!
Right Leftist Loser, Trump didn’t commit crimes. And Cohen, who went to jail for implementing Trump’s scheme is guilty, for making payoffs on his behalf; yet in your mind, Trump is innocent while Cohen did it all by himself. Is that what you honestly believe?
And Trump didn’t take top secret documents from the Whitehouse which were the property of the US Government? And had he returned them, he wouldn’t be facing charges or been prosecuted.
However, he lied about having them to begin with: Perjury! Lying also triggers a second offense: Obstruction of justice. And even lied again after returning some of the documents, but not others.
He conspired to keep the documents hidden by having his employees at Mar A Largo move them away from federal officials when they arrived with a warrant. He had his advisers and employees Lock them in a different area when the FBI came to retrieve them. And finally, he tried to erase the tapes of the security camera footage showing his minions moving the documents. What exactly isn’t a crime in this scenario?
Several of his own advisers have testified as part of the grand jury that Trump was advised the documents were the property of theUS government, yet he took them anyway. He showed them to people without a security clearance. People have gotten five years or more for doing the same.
He is also on tape trying to get Republican Secretary Of States to find imaginary votes (GA, MI, AZ, NV). This is undisputed.
He conspired with Eastman and others to send fake electors to Washington: a crime for which many of his loyal acolytes have been indicted, with many of them pleading guilty. So his advisors and sycophants are guilty, just not Trump?
He also put pressure on Pence not to certify the election. Also a crime called extortion and intimidation.
So seriously, please take your meds. You have zero credibility since all you do is tell us how Trump is being framed by everyone, without providing an inkling of proof.
Paul ; This criminal is facing prosecutions for breaking laws. He incited an insurrection/ seditious attack on our Capitol, He took secret documents, hid them moved them when he was asked to give them back . the documents case would have jailed anyone else in this country, by itself! what rock are you hiding under? You project what he is doing wrong onto those who must enforce the laws! Just like he does!
Paul A 'lot' could still be a minority. Do you believe that the taking of secret documents from a skiff and improperly storing them in a public place, then moving them around to hide them from the feds is OK? I think Donald Trump should, at least clear his name before being on the ballot. The complicit Supreme court members that he installed with help from the religious right and billionaires supporting the Federalist Society ignored the Constitution's 14th amendment, section 3, which disqualified Donald Trump from holding any office or running for any office again. He violated this oath of office, as many still holding seats in Congress have, and now the Supreme Court 6 have done, This corrupt court removed the remedy for removing traitors from our government. Including themselves : That is a violation of the rule of law and the Constitution. I don't have to agree to be agreeable, and will push to challenge lawlessness where and when I see it. Cheating and lying may allow a 'win', but those who know history, and have ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary war, (and even those who don't have such ancestors), know wrong when they see it. If you think the 91 charges are meaningless, you don't want to believe the truth, and are ignorant of the rule of law and why we have laws.
Troll!
You've learned the Trumpian art of projection. Five stars.
It doesn’t matter what people think, we have laws and a former president isn’t above the law.
15-20% of Americans believe in “flat earth theory,” should we take their word for it, and ignore science?
Please explain why these lawsuits are political?
Is taking top secret documents from the Whitehouse, refusing to give them back, and then sign an affidavit that all said documents were returned, and no longer in the defendants possession, not a crime?
If you know it’s political, please explain!
Projection much?
No, Biden didn’t commit the crimes he is being accused of from right wing media. We spent the last two years with several hearings on Biden’s corruption in China and Ukraine and nothing was found. If it were found, Biden would be impeached.
All of the so called whistleblower’s for the republicans are either convicted criminals, indicted and on the run, relocated to Russia or sitting in a jail cell.
As for the documents case against Biden? He wasn’t charged because his own people notified the DOJ and FBI that they had secret and confidential documents in their possession.
Trump would have gotten off without charges had he just returned the documents when asked by the National Archives. Instead, the National Archives spent a year trying to get them returned to no avail.
That’s when the National Archives sent a referral to the DOJ requesting help. The DOJ negotiated for ten months and returned some documents but not all of them. And it was a Trump whistleblower who told the DOJ that many of the documents requested were still in Trump’s possession. This after Trump’s lawyers had signed an affidavit stating that the documents had been returned.
So don’t blame Biden for Trump’s criminal predicament l. He has no one to blame but his hubris, and arrogance; as well as a bunch of Librarians at the National Archives with Top Secret clearances for his downfall.
It had nothing to do with Biden or a weaponized DOJ…:)
That's what your basing your entire invective-filled opinion on??
Paul ; You blindly support a man who wants to enslave all the women in this country of childbearing age, and cause considerable pain to anyone who loves them, and their daughters and granddaughters. Women have already died because the medical remedies to save their lives have been withheld from them. Doctors who took the Hippocratic Oath to "do no harm" are threatened with harsh prison terms and fines ; even loss of their right to practice medicine, at a time when medical care is harder to get because, who would want such a job now? Bottom line ;These hateful control freaks don't care if the fetus dies, Or the woman carrying them die! You come onto this forum to insult and disrespect us here as we try to understand and remedy the challenges to our lives and freedom! "We just have to agree to disagree"? I don't think so and find your lying , hateful posts objectionable and harmful! I will report you to the Substack management! I don't have to put up with your careless gaslighting! Remember that respect is a two way street. The word is from ancient language respect ; respicere ; "To look at". We look at each other and regard each other ; try to see each other. This forum has a cartoon contest and humor is enjoyed. But we aren't here to take potshots at each other; we care about Democracy and like to discuss politics and ideas about government, freedom and fairness. the Common Good.
I already reported his obscenity-laden, threatening (at least twice) posts. Please feel free to do the same. Paul is not engaging in civil discourse, he is spreading hate and conspiracies.
Marge ; Yes, He has been around for a long while, it seems.
Professor Reich, I have been so worried, afraid, angry, and bewildered over all things political!! I really never imagined how bad everything had become until trump made it into the White House and then I began to sit up and take notice. Suddenly, all of the things he did and said were breathtakingly God awful and it seemed that America was allowing it and even being embraced by it!! The egregious acts he did - COVID response, babies in cages, humiliation on the world stage, ugly, nasty comments about our military and so on and so on, was being glossed over as if our president always behaved in this fashion!! It is so hard for me to believe there are Americans in our country who embrace that man and everything he has done!! Just when I think we will turn the tide and put President Biden back in the White House, some news comes out about how trump is ahead in the polls, the supreme court will grant him immunity, and his 'shadow cabinet' is moving forward with project 2025. It is an excruciating and painful roller coaster ride. Yes, we should have election deniers in Congress take the 2024 presidential pledge to certify, but how could we make that happen? If they refuse, the right-wing nutters won't care, they will still vote for trump. Young people are mad at President Biden about the war in Israel even though President Biden is NOT responsible, people are mad about the border even though a bipartisan bill was put forth that addressed everything the republicans wanted and they still voted it down because trump didn't want President Biden to have the "win"! President Biden still gets blamed even though it is perfectly obvious who was at fault!! I can continue to wring my hands and cry or I can continue to write post cards, sign petitions and talk. Since my mom told me crying only causes your eyes and nose to swell and turn red, I don't think that is an option. I will keep working hard with hope in my heart. Vote Blue, America!! Vote like your life depends on it, because it does!!
That's a really nice heartfelt statement that reflects how many of us feel, Peggy!
It's like that commercial, Jaime. If you tell your friend, and they tell their friends, and so on and so on. That's how a movement takes shape, builds momentum, and becomes a tidal wave of blue votes that no one can argue isn't legitimate!!! Vote Blue, America!!!
You go girl !
Keep writing those post cards, Peggy. They are effective. Thanks for doing it.
You bet, Donna!! If I can convince just one person to vote, I will have accomplished something!!
We know that those postcards give infrequent voters that personal reminder that effectively gets them to the polls. You are helping many voters to put voting front and center and to get it done. Thank you.
Likely you've already done much more than that!
I hope so, Maryk, I truly hope so!!
History is no mystery. We, the People of the United States along with other democracies around the world are finding out today, to our dismay, that Fascism Never Sleeps. When people talk about the 100 year Rise of Fascism that's been observed throughout recent history I point to the FACT that Russia attacked Ukraine in 1922 AND 2022. Facts are Facts.
Just Me, that is a very good reason to stay vigilante and never let our guard down. We have come too close, in my opinion, this go round; however, I believe the majority of Americans will simply not let fascism take over here.
Agreed. :) I just wish Democrats would stop asking ME what THEY ought to do about it all and put their heads down and plow a course to a stronger and more educated constituency, (namely by addressing the SCOTUS problem and reversing the 2010 Citizens United decision and shut down the bribery $$$ before it's too late). As it is, less then 50% of fully grown American Citizens read at or above the 6th grade level today. Fascists and those who support authoritarian/dictatorial religions and/or governments have learned better than anybody from human history. Ignorant people are easier to govern.
So true, Just Me. That is why I constantly talk about the dumbing down of our children in school because of these far-right agendas designed to keep children from learning truths about our country, our history, our rights, and our diversity!! The propaganda is staggering and is aimed at making our children ignorant so they can take over!
Cry it out loud my friend. This is one of the most impactful response I have read and Peggy you work through all that noise and hand wringing to give hope . Because of all your dedication with post cards, petitions, ect. Shouting out loud to anyone to listen to register to vote, you my friend are a role model for many and all I can say is keep up the wonderful work because you are making a difference. Thank you
Thank you, Tina! I believe all of us are working hard to ensure our Democracy stands up to the ravages that are trying to consume the United States of America. We cannot, we must not ever let those who would tear our country apart get the upper hand. I believe in Democracy. It may get messy at times but it has worked for over 200 years and I want it to continue to work for my grandchildren!! Vote Blue, America!!
Thanks for helping get out the vote. You're definitely doing the right thing.
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I share your shock and despair about what is happening. My friends and I are secretly glad we will die before America becomes the New Russia.
Yes, keep writing those post cards, letters, making phone calls and canvassing! We can win this but we all have to do our part - let’s get to work and remain positive. What’s our alternative?
Judi, I shudder to think of the alternative!! Vote Blue, America!!
Well said - thank you!!
Richard, thank you and we all must sing it out loud!! If we don't stand up for our Democracy - who will? We must stay in this fight together and never let them take over our country. I think of the many, many men and women who fought to preserve what we all hold most dear. I simply cannot stand by and do nothing otherwise their sacrifice was for nothing!! Vote Blue, America!!!
You "debunk" facts with opinions. There's no point in trying to teach you anything.
OMG, you are SO right. You say: "Long before we reach this constitutional crisis, Speaker Johnson and others in the Republican House leadership must pledge to certify the results of the November elections. They should be asked by the media to make this commitment. If they won’t, Americans need to know — and know why." And, i would add, we must pressure media outlets to step up to this critical task.
Yeah, Lani, and well all know how well they keep their word. Think of all the backtracking done since they said on the floor of Congress that TFFG should be held accountable by a court of law…now, not so much.
Also the newest SCOTUS inductees promising that Roe was settled precedent during their nomination proceedings. Chilling times we live in.
There should be no doubt whatsoever that this scenario and others designed to create chaos is real possibility as MAGA and the GOP will throw everything they’ve got to make January 6th look like a picnic by comparison. Let’s hope the Biden administration is war-gaming every conceivable scenario and leaves nothing to the imagination.
I do believe the DOJ and Merrick Garland need a plan as well. When R’s start breaking laws they need to act decisively and swiftly. There is no fear right now because not a single Congressperson or Senator was ever charged with their roles in 1/6. Or Ginni Thomas. Time to take the kidskin gloves off.
The question is, will his followers drink his "Cool-Aid" and show up or "Stand Back and Stand By" to see the recounts and wait for the true outcome of the election? For all the bluster, I trust Americans to stand by their Constitution...He is no longer the President and heading the call to stop the vote would just keep Joe Biden in office as the sitting president.
This is not an election between Biden and Trump. This is an election between democracy and Trumpism and all its pernicious consequences.
Vote. And help get out the vote.
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RR's fears are well-justified. To my mind, they are a bit over-stated. Most vocal election-deniers have fared poorly in elections. There is little reason to assume they will do better in November 2024. Furthermore, tRump has seized total control of the RNC, which is now funding his legal bills and not much else. Any Republican elected in November 2024 will have little to thank tRump for; additionally, the Dobbs decision concerning abortion is enraging women and will make many Republicans unelectable. Finally, we can all anticipate the next round of Presidential Debates, which will feature Joe BIden vs. a tRump decaying as rapidly in mind as he is in body.
True, but one may or may not win.
This year it's an all-out effort!
There are lots of volunteer opportunities to get out the vote on Field Team 6 website:
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His people will never let him debate. They are trying desperately to minimize his opportunities to demonstrate to the voters how far the dementia has progressed...
tRump's ego will drive him to debate. He is losing all self-control, as is shown by his outrageous tweets.
You’re right about that. He’s deteriorating rapidly. Although when he’s on his meds (or drugs, maybe uppers) he’s a little less demented.
The "unless I win, the election is rigged" attitude. . .
is selfish, self-serving, mean-spirited, divisive, ugly, unAmerican, wrong and seems to be spreading like wildfire throughout the so-called "Republican" party of Trump cult worshipers and led by House speaker "suck-up-to-Trump" bible-thumping Johnson, and is a detriment to our country. [sorry for the long sentence, not normally my style] Johnson's refusal to certify the 2020 election results should have disqualified him from ever becoming the Speaker of the House.
Republican's pledge means nothing . Most are untrustworthy and have no scruples as said so what good would another broken pledge be?
Sweetie, you are not convincing anyone in this group. Wouldn't you rather rant to a group of people who share your conspiracies? You could be quite popular there. I'd suggest toning down the M--F--- language however, unless you find a site where that is de rigueur.
I'm sure this is therapeutic for you.
Oh and hiding behind some demeaning label for a handle just proves to me that your a chickenshit
Oh good lord, now you want to challenge your critics to physical violence? Maybe Trump would make you his vice president?
One of the best phrases I heard was: "Not everyone has the same moral standards as you."
Expecting others to live by morals we endorce is setting ourselves up for disappointment. It's abundantly clear that morals are not guiding the GOP; and they are misleading their party-loyal followers, so as to not lose support.
The best fight Democrats can put up is to vote. Complaining alone is not sufficient to bring victory. We have seen what the political opposition is willing to do; and we know their followers vote. We can't hope for a win if we don't get out and vote. We have to make it clear to our fellow party-loyal followers they too must vote.
Robert, you are so right about setting ourselves up for disappointment. I truly thought for the longest time that everyone had the same or close to the same moral standards as I did. I learned very quickly that is just simply not the case!! It was a surprising discovery but I am learning to adapt!
We were taught that "good decent Americans" believe "these things" (insert list here), do "these things" (insert another list), and don't do "those things" (yet another list).
It pushes compliant and conformist behavior, which good-hearted people willingly support, because it is "what good, decent Americans are supposed to do."
But, when the lists are written, and enforced, by wolves in sheep's clothing, to attain and sustain power, control, wealth, etc., we lose faith in our leaders. We don't know whom to trust anymore.
Complaining has its value: it can open the eyes of those who may not want to look. But, a complaint is not a vote. Only the act of voting will get us what we claim we want.
Voting can also restore faith in a political system that works beautifully, ... if we work. Remember President Obama's inauguration speech, not just the man and his words, but the diverse crowd, shown on TV screens across the world, who voted and got him to the podium.
Yes, Robert, Yes!!! We are up against forces of evil and the puppet master - Putin - is cackling like he honestly thinks he is going to win. I will not go down without a fight!! I will continue to speak truth and urge everyone to Vote Blue, America!!!
I remember when the Soviet Union would regularly challenge our military readiness. Even though it was called the Cold War, there was more going on than the public was told. At the time, Putin was a KGB Intel analyst.
Then, in 2013, I watched Putin hold a meeting with prominent Soviet business leaders. At one point, he stood up, approached one business leader and began to beat the seated man with his fists. The man did not fight back, and Putin did not stop for a few moments. The event was broadcast on Russian state controlled television news and shown for several days in a row.
Since 2015, I've been telling people Putin wants to bring back the old USSR. As KGB Intel, he understands espionage, propaganda, cyber warfare, etc.
And, I suspect he is very aware of China's President Xi quest to dominate the world. Xi has also taken billionaire Chinese businessmen aside and let them know who's in charge.
The events unfolding across the world make this election far more than just the "red v blue" shown on our news. If players like Putin, Xi, Jung, and Trump get their way, you can forget about red v blue. They won't exist anymore. It is imperative we vote for candidates who have integrity and willingness to fight to preserve our democracy.
Well said, Robert!!! 100% agree!!
Yes, Peggy, but the call is also coming from inside our house. Think of Bill Barr disparaging TFFG & then saying he would certainly vote for him because the Biden Admin is destroying the country (paraphrasing his words)—really? What earth is he living on? There are, and have been, many in this country who have a 180 deg opposite vision of what our country stands for and should be, they’ve laid it all out in the “mandate” Project 2025, a jaw dropping “plan” to remake the USA. Upthread, I posted a link to my “anthem” to boost my resolve: Jackson Browne’s Til I Go Down….and it’s danceable!
I love it, Barbara!! My resolve becomes even stronger when I hear from everyone working so hard to keep our Democracy!! I won't back down, I won't shut up, and I won't give up! Vote Blue, America!!!
I don't want to adapt.
Truth be told, Marge, I really don't want to either!!
Oh my goodness! Do you kiss your momma with that mouth? Sorry if my opinions bother you - here's some advice - scroll right on past me and then you want have to use such vulgar language!
You know what, Loser? What is truly sad is that when you cannot debate in a respectful fashion, you resort to vile and vulgar rhetoric. You feel that if you insult and intimidate someone, you have achieved whatever you set out to do. That's not true. Your hate just has no place. In future, I will simply scroll past you and not respond because I don't believe any response will change the enormous hate you feel. Please seek help from someone qualified to give it. Have a good day.
Yes on all counts. As you say, "Good faith can no longer be assumed." One creep is sideways shuffling: Johnson... who can forget how he sat behind President Biden during the 2024 State of the Union Address and kept shaking his head and laughing as if everything President Biden said was nonsense. Johnson is being attacked by his own maga-head radicals (Major Failure Neanderthal from Georgia most visible), so he sided with the Democrats in passing the recent huge foreign military aid bill including funding for Ukraine, which the Korporate Neanderthals vehemently (and meaninglessly) oppose. Well, meaningless until you consider that they are manipulating their maga base, the Simple People (Proverbs 1) who are not capable (I'm sad to say) of intellectual thought, but only schoolyard bullying. Their korporate (and putin) manipulators want to divide & conquer... so turn the Simple People against anything (doesn't matter what) that supports the Democrats... like keeping NATO afloat, saving Europe, and finally after all these generations beating the shit out of Russia. Not that I hate Russia. It's a beautiful country with lovely people... including of course the Simple People who believe whatever Putain says. Bottom line, let's start by never trusting shifty Johnson. JTC Sheep Heil!
Vote 'em out while we can.
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George Bush, Jeb Bush, Dick and Liz Cheney and all Republicans who still are Republicans need to come out against Trump. Biden should invite them to speak at the Democratic Convention and stand along side Obama, Clinton and all Democrats for the good of the country. The media also needs to be responsible and stop covering Trump 24/7. He is trash and doesn’t deserve so much attention. We already know what he did and are sick of hearing about it. We also know he is guilty because we heard and saw it on tv. How many times does he need to tell us who he is??? I think the polls are incorrect and we are being forced to listen to all this crap because of money. In the end women will save us. If one more disgusting creep on the Supreme Court or one more man like Trump tries to tell us what we can or cannot do with our bodies we are all going to destroy them. I can’t wait til November! Get ready!
Seriously, can someone with money put up a challenge that would pay out a large sum if anyone can provide a shred of evidence that would prove Trump had won in 2020? Put this challenge up in all the news outlets and newspapers, so ordinary people can see that there is absolutely no evidence to support Trump's claim.
I would love to see that happen, JJ! Also, the evidence must prove overwhelmingly that he won, not just one or two people that cheated on their votes.
A more effective tack is getting the THIRD of the electorate who didn't vote in 2020 out to vote in 2024.
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didn't the pillow guy already do that? and he lost the bet, i recall. Maybe it was a different bet since my memory is far from perfect.
This is great! As someone with a doctorate in mathematics and having practiced statistics for more than a half century, I'm always interested in numbers. So let's get down to it. How many counties did Trump win and by how much? How many bellwether counties did Trump win and by how much? And how do those numbers affect the overall votes in whichever state(s) you're talking about? You say "All of the statistics...proves that your guy cheated." I keep hearing these statements, but I have yet to see the "statistics." If you truly believe the "statistics", let's see the numbers. If you can show me the numbers to back what you're claiming and assuming the math works out, I will vote for Trump.
hmmmmmm......maybe the 2020 elections turn out to be the last democratic election in the US.
No, Hans, I refuse to believe that! Vote Blue, America!!