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| "One Vote Can Change the World" by Bisa Butler |
I try not to repeat myself.
Let me say that again.I try not to repeat myself.
Why? Well, for starters, it becomes dull. The second time never carries the punch of the first. You've read it before, maybe. The impact lessens.
Even if I try to switch things around.
Repeating myself is something I try not to do.
But what if the same thing keeps happening? Something important. And any other topic, well, pales in comparison.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court said to President Donald Trump, in essence: "Sure, go ahead and mess with the mail-in ballots, part of your general campaign to undermine and muddy elections, in case your side loses and you have to toss over the game board and cry 'Unfair!' your go-to move for years and years."
In October 2016, when it looked liked the tide might be turning for Hillary Clinton, Trump fired off a series of tweets.
"Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day."
And ...
"The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary — but also at many polling places — SAD."
And ... speaking of repetition.
"Election is being rigged by the media, in a coordinated effort with the Clinton campaign ..."
Then he won, and ... poof ... suddenly the election was fine. Though Republican candidates, in parroting Trump's claims, would insist that elections that they themselves won were also rigged. Which would be funny if the situation weren't so terrifying.
In the 2020 election, which Trump clearly and definitively lost to Joe Biden, the only dramatic attempts at election fraud were the president's, demanding that Georgia election officials "find" votes to put him over the top. Since then, he has machine-gunned lies about the election.
Not to forget the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. After which the nation reelected him anyway, which tempts a person to give up, sit back and declare we deserve whatever we get.
Maybe we do.
To continue reading, click here.
Roberts is an outright fascist who has violated the oath of office he took many, many times now. The Constitution gives the federal government zero rights or responsibility for running elections, that is 100 % the responsibility of the states!
ReplyDeleteSo allowing the federal government run Postal Service the right to not deliver mail in ballots is an outright violation of the Constitution & yet another appalling violation by that corrupt fascist Roberts!
Roberts must be impeached & removed if the Democrats retake Congress!
Great piece, Neil.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to repeat myself. This isn't just trump, or roberts, this is the entirety of the republican party. This is the center and right. Every supporter, every donator, every last sycophant.
Even if you believe in what donald trump is doing you owe it to the country to vote for democrats in every position of every race. Any vote for a republican, no matter how meaningless or lopsided the race is guaranteed to be, is a vote against the fundamental ideals that the United States of America were founded on.
I'm so sick of this timeline. republican's must go.
Maybe the answer is just sending all conservatives to Pennsylvania with bagged lettuce and jalapenos.
Roberts didn't give him carte blanche though. He basically said, "There's not a formal rule yet, so there's nothing for us to decide." The rule has since been formalized, so lawyers are going *back to the SCOTUS to have them weigh in on it. Similar to how the birthright citizenship situation unfolded. (Are we fully out of the woods on that yet? Nope. Because Republicans are despicable. Deplorable, some might say.) But for the time being, we're not doomed on the voting front. That said, given that a THIRD of the electorate stays home for presidential elections, and far more stay home for midterms, for the love of god, people, VOTE. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but others in our lives need to hear it.
ReplyDeletePlease don't fall for that absurd bullshit!
DeleteThat insane fascist Roberts basically told the Postal Service they have carte blanche to not deliver ballots in blue states until a decision well after the November elections!
Anonymous, this is exactly the problem. Roberts should have let the lower court ruling stand until the government can prove itself. That's how it's nearly always been... at least until this court. Laws for thee and not for me.
DeleteTake a look at all of the supreme court's rullings while roberts has been in charge and you'll see that "left" leaning decisions are blocked until they can be heard while "right" decisions are lifted until they can be heard. its hypocrisy.
And given that this country was founded on the idea of no taxation without representation, you'd think the right would want to protect the right to vote. but they don't. they're fascist and anti american to the core.
Make DC and Puerto Rico a state right away.
Why are Americans surprised that a sociopath who inherited wealth, squandered it irresponsibly through multiple bankruptcies, cheated and lied, and whose sole claim to fame was mastery of legal loopholes that allowed him to litigate and prolong cases that were dishonestly brought, for the sole purpose of wearing down and financially imperiling vendors and contractors whom he stiffed.... why are Americans surprised that he has furthered these same behaviors in the White House?
DeleteI don't believe for a second that all the hoopla over imaginary voter fraud is because of Trump's fixation on illegal immigrants, in the country or at the poll booths. I suspect he already knows its a non-issue, just as he knew Haitians weren't eating their neighbors' pets in Ohio. I believe his primary goal is to instill chaos, doubt and mistrust in the legal system and election process. He might not succeed in midterms, but he'll be better prepared in 2028.
The insanity of the latest SCOTUS ruling is part of it. Go in with a very narrow challenge - as in "the state AGs are claiming harm 'too soon', before any EO on the matter has been enacted", get a "win" from the Roberts Court (so much winning!), and then - this is the important part- present the "win" as far broader than what was ruled on, and carry on in open defiance of the courts.
Because Trump has only disdain for checks and balances, he was prepared with a finalized USPS policy as soon as the SCOTUS ruling came down, in direct violation of a different injunction issued by Judge Talwani, which forbid the USPS from finalizing rules re: mail-in ballots while the process unfolded. (This wasn't mentioned by SCOTUS, but it effectively means the gov't undercut its position and was, indeed, taking steps to implement the EO. ) The confusion here is by design. Throw as many lawsuits into the air as possible,use what 'sticks', ignore the others, and completely snow the pesky constituency.
This is the exact game plan for the continued construction on the grand ballroom, btw. John Roberts is willfully blind to how his court is being used. He avoids a direct ruling on what branch of government controls election regulation, but Trump is allowed to pretend otherwise, sowing further confusion and running out the clock.
As for our spineless, elected representatives.... they are too terrified to do the jobs we elected them to do. They don't want to lose their cush jobs, face legal persecution or endure physical threats on their lives.
Narrow Dem wins in Nov will not be enough. It has to be a wave.
Need to retract part of my comment... while I was typing, Federal Judge Talwani lifted her injunction( at Scotus's request), clearing the way for the USPS to implement their new mail-in voting policy.Boo.
Delete(There still has been no ruling on whether the president has authority to take over elections, though. They will draft this one out as long as possible).
Neil, keep repeating! Keep using your blog and your column to beat the drum. Keep urging anyone who will look and listen to your words to find their inner strength to resist and push back against this regime who would steal our rights. Your writing helps those of less skilled to find the right words to speak our truth. I borrow your expressions routinely in discussions with others whose minds I wish to change, so they can understand how threatened they make me feel for myself, my loved ones, my country. Fellow followers of Neil, stay strong, vote and flip the House so we can renew our democracy.
ReplyDeleteI read your column with interest. I’m over 65 and tried to remain politically informed. The condition of this country troubles me now not only for myself, but for people of my age, my children, and especially my grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the outrage of the people within the Republican Party. Have they grown so accustomed to the power and prestige of the offices that they hold. Have they forgotten about their constituents back in their home districts that are not making their money that they are or using their appointments to benefit themselves financially how can our elected officials understand the cost of what this administration has done to our economy if you are a billionaire do you really care whether Gas reaches four dollars a gallon five dollars a gallon or whatever the future holds one of the trademarks of a great civilization is what the people of means do to support and help the people that are less fortunate than they are where is the compassion and the empathy of the people in power? Our current president has never been photographed or a video posted of him being kind or empathetic to anyone.
I worry for the future of this country the division between the haves, and the have nots is huge and getting bigger every day..
With the upcoming elections, I think people need to ask themselves. Are you better off now or were you better off under previous administrations more people will vote with their pocketbook, but remember kindness and empathy carry no price. Acts of kindness can’t be measured in dollars and cents
If not your best column certainly top 3. But most definitely your most important.
ReplyDeleteWhat is democracy? What is the structure of a democratic system?
ReplyDeleteA major component is the citizens right to vote. We have two major parties in the United States. Are we suggesting that one of them should no longer exist? Or simply insisting that you shouldn't vote for anybody from the Republican party?
It's recently become painfully obvious that the system that the founders set up through the Constitution does not quite function as intended and can be manipulated by our Representatives seemingly unchecked .
Ultimately the biggest check on power is to vote the bums out. There is an enormous pool of voters that do not exercise this right. It doesn't seem like continuously pointing out criminal behavior of the current president and his Toadies is sufficient to bring them to action.
The primary season has demonstrated a dearth of charismatic candidates who've exhibited the qualities required to right the ship.
While the majority of the democratic candidates are certainly more desirable than the Republicans. It is decided on the actions of the voters who will have the power.
I for one I'm not optimistic that we will regain the majority in either of the house of Congress and there's absolutely no chance that the makeup of the supreme Court will change and after the midterms we will still have the same president. I liked your post about cats
Oy
For a clearer understanding of what is happening...re-read 1984! It is quite different reading it from today's perspective than reading it way back when it seemed to be complete fiction.
ReplyDeleteFrom today's perspective, it seems so much more possible...as figuratively, it is explains a lot about what's happening to the collective mental well-being of our country.
"If we can’t vote, we can’t influence government, and it can do whatever it likes, unchecked....they’re acting like they will never leave power."
ReplyDeleteCompromising the elections is followed by no elections at all.
The first steps in the Nazi playbook...which Agolf Twitler keeps on his nightstand.
And then they can definitely do whatever they like. If you're on the list of those with "State Citizenship" (the state you 're residing in...or the fascist state?), you're in the clear. If you aren't...can the camps be next?
After the Chicago riots in '68, student radicals and "subversives" assumed they were being shadowed and watched and were on some sort of shit list. "See you in El Reno", was a favorite salutation. Along with: "See you later, agitator...after while, Federal file."
El Reno is a Federal prison about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City. In the late 60s, the buzz on the street was that "agitators" and arrested demonstrators would be shipped there--and end up making license plates and working on the last farm in the Federal corrections system.
It was around that same time...'68 or '69...that I drove past El Reno.
It was a frightening place. Like every prison movie you've ever seen.
Citizenship lists today...maybe concentration camps tomorrow?
Dachau was the first camp, very early in the game. Followed by many more.