One correction: "sent masked men to grab migrants off the street" should be "sent masked men to grab people off the street." ICE is largely indiscriminate and many U.S. citizens have been grabbed.
As always, you are spot on, Steven. As always, you have defined the most pressing problem with great skill and nuance. We don’t need a proverbial club brought down on our heads to know that Trump wants to stop free and fair elections in the interest of his fascist goal to stay in power. What we do need is to know how this could take place…and so understanding the link between the Tulsi Gabbard appearance in Georgia as a false narrative that will link China to the 2020 election results is very important. Thank you for describing this strategy clearly and forthrightly.
How we can stop it is still an open question. I would hate for this move to succeed in checkmating our right…not privilege…to vote. Until each and every American understands that voting is our Constitutional right, I fear this ugly fairy story told by tin foil hat gargoyles will succeed. What we do next as citizens is important. Who ever thought that voting could become a form of protest?
Right on, Steven. Here's a small but important bright light: Thune announced on Thursday that the votes aren't there to kill the Senate filibuster and without that, the bill is in limbo/dead. The Imbecile doesn't seem to understand that Republicans would be hit as hard as Democrats if they got rid of vote-by-mail. And since there are more Dems and they are way more committed to showing up, Trump will still lose. And the Georgia Secretary of State's suit against the DOJ was greenlit on Thursday. The facts of that case acknowledge the FBI's finding that the 2020 election was the freest and fairest election in our history. No foreign interference, no immigrants running roughshod over the polls, no fake ballots. Like so many of his initiatives, they are clunky, ill planned, if at all, and designed to grab headlines, juice his base and in the end, do little to nothing. I think the regime's efforts to rig the elections will suffer the same fate. I kind of relish his terror of losing power and exposure from the Epstein Files. I hope that fear keeps him tortured and sleepless. I hope that his efforts to squirrel the election will go down in flames. Even though the feckless "leaders" of the Dem caucuses cannot seem to rouse themselves into any showable defiance or plan of action for the election threats ahead, the grass roots are organizing: helping people get their needed IDs, signing up to poll watch, driving people to the polls; lawyers have filings at the ready; and the courts know an affront to the law when they are handed the proof. It may end up being like the Bush vs. Gore debacle, where the Supreme Court has to decide. I'm confident in the integrity of state and local elections. Trump's people will do their evil thing, but we will thwart them at every turn. The will of The People will not be denied. The vote will be overwhelming, unchallengeable. We will win and win big. As you say, there are more of us than there are of them.
I started wondering if Democrats take back the house and the senate that they could refuse to swear them in. Mike Johnson delayed the swearing in of a Democratic representative last year for weeks. Democrats and Republicans who still believe in democracy need a plan B. I put nothing past these people.
That's a relevant and possible worry. Mike Johnson is a toady and will do whatever Trump tells him to do. On the other hand, denying the will of the people derived from their votes in a free and fair election would cause a maelstrom of opposition. No longer smiling masses, angry protesters would fill the streets for miles. But like Steven says, we must be vigilant now. Get involved with voter registration. Volunteer to poll watch or work with vote counters. Drive people to the polls who have no transportation. And if need be, organize large groups of sentinels, standing guard against ICE, creating a human barrier to thwart the thugs, making sure voters can cast their franchise.
Unfortunately , I harbor the same concern as Mike Johnson is so obviously attached to Trump. And Mike refused to certify before. Your question prompted me to
Once again you’ve sculpted a multifaceted presentation informative and heart rending simultaneously, Steven.
I struggle throughout the day seeing or reading about the kinds of homage paid to the sinister presence in the White House. The dress up clothes of Melania Leavitt Bondi and staff parading around smiling in his presence causes me constant surprise even now. How CAN they stay?
Thank you for this excerpt- you are correct- they strike at the heart.
“These are not small things, simply differing views on politics.
These are actions that strike at the heart of what Americans have fought and died for throughout our nation’s history.
That heart is still beating, but it is put in jeopardy by corporate journalists who minimize the danger of Trump and his criminal regime and athletes who support or fail to grasp the deadly dangerous place Trump wants to further drag America.”
One correction: "sent masked men to grab migrants off the street" should be "sent masked men to grab people off the street." ICE is largely indiscriminate and many U.S. citizens have been grabbed.
As always, you are spot on, Steven. As always, you have defined the most pressing problem with great skill and nuance. We don’t need a proverbial club brought down on our heads to know that Trump wants to stop free and fair elections in the interest of his fascist goal to stay in power. What we do need is to know how this could take place…and so understanding the link between the Tulsi Gabbard appearance in Georgia as a false narrative that will link China to the 2020 election results is very important. Thank you for describing this strategy clearly and forthrightly.
How we can stop it is still an open question. I would hate for this move to succeed in checkmating our right…not privilege…to vote. Until each and every American understands that voting is our Constitutional right, I fear this ugly fairy story told by tin foil hat gargoyles will succeed. What we do next as citizens is important. Who ever thought that voting could become a form of protest?
Right on, Steven. Here's a small but important bright light: Thune announced on Thursday that the votes aren't there to kill the Senate filibuster and without that, the bill is in limbo/dead. The Imbecile doesn't seem to understand that Republicans would be hit as hard as Democrats if they got rid of vote-by-mail. And since there are more Dems and they are way more committed to showing up, Trump will still lose. And the Georgia Secretary of State's suit against the DOJ was greenlit on Thursday. The facts of that case acknowledge the FBI's finding that the 2020 election was the freest and fairest election in our history. No foreign interference, no immigrants running roughshod over the polls, no fake ballots. Like so many of his initiatives, they are clunky, ill planned, if at all, and designed to grab headlines, juice his base and in the end, do little to nothing. I think the regime's efforts to rig the elections will suffer the same fate. I kind of relish his terror of losing power and exposure from the Epstein Files. I hope that fear keeps him tortured and sleepless. I hope that his efforts to squirrel the election will go down in flames. Even though the feckless "leaders" of the Dem caucuses cannot seem to rouse themselves into any showable defiance or plan of action for the election threats ahead, the grass roots are organizing: helping people get their needed IDs, signing up to poll watch, driving people to the polls; lawyers have filings at the ready; and the courts know an affront to the law when they are handed the proof. It may end up being like the Bush vs. Gore debacle, where the Supreme Court has to decide. I'm confident in the integrity of state and local elections. Trump's people will do their evil thing, but we will thwart them at every turn. The will of The People will not be denied. The vote will be overwhelming, unchallengeable. We will win and win big. As you say, there are more of us than there are of them.
I started wondering if Democrats take back the house and the senate that they could refuse to swear them in. Mike Johnson delayed the swearing in of a Democratic representative last year for weeks. Democrats and Republicans who still believe in democracy need a plan B. I put nothing past these people.
That's a relevant and possible worry. Mike Johnson is a toady and will do whatever Trump tells him to do. On the other hand, denying the will of the people derived from their votes in a free and fair election would cause a maelstrom of opposition. No longer smiling masses, angry protesters would fill the streets for miles. But like Steven says, we must be vigilant now. Get involved with voter registration. Volunteer to poll watch or work with vote counters. Drive people to the polls who have no transportation. And if need be, organize large groups of sentinels, standing guard against ICE, creating a human barrier to thwart the thugs, making sure voters can cast their franchise.
Hi, FVera
Unfortunately , I harbor the same concern as Mike Johnson is so obviously attached to Trump. And Mike refused to certify before. Your question prompted me to
Google and there are slightly different views.
Instead of writing more, I’ll provide the links.
Thank you for asking this.
https://protectdemocracy.org/work/election-certification-explained/
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/election-certification#:~:text=State%20courts%20have%20affirmed%20that%20certification%20is,to%20intervene%20and%20complete%20the%20certification%20process
No to complacency and compliance. Yes to courage and defying conventional wisdom.
Once again you’ve sculpted a multifaceted presentation informative and heart rending simultaneously, Steven.
I struggle throughout the day seeing or reading about the kinds of homage paid to the sinister presence in the White House. The dress up clothes of Melania Leavitt Bondi and staff parading around smiling in his presence causes me constant surprise even now. How CAN they stay?
Thank you for this excerpt- you are correct- they strike at the heart.
“These are not small things, simply differing views on politics.
These are actions that strike at the heart of what Americans have fought and died for throughout our nation’s history.
That heart is still beating, but it is put in jeopardy by corporate journalists who minimize the danger of Trump and his criminal regime and athletes who support or fail to grasp the deadly dangerous place Trump wants to further drag America.”
…..
We must not be complacent.
We must not normalize these events.
///
You forgot to mention that the president constitutionally has no role in running elections. Such an executive order would be obviously illegal.
Spring is coming.
Don’t feel plucked.
https://albellenchia.substack.com/p/winter-of-discontent?r=7wk5d