Let's Be Clear About What the Republicans Are Doing to Our Elections and Vote

I hadn't heard of this man or his quote but it certainly seems to describe the Republicans' efforts, individually as well as by the political party, across the nation, to disenfranchise likely millions of fellow, taxpaying citizens.

Stop vote suppression.

Be Aware, Missourians---Republicans In Jeff City Are Also Working on Vote Suppression Here

From NPR today: The same day last month that Georgia's legislature passed a controversial new voting bill, Missouri's Republican-led House approved one of its own. It would impose strict photo ID and other requirements on voting. Both bills are part of a wave of measures proposed across the country after the 2020 elections, and reflect a deep partisan divide over who has access to the polls and how. The divide is not new, but the sides have become increasingly entrenched.

Understand, folks. The Republicans and their ideas and work is so very unpopular with the rest of us out here in America that they have found the only way they can get or stay in government offie is to HAVE FEWER AMERICANS VOTE. They are actively working, now in 47 states, to disenfranchise fellow working, tax paying American citizens, voters. This cannot stand. We mustn't allow this. Call your government representatives. Tell them to support HR1 in the House and S1 in the Senate. We must stop all attempts at vote suppression.

Fantastic Presidential News Today!

Check this out, folks! Even the ultra-conservative "National Review" is putting this mess of a Republican Party President in his place concerning his reactions to our vote and election! Yahoo!!

National Review editors bash Trump's 'disgraceful conduct since losing' reelection

I love it! Fantastic! A bit from the article about it from The Hill:

The National Review editorial board is drawing attention online for its sharp rebuke of President Trump’s actions challenging the results of the presidential election, which he lost to President-elect Joe Biden.

In a Monday editorial titled “Trump’s Disgraceful Endgame,” the conservative publication’s senior editorial staff referred to the president’s continued efforts to undermine the results as “disgraceful” and said “almost nothing that the Trump team has alleged has withstood the slightest scrutiny.”

And now, some of the original article at National Review:

Almost nothing that the Trump team has alleged has withstood the slightest scrutiny. In particular, it’s hard to find much that is remotely true in the president’s Twitter feed these days. It is full of already-debunked claims and crackpot conspiracy theories about Dominion voting systems. Over the weekend, he repeated the charge that 1.8 million mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania were mailed out, yet 2.6 million were ultimately tallied. In a rather elementary error, this compares the number of mail-ballots requested in the primary to the number of ballots counted in the general. A straight apples-to-apples comparison finds that 1.8 million mail-in ballots were requested in the primary and 1.5 million returned, while 3.1 million ballots were requested in the general and 2.6 million returned.

Flawed and dishonest assertions like this pollute the public discourse and mislead good people who make the mistake of believing things said by the president of the United States.

Enough to give a person hope!

Concede! or we #Throwthebumout

Link:

Trump Election Fraud Allegations Disgraceful Endgame

Trump's NATO ambassador pledges 'seamless' transition to Biden administration

GOP Gov On Why He’s Working With Biden: ‘The Words Of President Trump Are Not Quite As Significant’

Now 19 Days After This Election

We are now, as I said in the headline, 19 days after this presidential election and still, still this Republican Party excuse for a President refuses to recognize, accept, respect our vote, our votes, our election, even our Democracy. 

That's the bad news. That and this are the bad news. This was announced today.

Operation Warp Speed Head Says He’s Been Instructed Not To Share Vaccine Information With Biden Team

This is obscene. He is now openly hurting the nation in the middle of the worst, most killing, deadly international pandemic in the last more than 100 years. It's over 2 weeks since we voted. He needs to concede and everyone in his political party needs to speak up and point him in that direction.

Then this happened yesterday.

G20 leaders meet to discuss help for poorest nations in post-Covid world, Trump golfs

If there's good news, and there is, it's that all kinds of people, especially from his own political party, are starting to speak up to say what he should do, what should happen. First from the GOP's Senator Toomey from Pennsylvania.

GOP senator congratulates Biden, says Trump should accept 

And this is likely one reason he spoke up and out.

Federal judge dismisses Trump election lawsuit in Pennsylvania

The judge said Trump's lawsuit was--his words--"without merit." He wrote "...Trump’s campaign had used “strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations” in its effort to throw out millions of votes.

In scathing opinion, federal judge dismisses Trump campaign lawsuit in Pennsylvania

And another. Another Republican Party Senator speaks up publicly, saying Trump should concede.

GOP senator calls for cooperation on Biden transition: 'I'd rather have a president who has more than one day to prepare'

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said on Sunday that it was "past time to start a transition" to a Biden administration adding he would "rather have a president that has more than one day to prepare."

Same conclusion in Michigan.

Republican Michigan congressman: 'The people have spoken

Then there's Maryland's Republican Governor Hogan. He makes a great point.

Hogan ramps up criticism of Trump: 'Stop golfing and concede'

Hogan is one of a handful of Republican governors, including Govs. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Mike DeWine of Ohio, who have criticized the president’s refusal to acknowledge the results of the election and called on him to concede to Biden.

Then this, based on this morning's Sunday morning talk shows.

Pressure grows from GOP for Trump to recognize Biden election win

Even Chris Christie is recognizing reality now. And keep in mind, Christie is also another member of the GOP, the President's own one and same political party.

Chris Christie: Trump's legal team has been 'a national embarrassment'

And Alan Dershowitz, for pity's sake.

Alan Dershowitz Tells Maria Bartiromo: 'The Outcome Of The Election Will Not Be Reversed'

One of President Donald Trump's most high profile legal defenders on Sunday said that he did not expect the results of the election to be reversed.

And John Bolton. Again. A person from Trump's own staff and administration at one point, of course.

'Just Say It's Wrong': John Bolton Begs Republicans To Stop 'Hiding' From Trump's Election Denial

In spite of all this, in spite of the time it is after this election, in spite of the numbers of people from his own political party saying he should, at long last now, concede, it was announced he plans to continue on.

Trump vows to appeal judge's dismissal of Pennsylvania election challenge

It is maddening. Not done there, he's doing this, too.

Trump Requests Georgia Recount, Meaning 5 Million Votes Will Be Tabulated A 3rd Time

More Georgia reality.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Bluestein on Georgia recount: 'The results still stand'

The facts came out this weekend on, of all places, Fox, too.

Dominion spokesman: 'It is not physically possible for our machines to switch votes from one candidate to the other'

A spokesperson Dominion Voting Systems addressed conspiracy theories about the company on Fox News Sunday, saying it was “not physically possible” for its machines to change voter selections.

“This is a nonpartisan American company. It is not physically possible for our machines to switch votes from one candidate to the other,” Michael Steel said on Fox News’ “America’s News HQ” Sunday.

“Let's be very clear, our election system is run by local elected officials and nonpartisan poll watchers. We simply provide a tool to count the ballots and to print and count ballots,” he added. “There is no way such a massive fraud could have taken place and there are no connections between our company and Venezuela, Germany, Barcelona, Kathmandu, whatever the latest conspiracy theory is.”

I understand he wants so badly to stay out of jail but this is one desperate, very desperate man, folks.

And so, we gird our loins, so to speak.

Democrats gear up for last oversight showdown with Trump

The bad news is, with over 2 weeks behind us since the election, this failed President still hasn't and won't accept reality.

The good news is that more and more in his political party are. 

Links. While Trump fiddles, our Rome burns.

North Carolina passes 5,000 COVID-19 deaths

Active coronavirus cases hit new high in Arkansas

Jeff Stein: Trump 'seems to have lost interest in the stimulus,' only worried about the election

Poll: 61 percent of voters say it's important that Trump give concession speech

Quote of the Day -- Timely Presidential Edition

 

George Takei       @GeorgeTakei

Do you know what they call someone who lost but stubbornly refuses to acknowledge that fact? 

A loser.

#Throwthebumout

Taking Disenfranchisement to a Whole New Level

Breaking today. 

Judge denies GOP lawsuit to halt certification of Detroit election results

Gerrymandering wasn't enough for Republicans

So they added "voter ID" laws.

That wasn't enough. Republicans felt they didn't disenfranchise enough Americans, taxpaying, voting American citizens.

So now they want to completely ignore or disavow our vote, our votes, our election. They've taken it all to a whole very new, ugly, higher level with this most recent Presidential election. Very, very, very un-American.

Thanks, Mr. President!
Thanks, Republicans!

Links:

Top 10 Reasons Why Gerrymandering Is Bad

Exposed: Partisan Gerrymandering Based on Race

North Carolina judges slam GOP gerrymandering

Companies Had to Form an Organization to Counter This President's and His Political Party's Efforts Against Our Voting

 This is what this has all come down to.

This Republican Party President and that political party have been working so hard against we Americans, we citizens and taxpayers voting and for so long, they had to form an organization to work for helping us vote. Check it out.

Civic Alliance

From their website:

We are the Civic Alliance,

a non-partisan group of businesses

working together to build a future

where everyone participates in

shaping our country.

Participation is fundamental to a healthy, functioning democracy.
Yet, in recent U.S. elections, nearly half of eligible voters didn’t participate.

In 2020, a global pandemic, growing civil unrest, and polarizing politics are challenging our democracy in new ways.

As a growing coalition of businesses, we strengthen our democracy by supporting safe, healthy and trusted elections, and by inspiring our employees and customers to participate in civic life.

We aspire for historic voter turnout in 2020 and beyond, with a goal to achieve 80% voter turnout by 2028.

We have a ways to go, but by working together, we will create a culture where civics matter and every vote counts.

Each of our companies has unique values. Yet, we are united by these shared beliefs: 

• Every American has a voice in our democracy. 
• Voting should be safe and accessible to all. 
• Elections must be fair and transparent.

As business leaders, we’re committed to strengthening our democracy by encouraging nonpartisan voter participation. Here are unique ways each of us is activating our companies and communities.

Hundreds of Companies Will Pay Employees to Volunteer as Election Workers

More than 60 Civic Alliance member companies – including Starbucks, Target, Old Navy, Salesforce, Microsoft, Expedia, Twitter, Uber, Lyft, and Warby Parker – are taking concrete steps to encourage their employees or consumers to serve as poll workers.

How cool is that, that they would do this but ladies and gentlemen, how sick is it that this is necessary? How sick is it that the Republicans could, would and are fighting our voting, what with their gerrymandering and then voter ID laws and so much, how sick is it that this is necessary?

Anyway, I was so glad to see their full, double-page ad in Sunday's New York Times. Very cool. Great on these companies. I'm going to do what I can to support them. Hoping you will, too.

Membership is free – join today!

Additional links:

Trump And The Republicans Are Doing Everything They Can To Confuse Voters Before The Election

Trump And Republicans Voter Suppression In 2020

What Is Voter Suppression? Republican Strategy Explained

The racist anti-vote effort by Florida Republicans

Quote of the Day -- Election Day Version

“My dear friends: Your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.”

–- Representative John Lewis, a 2012 speech in Charlotte, North Carolina

Missourians!! On That Vote Tomorrow!!

Missourians!

On that Election tomorrow!

Here you are!  Vote!!  And make sure these are your votes!!

Yes on 2!

Yes for healthcare!

No on 3!!

No on Republican Party gerrymandering!

Clean Missouri

What is the Clean Missouri Initiative?

Vote 'NO' on Clean Missouri ballot issue No. 3 on Nov. 3

Roar

Vote tomorrow, people.  Vote.



And roar.

Eight Years Ago Today

Eight years ago today, one Barack Hussein Obama was elected into office, the highest office in the nation and the most powerful office in the world.

Don't forget. We can never forget.

And now, let's do it again, with and for the first woman, this coming Tuesday.

Vote.

And vote blue.

Missouri Republicans' Successful Gerrymandering

First, because I don't think enough people know what gerrymandering is, I put up a definition. Gerrymandering is to manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

Political parties gerrymander districts so that their candidate(s) gets elected or re-elected to government office.

And it's wrong.

It skews voting away from the will of the people in the area, in the district, and puts more in the favor of the political party instead of the constituents.

And news out this week shows, further, that the Republicans in the Missouri statehouse in Jefferson City keep doing precisely this and it's a beauty. This from Addicting Info:

Huge Gerrymandering Fail Leaves College Student As Sole Voter In Missouri District

Businesses in Columbia, Missouri attempted to use their political pull to throw taxes at consumers instead of themselves, but a massive failure in their gerrymandering effort left them with one major roadblock: a 23-year-old college student who, on February 28, became the only registered voter in the district.

Representatives of the Business Loop 70 Community Improvement District attempted to remove every single eligible voter as part of an effort to ensure that local businesses had complete control over legislation — including a sales tax increase that would enable them to effectively force citizens to pay the businesses’ bills. The Columbia City Council voted in 5-2 in April to establish the district, which resembles a dinosaur drawn by a kindergartener (pictured below).

With this, their handiwork was done:

The Columbia Daily Tribune notes that, with pesky voters out of the way, the local businesses could effectively set their own laws:

“The Columbia City Council established the district on a 5-2 vote in April in response to a petition from a group of property owners in the CID boundaries. The “qualified voters” in a CID are capable of levying various taxes or assessments within the boundaries of the district to fund improvement projects. Under state law, decisions to impose sales taxes in a CID are to be made by registered voters living in the district boundaries. If no such registered voters are present, property owners vote.”

This is bad enough, certainly, but I think it's been shown, time and again, across cities, states and the nation, that the worst outcomes of all this gerrymandering is when they weaken votes of Americans due to their skin color.

We need to overcome this gerrymandering, certainly, and it can be done. We need to outlaw it so we can take our state and Federal governments back, for the people.

That and overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling and ending campaign contributions so we get the big money out of our election system and government.

No small tasks, to be sure but these can be done. We have to stand up.

Go. Now. Or soon as possible

Quote of the day -- on Voting and Democracy

Another bad list Kansas is on

This little gem:

These states are trying to stop young people from voting

No, it's no surprise but still, it's disheartening. From the Washington Post:

Earlier this year, North Carolina lawmakers passed a bill aimed at stifling the newfound political muscle of their youngest eligible voters. The package of laws, known as HB 589, stripped away crucial policies that made it easier for young people to cast their ballot and participate in the political process. This week, lawyers have descended on Winston Salem to argue that eliminating these policies may have violated the 26th Amendment, which prohibits age-based voting discrimination.

The programs under attack have been proven to boost youth participation. In 2012, young people in the state were 2.6 times more likely to take advantage of same day registration.  And over a three-year period, 160,000 eligible young people were automatically registered to vote from pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds. Now these options are unavailable to the young residents of North Carolina.

Laws like HB 589 are part of a troubling pattern taking hold across the country, triggered by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, thus allowing Southern states to make changes to their voting laws without securing federal approval. A raft of voter ID laws—designed primarily to suppress turnout of minority voters—are also turning away young people, and often, both at the same time. Millennials are the largest, but also the country’s most diverse generation, with 43 percent identifying as people of color. In all, 22 states have new, restrictive voting laws that will go into effect before the 2014 midterms.

An undisguised attempt to block new immigrants and minority voters, new laws in Kansas and Arizona require voters to present proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in the first place. That means when you’re stopped on the street by a nice kid with a clipboard, you have to have your birth certificate, passport or naturalization documents just lying around in your purse or back pocket. Rock The Vote recently joined other community-registration arms including Voto Latino to sign an amicus brief, arguing that the laws unduly impair efforts to register new voters. It also launched an online petition to spread the word.

It seems the opposite of what we thought America was and Americans are about, doesn't it?

I'm telling you, folks, we have to fight to get our country back. We have to fight to end campaign contributions. We have to get the big, ugly, corrupting influence of money from the wealthy and corporations out of our elections and government. Until we do that, nothing will change.

Link:  Get the Big, Ugly Money Out of Our Election System and Government

On the Supreme Court's Affirmative Action vote yesterday

And the Republicans should know that and respond accordingly.

Quote of the day

"This is going to be a squeaker of an election. Polls are showing Obama and Romney within a hair's breath of one another in the critical swing states that will determine the outcome. How can that be when Romney is an empty suit who believes nothing, hasn't articulated any program, and has (along with his running mate) called for more tax cuts for the wealthy, more spending cuts for the poor, and an evisceration of Medicare and Medicaid? When they want to deregulate Wall Street and regulate women?

The answer is the jobs situation. Yes, Franklin D. Roosevelt was reelected in 1936 with higher unemployment than we have now. But at least he had the wind at his back: an economy that by 1936 was growing by 14 percent. Barack Obama doesn't have an economy that's moving that swiftly in the right direction. It's growing just 2.2 percent, on an annualized basis.

So the real contest is between someone who very few Americans know or even like -- Mitt Romney -- who doesn't stand for anything, or someone most Americans feel they know quite well and like very much -- Barack Obama -- who is presiding over a terrible economy that shows few signs of fundamental improvement.

My betting is on Obama, but, frankly, I'm worried."

--Robert Reich, American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.

Go, register, folks. Register to vote and then be sure to vote this November.

And enjoy your Sunday.

Links: https://www.facebook.com/RBReich

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Reich

Missouri Caucuses hit the news: and not in a good way

Clear to The New York Times today on yesterdays cluster puck that was the caucuses: Disruption Closes a Missouri Caucus Before Vote "ST. PETERS, Mo. – Voters here in St. Charles County did not get a say on Saturday in who will be the next Republican presidential nominee after a disorderly caucus on Saturday caused organizers to adjourn before delegates were selected. The unrest began as the caucus at Francis Howell North High School was called to order more than a hour late, then delayed again when a member of the crowd refused to put away a video camera, as required by the rules outlined by the local Republican Party." A video camera? Not allowed by the Republican Party? Um, why? What is there to hide? I'd love that answered. Here's the travesty of it, it seems: "St. Charles was supposed to select the most delegates of any single caucus in the state, and turnout was much higher than expected." If you read the article, it seems the Ron Paul people were being shut out. If that's not what happened or not what the author intended as a take-away from the article, that's certainly what I got. That Republican Party surely is a mess, at least locally, as here, if not statewide as well as on the national level. Ain't 'dat just a dang shame? Links: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/disruption-closes-a-missouri-caucus-before-vote/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120318; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/us/politics/in-missouri-the-gop-fight-for-delegates-enters-round-2-post-beauty-contest.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Thank God for Newt Gingrich!

What else can you say at this point but thank God for Newt Gingrich? First, he's divisive as heck. For everyone out there in the Republican Party and in the Right Wing who is all "No way I'm voting for Mitt Romney", they have their man. Second, he's got ideas that are off the wall, like the idea of going back to the moon and colonizing within his first 4 years of office (don't make me choke). That's a good one. Third---and I'll stop there--there's his monumental ego and that let's him off the hook for what a sexist he is. So he loses last night in Florida to Mittens but is he going to quit? HECK NO. The Newster is in this, likely, until at least March, if not all the way to the Republican National Convention (here's hoping). As if President Obama and the Democrats don't have enough ammunition to go after the eventual nominee but with this, he'll have even more. And Ron Paul? Quit? Doubtful. That will just add more divisiveness and internal strife to the party and for the Tea Party members and who knows? It should add some trouble for the Libertarians and Independents, too. So good on you, Newt Gingrich! You just stay in there fighting your "good fight." Stay on your own principle. It just makes it that much better for our side.

NPR asks a great question

The question they ask is: Should Elections Be Held On Weekends? and the answer is--forgive me-- HECK YES! I've written about this before: http://moravings.blogspot.com/2011/04/kansas-gop-keeping-people-away-from.html. Link: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/18/145397003/why-vote-on-tuesday-why-not-the-weekend?sc=fb#commentBlock