“How well we survive this time of creative destruction, it really is, depends on each of us, on each of us fighting our individual battles of integrity, for integrity.

Maria Rossa*

Thank you for your strength, perseverance and integrity. Your battles made all the difference.

Inform

I published the final results of the 2022 Midterm Races we have been following over the last seven months in the updated prior post of We Are Here.

Democrats held onto control of the Senate (50 to 49 as of 11/28) while Republicans narrowly won the House (220 to 213 as of 11/28). In the House, the Republican ranks grew more extreme and slightly more diverse, while Democrats added several young liberals to their caucus.

This ended two years of unified Democratic control in Washington. Many believe that in the first major election post-Roe, Democrats tied abortion rights to everyday economics and tapped into fears about the rise of right-wing Republicans. Young voters helped Democrats, but experts differ on just how much. Others blamed Trump for dragging down his party’s candidates.

Democrats had a strong election in the states. This is important because the winners could have significant implications for the next presidential election, as close to 20 gubernatorial candidates backed false claims of election fraud in 2020. Researchers who study disinformation said most efforts to stoke doubt about results had failed to spread widely.

One of the greatest upsets of the election happened in New York where a “red wave” did materialize. Democrats lost almost every single closely contested congressional seat in the state. Kathy Hochul, the incumbent governor, was elected by just six points. Inflation, crime, and redistricting tinted a blue state red.

It still might be too soon to know what effect the 2022 midterm elections will have on 2024. Some “takeaways” include a belief that Trump is more vulnerable, the difficulty the Leader of the House will have in legislating, the importance of Democrats holding the Senate, creating spectacles in the House and new Democratic leadership. Another analysis includes DeSantis’s landslide — and what it portends for 2024, the latest on abortion rights, independent voters favored Democrats 49 percent to 47 percent, and voters shunned election-denier secretary of state candidates. Stanford scholars found the midterm elections surprising and explained why.

Respond

We are one week away from December 6 runoff election for the U.S. Senate seat in Georgia. Incumbent Democrat Incumbent Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock could always use your support.

Stay involved at your local level by attending school board, library and other civic meetings. Let your voice be heard. Stay in communication with your representatives on all levels. They need to hear from their constituents regardless of whether you voted for them or not. Continue to be involved in issues that are important you including gun reform, reproductive rights, social spending including child care, expanded pre-K, paid leave, and health care. Let your representatives know your thoughts on legislation affecting climate change, inflation, criminal justice reform, job training, small businesses, and affordable housing. This is your Democracy.

*2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Rossa is an investigative journalist who distinguished herself as a fearless defender of freedom of expression and has exposed the abuse of power, use of violence and increasing authoritarianism of the regime of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. She sees authoritarian governments and weaponized social media as dual threats to democracy.

” If you want to rip the heart out of a democracy, you go after the facts. That’s what modern authoritarians do. You lie. All the time. Then you say it’s your opponents and the journalists who lie.”