Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being.

Posted on May 8, 2025 by Debra29

Eleanor Roosevelt

Governor’s Race below Updated June 11

Mikie Sherrill wins the Democratic primary
Jack Ciattarelli wins the Republican primary.

Sherrill beat out five other Democrats for her party’s nod, pitching herself as the most electable candidate — after her party struggled in the state last year compared with other recent presidential elections — and as a Democrat willing to stand up to Trump. She also leaned heavily on her background as a former Navy helicopter pilot and on criticism of Trump.

“It’s going to take a strong voice to cut through the noise from Washington and deliver for the people. So I stand here tonight doing just that. And as a mom of four teenagers, you guys know I’m not going to put up with the incompetent, whiny nonsense coming from aggrieved MAGA Republicans,” Sherrill told her supporters Tuesday at a victory rally.You probably can’t do better than to quote George Washington at this moment: Fix the bayonets, I’m resolved to take Trenton,” Sherrill added.”

The New Jersey Primary election results including Governor and State Assembly relied on a redesigned ballot intended to give all candidates a fair shot, it is the first race in decades that was not largely predetermined by local party leaders.

This is also the first year for a governor’s race under a 2023 campaign finance law that appears to have opened the door to this year’s record spending by independent groups backing candidates.

NJ primary 2025: What the numbers reveal

Record turnout, record spending, and history made as Dems nominate a woman for governor for first time. The results of New Jersey’s primary were both predictable and surprising: The frontrunners won the gubernatorial nominations, but few predicted the speed and decisiveness of the wins by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th) and Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

New Jersey Primary
Tuesday June 10, 2025
6am – 8pm

New Jersey has a closed primary system, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote for their party’s nominees to run in the general election.

Unaffiliated voters, who are not registered as either a Democrat or a Republican, may choose to vote in the state’s primary, but they must declare a party to do so. If you’re interested WHYY explains how to do so.along with other NJ Primary information.

New Jersey Voter Registration
Deadline: Tuesday May 20

Anyone can register to vote, so long as they are a U.S. citizen, have been a resident of their New Jersey county for at least 30 days before the election and will be at least 18 on or before Election Day.

You can register to vote online. You will need your date of birth and either a current and valid Driver’s License, a non-driver Identification Card (ID card) issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) or a Social Security card.

New Jerseyans can find out whether they are already registered to vote.

Early Voting Period
Tuesday June 3 – Sunday June 8

This new option enables all registered voters to cast their ballot in person, using a voting machine, during in-person early voting period prior to Election Day. You can now choose to vote, in person, when it’s most convenient for your schedule.

No matter where you live in the county, you can vote your specific ballot at any of your county’s designated in-person early voting locations. Find your county’s locations here.

In-Person Early Voting for both the Primary Election and the General Election. Early voting locations will be open from at least 10 am to 8 pm on Mondays through Saturdays, and from at least 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. No appointment is necessary. Accommodations will be made for voters with disabilities.

Vote By Mail

Any voter may apply for vote-by-mail by completing the Application for Vote-By-Mail Ballot and returning the application to their County Clerk.

After you complete your Vote-By-Mail Ballot, return your ballot by one of three ways, mail it back, place it in one of your county’s Secure Ballot Drop Box Locations or return it to your County Board of Elections Office.

The New Jersey Department of State, Division of Elections, provides a video to help you through the steps.

Voters can check the status of their mail ballots online.

Return your ballot. How you return it is up to you.
Select one of the following three ways:
Mail: It must be postmarked on or before 8:00 p.m. Election Day and be received by your county’s Board of Elections on or before 6 days after Election Day.
Secure Ballot Drop Box: Place it in one of your county’s secure ballot drop boxes by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Secure Ballot Drop Box locations
Board of Elections Office: Deliver it in person to your county’s Board of Elections Office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. County Election Officials

WHYY provides further information regarding if you received a mail ballot, but want to vote in person.

The Race for New Jersey Governor
(updated June 3)

The Democrats include Ras Baraka, Steven Fulop, Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill, Sean Spiller and Stephen Sweeney. The Republicans include Jon Bramnick, Jack Ciattarelli, and Bill Spadea.

The New York Times sent a wide-ranging survey to candidates for governor of New Jersey about housing, immigration, abortion, transit, affordability, schools and climate.

The race for governor of New Jersey includes a large field of Democratic primary candidates competing against each other — and trying not to be drowned out by the drama in Washington. That’s a particular challenge for the Democratic contenders, who include two members of Congress, two big-city mayors and two union leaders.Each Democrat is trying to carve a path to victory.

New Jersey is set to hold its gubernatorial elections this year, with hotly contested primaries set for next month — and many experts are saying the high-stakes race could be a harbinger for the mood of the country ahead of 2026’s critical midterm elections.

As of May 27, Rep. Mikie Sherrill is the frontrunner and getting knocked by opponents and watchers of Garden State politics. But Sherrill is running just the type of campaign that made Murphy governor while embracing the Democratic establishment, opponents and close observers of Garden State politics say. “But where I sit, I think the voters are looking for a candidate who is not going to say ‘I’m part of the institution, promote me’ — but someone who says ‘I’m going to remake the institution.’

In new television ads and mailers in June, Sherrill’s rivals have bashed her wealth, her establishment ties, and past campaign contributions she accepted from a PAC associated with SpaceX, the spaceflight company helmed by Elon Musk. The grievances aren’t new, but they’re escalating as the primary approaches. And they’re coming from candidates like Steve Fulop and Ras Baraka, who are running as anti-establishment insurgents, as well as party darlings like Steve Sweeney as they look to erode Sherrill’s support among voters, many of whom remain undecided.

NJ PBS and NYNC radio covered the May 7 debate between Republicans Bramnick, Ciattarelli (recently supported by Trump) and Spadea. You can watch the full conversation here. They sparred for an hour on issues ranging from affordability and housing to education and federal funding cuts in one of two required debates.

The USA TODAY Network New Jersey surveyed nine of the candidates on topics ranging from transit to taxes, affordability, housing and justice reform to give residents a frame of reference on where the potential nominees from each party stand.

Will GOP gains in the wake of Trump’s victory shake up the Garden State governor’s race? The conservative think tank, the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research’s City Journal seems to think so.

Still undecided by June 3?

The second debates of the 2025 governor’s race, sponsored by NJ PBS, was on Monday, May 12, for the Democrats. You can view it through the link.

That was followed by the third and final gubernatorial debates, sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey and Rider University: Sunday, May 18 for the Democrats and Tuesday, May 20 for the Republicans.

The debates linked above were 2.5 hours and be centered around three specific issue topics: Democrats debated on Taxes and Affordability, Education, and Public Transportation and Development; and Republicans debated on Taxes and Affordability, Education, and Crime.

Politico has created an interactive face -off between a Republican and Democrat to help you decide whom to vote for.

Here’s how the Democrats running to be governor say they’ll make New Jersey more affordable.

Finally, CBS has provided in depth interviews on the issues with each candidate for New Jersey Governor.

The Races for New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey has a Democratic trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature

New Jersey has 40 legislative districts, and each one is represented by one senator and two members of the Assembly (senators are not on the ballot this year). Legislative elections are held in November of each odd-numbered year. .Members of the New Jersey General Assembly serve two-year terms. All 80 seats in the New Jersey General Assembly are up for election in 2025.

More candidates are running for seats in the New Jersey Assembly this year than they have at any point since Jimmy Carter was president.This year, 209 Assembly candidates — 123 Democrats and 86 Republicans — will vie for their parties’ nomination on June 10, up from the 170 that ran for the lower chamber when it was last on the ballot in 2023. Just two sitting legislators are seeking reelection unopposed. Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer) and Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli (D-Mercer) have no primary challengers, and no Republicans filed to run in their 15th Legislative District.

“New Jersey LCV is proud to endorse our largest ever slate of candidates in legislative primaries, because the stakes for our environment and democracy have never been higher,” said Allison McLeod, Deputy Director of New Jersey LCV. “As we face unprecedented rollbacks in environmental protections at the federal level, it’s critical New Jersey has bold champions here at home who will fight for clean energy, environmental justice, and our democratic institutions.

Find your elected officials and district number.

Then use your district number to determine who the Primary candidates are in your New Jersey General Assembly district. Find their campaign websites and see how they stand on the issues facing New Jersey.

The Virginia Governor’s Race

In what could be a key 2025 bellwether, Virginia’s race for governor will also make history, all but guaranteeing the Commonwealth’s first female governor. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman and CIA officer, will face Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a Marine veteran, after both state parties confirmed their nominees in recent days.One of the only competitive races of the year, the Virginia gubernatorial contest will be closely watched by both parties — and is often treated as a referendum on the president’s party.

The conventional wisdom in New Jersey politics is that the party that wins the presidency is given a disadvantage in the next year’s gubernatorial race. New Jersey and Virginia are the only states that hold gubernatorial elections the year after presidential years, making them national bellwethers for the political environment headed into the midterms.

Local and State Actions

Become informed, Vote, Donate, Volunteer for candidates in this year’s city and state elections. Attend town halls, fund raising events, zoom meetings, community gatherings. Let your voice be heard.

Federal Actions

In response to any and all actions by the present federal administration.

  1. Call, email and show up at your local representative’s office. Daily. . Hold House and Senate Republicans responsible for each and every Executive action taken by this administration.

2. Join National Networks:

Indivisible

Move On

Vote Forward

Vote Riders

League of Women Voters New Jersey

3. Hold your Democratic elected officials responsible for showing up and responding to what this administration is doing. . Attend their town halls, offices, and demand that they lead rallies and marches that you participate in. Demand that they stand in for Republican town halls when the Republicans fail to hold one.

4. Join any community actions that are in support of Americans who are affected by the recent decisions made by this administration.

Next Post: Federal Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, The Assaults on the Judicial Branch

Posted in 2025 State Elections, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being.

One can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt.

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Debra29

Georgia O’Keeffe

New York City Primary Day Results
June 25, 2025

The New York City Election for Mayor
Mamdani Stuns Cuomo in New York Mayoral Primary

Here are 5 Takeaways from the New York City Democratic Primary results for Mayor.

1.Mamdani’s exuberant optimism attracted disaffected New Yorkers.
2.The Cuomo brand seems to have lost its shine.
3.Mamdani built a novel coalition.
4.Mayor Adams gets the opponents he hoped for.
5.Progressives generally had a good night.

It’s equally important to see this outstanding graphic how each neighborhood voted in this Primary. Expand and zoom in for specific areas.

CBS News estimates a turnout of 1.1 million voters, with most voting in person Tuesday. That’s more than a third of registered Democrats in the city, and a noticeably higher turnout than the 2021 primary.

As written earlier , the votes are not final. While Mamdani has taken a commanding lead in the race, the results thus far are only preliminary. They won’t be officially certified until every vote is counted, including mail-in ballots, and so on. That process could take a week or more from Election Day.

Results for Comptroller, Public Advocate , Borough Presidents and City Council
(as of June 25)

The New York Times has done an exemplary job of providing up to date information on all races. Use the bar at the top of their page to navigate the political positions. CBS News provides similar data for those who do not have a NYT subscription.

How Will We Know Who Won NYC’s Mayoral Election, and When Will We Know It?

For an answer, have patience. We may not know those official results until weeks after the polls close.Yes we’ll see some results that night, but may not have a definitive answer about who won.The city Board of Elections will release unofficial, first-choice-only votes after the polls close at 9 p.m. on primary night, June 24.

The second Democratic primary debate was held Thursday, June 12, and hosted by Spectrum News NY1.(link to video of debate). It was billed as a debate for “leading contenders,” so only those who have raised enough money by the New York City Campaign Finance Board’s metrics will be in attendance. Ramos and Blake did not clear the fund-raising bar to qualify for the second debate.

The New York Times Opinion section put together a panel of community leaders and asked whom they would endorse. The majority answer: Brad Lander in first place.

The New York City mayoral race shifted into high gear with its first primary debate, where the top Democratic hopefuls will vied to be ranked first (or at least fifth) on New Yorkers’ primary ballots. This was hosted by NBC and Politico.

For more than a decade Democratic primary nominees have handily won in general elections in New York City since as far back as 2009, the last time Mayor Mike Bloomberg ran as an independent for his third term. That might change this year. A Republican, Democrat, Independent, and Working Families Party candidate will be in the running in the general election Tuesday, Nov 3, 2025. It isn’t guaranteed that the Democrat Primary winner will prevail.

Mayor Eric Adams faced an uphill battle in the June 24 Democratic primary . He will run for re-election as an independent instead. This came after a five count corruption indictment he faced was dismissed by a judge of Trump’s Justice Department and record low approval ratings.

Many believe that time is running out to topple Cuomo. Democratic rivals to the former governor are hoping to dent his polling lead with upcoming ads. As late as May 27, we continue to have the Cuomo paradox: Unpopular, yet still leading the New York City mayor’s race.

However, as the competition heats up, Cuomo plans to run on an independent ballot line in the NYC mayoral race, even if he loses the Democratic primary in June . In a statement, Cuomo said he made the move to appeal to voters who feel the Democratic party “has been hijacked.” He will be listed alongside Mayor Eric Adams and attorney Jim Walden, running on their own independent ballot lines.

Meanwhile Zohran Mamdani is trying to build a new NYC Democratic primary coalition. Can the 33-year-old surprise breakout candidate unite Muslim and South Asian voters, young leftists and even convince some former Eric Adams supporters?

The Working Families Party is taking steps to run a candidate in the general election for mayor, teeing up what could shape up to be the first competitive election in New York City in more than a decade These steps include placing a name to hold a place until after their summer convention. That person will step down and make way for one of the WFP’s four endorsed mayoral candidates — City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, City Comptroller Brad Lander, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and State Sen. Zellnor Myrie — if none of them succeeds in the June Democratic primary. Curtis Silwa is the only candidate endorsed by the Republican parties of each of the boroughs.

Politics NY provides a profile of each of the candidates running in ALL city races. It includes articles on local news, community meetings, interviews and more across all five boroughs.

New York City Voter Registration

You can now register to vote online in New York. You can also register through the Department of Motor Vehicles by mail to the Board of Elections in the City of New York and in person.

The last day to register to vote in person is Saturday June 14. Applications to register by mail must be received by Saturday June 14.

New York City June Primary
Tuesday June 24, 2025
6am – 9pm

Early Voting Period
Saturday, June 14, 2025 – Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Do you wish to apply for NYC Early Mail or Absentee Ballot ?
Are you voting in person? Find your poll location. Learn what’s on the ballot and more by the NY Public Library before you leave.

Would you like to track your early mail or absentee ballot? Do so here.

Primary Dates and Times

Last day to apply online or by mail is Saturday June 14, 2025
Last day to apply in person at your county board of elections is Monday, June 23, 2025
Put your ballot in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than Tuesday June 24, 2025
Drop off your ballot to your county Board of Elections Office no later than June 24, 2025 by 9pm.
Drop off your ballot to an early voting poll site in your county between Sat June 14 and Sun June 22
Drop off your ballot to an election day poll site on Tuesday June 24, 2025 no later than 9pm.

Ranked Choice Voting

New York City uses ranked choice for primary and special elections only. NYC Votes guides you through the process.

The League of Women Voters also provides a clear explanation of how the ranked choice system works:

Voters rank candidates in the order of their preference: first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on.
When all the ballots are counted, if one candidate gets more than 50% of the first choice votes, they win.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of first choice votes, the candidate with fewest votes is considered defeated.
Voters who ranked the defeated candidate as their first choice have their votes counted for their second choice.
This is repeated until only two candidates remain. The one with the most votes wins.

Candidates for Mayor
(updated June 22)

Bill Clinton Endorse Cuomo

The former president’s endorsement is the latest example of how establishment Democrats seem to prefer Mr. Cuomo to his prime rival, Zohran Mamdani.Mr. Cuomo worked in the Clinton administration as the housing secretary, and the former president’s backing, as well as a taped robocall providing his support, could help turn out older voters in the tightening Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday. The former governor was endorsed on Friday by Representative Jim Clyburn, who was once the highest ranking Black member of Congress, and by some newspapers, including The New York Daily News.

Ahead of the June 24 primary election, the leading Democrats in the race visited the New York Times newsroom for interviews. Here are the interviews with former governor Mario M. Cuomo. , New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. former state lawmaker Michael Blake, State lawmaker Zohran Mamdani, former NY Comptroller Scott Stringer, and former head fund executive Whitney Tilson

As of June 12, recent polls show that Cuomo is roughly 10 percentage points ahead of the No 2 candidate Zohran Mamdani. Here is an analysis of his comeback.

New York City campaign finance regulators withheld more than $600,000 in public funds from Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign saying they suspect him of illegally coordinating with a super PAC supporting his bid..This was followed by another $675,000. He has now been penalized nearly $1.3 million in total, a significant loss of public funds that could have been spent in the final weeks before the June 24 Primary. Cuomo’s lead over Mamdani narrows in NYC mayoral primary, new poll shows.

A June 2 poll indicates that Democrats prefer Adrienne Adams to Cuomo in general election if she were to run on the left-flank Working Families Party ballot line,

On June 1, News 12 Brooklyn interviewed both Brad Lander and Scot Stringer . The progressive magazine ,The Nation, endorsed both Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani in the New York City Democratic Primary.

As of June 4, polls show Mamdani is in second place for the upcoming Primary. He gets key endorsement for NYC mayor in battle for Asian American votes by State Senator John Liu. He recently responded to a call for his deportation from a Republican City Councilwoman.

There were some surprising stances when The City/Gothamist surveyed mayoral hopefuls.

Mayoral candidates combat Cuomo with just weeks left. New fundraising disclosures show Council Speaker Adrienne Adams marshaling a surge in financial support to help her take on the former governor as he builds a campaign juggernaut.

Candidates in this wide, weird and unsettled field include Democrats Andrew Cuomo, Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Zohran Momdani, Scott Stringer, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Michael Blake, Whitney Tilson in addition to Republican Curtis Silwa and Independents Eric Adams and Jim Walden.

The format City and State uses for mayoral candidates includes: idealogical stance, major endorsements, fundraising, home, the message the candidate is running on, what’s holding the candidate back and what’s the candidate’s “deal” (summary of how they got here). It then goes on to link other articles about the candidate. It’s a comprehensive profile of the 12 candidates (11 Democrat and 1 Republican) running for mayor of the City of New York.

The New York Times provided an excellent summary of each candidate. It recently had an interview with Brad Lander , in addition to an article profiling Adrienne Adams’ recent endorsements. The paper asked the leading Democrats in the race to answer a list of policy questions including affordability, public safety, President Trump, homelessness, congestion pricing, immigration, schools and their one big idea.

Candidates for Public Advocate

The public advocate, a non-voting member of the New York City Council has the ability to introduce and co-sponsor legislation, oversees city agencies and investigates complaints about municipal services.
Under the city charter, the public advocate would act as mayor if the sitting mayor resigns or dies until a special election can be held.

Incumbent Jumaane Williams, former congressional candidate Marty Dolan, computer engineer Theo Chino, and Queens Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar are running for Public Advocate. Read through their linked websites for information about the candidate and endorsements to date.

Candidates for Comptroller

The NYC Comptroller is essentially the city’s Chief Financial Officer. Their main responsibilities include overseeing the city’s budget, auditing City agencies, and managing the city’s five public pension funds, which total over $194.5 billion in assets, according to the Office of the Comptroller. They also review city contracts, settle claims on behalf of the city, and ensure transparency and accountability in government spending, including enforcing prevailing wage and living wage laws.

The two leading candidates for this position are Justin Brannan, City Council member and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. The City provides a synopsis of what they agree and disagree on. Their linked websites provide more information , including endorsements.

This past February, Brooklyn Democrats gathered to question candidates for City Comptroller and Public Advocate on key issues, including city audits and tenant protections.

Candidates for Borough President

While borough presidents can’t create or pass laws, they can fund organizations in their boroughs (about $4 million of the city budget is set aside for this purpose); make land use decisions; appoint members of local Community Boards and the City Planning Commission, who advise on land and neighborhood needs; and advocate for residents of their boroughs. Be sure to review their websites for information about them and their endorsements.

Manhattan – Brad Hoylman Sigal, and Keith Powers City & State reports on recent endorsements for Powers and Sigal .

Brooklyn – Incumbent Antonio Reynoso and Khari Edwards City & State reports on fundraising for this race.

Queens – Incumbent Donovan Richards and Henri Ikezi The online Qns.com reports on Richards State of the Borough Address. Henri Ikezi is reviewed by the Queens Daily Eagle. Republican Bashek Grimes is also running.

The Bronx – Incumbent Vanessa Gibson and Rafael Salamanca City & State interviewed Salamanca back in September. The Bronx Times profiled Gibson ‘s State of the Borough Address.

Staten Island – Incumbent Republican Vito Rossella and Democrat Michael Colombo Borough President Rosella became involved with congestion pricing and its impact on the borough. Staten Island Live profiled Colombos’s campaign.

Candidates for city council members

New York City Council members are responsible for several key functions, including enacting local laws, approving the city budget, and overseeing the performance of city agencies. They also make land use decisions and provide advice and consent over mayoral appointments.

Find your City Council District. Then determine what candidates are running in your district number.

City & State focuses on the most important primary races to watch. There are dozens of candidates, millions in matching funds, and 51 seats on the ballot. They profiled each district’s race with the Incumbent, the challenger (if there is one), the district’s demographics, voter enrollment and what’s the deal with who is running. It even provides further reading on what’s happening in the district.

Actions

  1. Vote Remind friends and family members to do so as well. Share the voting information posted above.

2. Donate  Continue to support candidates who need your support from my last post You cannot be neutral. There are a multitude of fundraising drives. Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party.

3. Volunteer in a local campaign

4. Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians by turning out the vote up to and including Election Day. 


NYC League of Women Voters

NYC Votes

When We All Vote

5. Become involved in town halls, zoom meetings and national actions involving your elected local representatives , union leaders, and community organizations. Contact your national Congressional Members and U.S. Senators on a regular basis.

6. Join national networks

Indivisible

Vote Forward

Move On

Upcoming Posts: New Jersey and Virginia State Elections, Federal Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, The Assaults on the Judicial Branch

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on One can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt.

Determined to be free

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Debra29

“Once people sense their own power, no authoritarian government can stand against the people who are determined to be free. ” Tsakhiaglin Elbegdorj, Journalist and President of Mongolia

“The American fascists are most easily recognized by their deliberate perversion of truth and fact. Their newspapers and propaganda carefully cultivate every fissure of disunity, every crack in the common front against fascism.” 1944. Henry Wallace, Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The Authoritarian/Fascist Slide

Poland pulled back from an authoritarian slide. What can the U.S. learn from its nonpartisan approach?

Trump’s Attacks on Press Freedom Are Paving the Way for Authoritarianism . New research shows that once a country begins a descent into authoritarianism it’s extremely difficult to reverse. And the first vector of attack is often the free press.

White House bars AP, Reuters and other media from covering Trump cabinet meeting

Trumps FCC Chief opens investigation into NPR and PBS. Congressional Republicans laced into PBS and NPR on Wednesday, accusing the country’s biggest public media networks of institutional bias in a fiery hearing that represented the latest salvo against the American press by close allies of the Trump administration.

Action 1

Hold your politician responsible for every action or inaction

Every Republican politician in this country is responsible for his or her support of this administration’s decisions. Under our system of government, each branch was created to keep the other branch in check. The Legislative branch is not doing this. It’s time for Democrats to become leaders of the opposition. Message, email and call your representatives each and every time an event has occurred. The links below will bring you to their sites. Save their phone numbers.

Find your U.S. House Representative.

Find your U.S. Senator

Action 2

Support Journalism

As stated on page one of the autocrat’s playbook, retaining control of a country depends on control of news and information streams. The playbook covers a spectrum of tactics,,,,,, but there is a consistent theme throughout: to suppress resistance, freedom of expression must be quelled. Your subscription/donation can help to shore up the only way we have access to what is happening. It is an act of support for journalism during these dangerous times.

The League of Women Voters have created a chart to give you an idea of whether a site is considered to be unbiased. AllSides Technologies Inc. is an American company that estimates the perceived political bias of content on online written news outlets. This is their take.

50 Leading Media Outlets for News Coverage in 2025 include traditional sources like CNN, Fox, NBC, BBC, CBS and ABC. These would require a cable or streaming subscription.

Some sites below are free. I’ve provided a digital subscription link to those who aren’t. Please find other reliable political news sources in your neck of the woods and subscribe/donate.

National Online Political News Sources

The Atlantic (+print)
Axios
AP News
The Guardian
The Hill
The Huffington Post
The New Yorker (+print)
New York Times (+print)
The Newshour
Newsweek (+print)
Politico
Pro Publica
Reuters
Slate
Time (+print)
USA Today
Vox
Washington Post (+print)


New York Online Political News Sources

Brooklyn Eagle (+Print)
The City
City & State New York
The Gothamist
Newsday (+print)
Staten Island Live

New Jersey Online Political News Sources
NJ Spotlight News
New Jersey Globe

Pennsylvania Online Political News Sources
City and State Pa
Spotlight Pa

Donate to Public Broadcasting 

PBS  This is the national organization that connects and supports local public television stations, allowing them to buy and distribute programs. 
NPR  National Public Radio  This is a non-profit membership media  national organization that serves as a national syndicator to over 1,000 public radio stations in the United States, offering a wide range of news, cultural, and music programming. 

Donate to NY Metropolitan local member stations. Only a part of your PBS and NPR donations  go toward the local stations.

Television/Streaming

WNET  Thirteen (NY)
NJPBS (NJ)
WLIW (Long Island)
WHYY  (NJ/Pa/Delaware)

Radio 
WNYC 
WQXR
WHYY

Action 3

Join a Group

A. Join Indivisible which links you to actions in your local area on a weekly basis. These rallies include federal workers and supporters from affected federal agencies, labor leaders, elected officials, and consumer advocates.

B. The successful Hands Off mass mobilization campaign of 1300 rallies and marches throughout the nation on April 5. Rallies continue on a weekly basis and include all Americans impacted by this administration’s decisions Join them.

C. Join your Democrat or Republican town halls. Join alternative town halls if your representative or senator refuses to hold one. Dems plan more town halls in GOP districts for recess as Republicans refuse to hold them. Let your voice be heard. Personal narratives are best. How have this administration’s decisions impacted your life?

D. Join The League of Women Voters They just joined a coalition of voters rights organizations in a lawsuit challenging Trumps unlawful executive order on voting.


NEXT POST

New York City Mayor and City Council Elections
New Jersey and Virginia Governor and Legislative Branch Elections
Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security

The assaults on the Judicial Branch


Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Determined to be free

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Debra29

Mahatma Gandhi

Our country has come through dark periods before. We have been divided on issues, actions, wars, movements, leaders, court decisions, and conditions. The American Democracy is built on the ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches. We have relied on this system of checks and balances for over 230 years. Our elected officials in Congress, statehouses and local governments must hear from us regularly over the next four years. In the end, we are the will of the people.

Presidential Race Popular Vote Results
Updated December 16,2024

Kamala Harris : 74,983,555 votes 48.43%
Trump: 77,269,255 votes 49.91%

Electoral College Votes

There were 93 electoral votes at stake among the seven swing states. Trump needed at least 51 electoral votes from these states to secure the presidency. He won the swing states. In the end, Kamala Harris received 226 of the 270 needed to win. Trump received 312.

Our House of Representative and Senate as of Dec 16, 2024

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

Republicans : 220 and Democrats 215.
But some of President-elect Trump’s picks to staff his administration have complicated that majority — Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida resigned his seat before his prospective nomination for attorney general collapsed, and Mr. Trump still wants two other re-elected House Republicans to serve in his administration. All three represent relatively safe districts, but their seats could be vacant for some time.

SENATE

Republicans: 53 and Democrats (including Independents) 47

Our House Race Results
(by what percent of voters in that district

Cook Political Report Toss Up House Races that went Democrat

California 13th – We supported Adam Gray (CfP thought Leans Democrat) D+0.09
California 27th – We supported George Whitesides (CfP thought  Leans Democrat) (D+3)
California 45th – We supported Derek Tran (CfP thought Leans Republican) (D+0.21)
Michigan 8th – We supported Kristen Rivet (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+7)
Maine’s 2nd – We supported Jared Golden (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+0.7)
New Mexico’s 2nd – We supported Gabriel Vasquez (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+4)
New York’s 19th – We supported Josh Riley (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+1.5)
North Carolina’s 1st – We supported Donald Davis (CfP thought  Leans Democrat) (D+1.6)
Ohio’s 9th – We supported Marcy Kaptur (both Cook and (CfP thought Lean Democrat) (D+0.63)
Oregon’s 5th – We supported Janelle Bynum (CfP thought  Leans Democrat) D+2
Virginia’s 7th – We supported Eugene Vindman (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+2)
Washington’s 3rd – We supported Marie Perez (CfP thought Leans Republican) (D+4)

Cook Political Report/CtP Lean Democrat  House Races that went Democrat
New York’s 4th – We supported Laura Gillen (D+2)
Ohio’s 13th – We supported Emilia Syke (D+2)

Cook Political Report/CtP Lean Democrat  House Races that went Republican instead
Nebraska 2nd – We supported DemocratTony Vargas (R+2)

Cook Political Report Toss Up House Races that went Republican
Arizona 1st – We suppoted Amish Shah (CfP thought Leans Republican) R+4
Arizona’s 6th – We supported Kirsten Angel (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+1.7)
California 22nd – We supported Rudy Salas (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+6)
California 41st – We supported Will Rollins (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+3)
Colorado 8th – We supported Yadira Caraveo (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (R+.72)
Iowa 1st – We supported Christina Bohannan (CfP thought Leans Republican) R+0.19)
Iowa 3rd – We supported Lanon Baccam (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+4)
Michigan 7th – We supported Curtis Hertel (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+4)
Pennsylvania’s 7th – We supported Susan Wild (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (R+1.1)
Pennsylvania’s 8th – We supported Matt Cartwright (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (R+1.9)

Cook Political Report/CtP Lean Republican  House Races that went Republican
New Jersey’s 7th – We supported Democrat Sue Altman (R+6)
New York’s 17th – We supported Democrat Mondaire Jones (R+7)

Our Senate Race Results as of Dec 16
(by what percent of voters in that state)

Cook Political Report Toss Up Senate Races that went Democrat
Michigan – We supported Elisa Slatkin (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D+0.36)
Wisconsin – We supported Senator Baldwin (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (D +0.86)

Cook Political Report/CtP Lean Democrat  Senate Races that went Democrat
Arizona – We supported Ruben Gallego (D+2)
Nevada – We supported Senator Rosen (D+1.6)

Cook Political Report/CtP Likely Democrat  Senate Races that went Democrat
Maryland – We supported Angela Alsobrooks (D+11)

Cook Political Report Toss Up Senate Races that went Republican
Ohio – We supported Senator Brown  (CfP thought Leans Republican) (R+4)
Pennsylvania – We supported Senator Casey (CfP thought Leans Democrat) (R+0.23)

Cook Political Report/CtP Likely Republican  Senate Races that went Republican
Montana – We supported Democrat Senator Tester (R+7)

Thank You Thank You Thank You

The Democratic wins above could not have happened without your support. To every one of you who donated, knocked doors, wrote letters or postcards, or made phone calls this election cycle — thank you These Democrats will use their power to push back on conservative agenda in the years ahead.

The 2024 Election Results
What Happened?

The Data

The official process — from poll close to final certification — can take the states anywhere from several days to more than a month. In the race for the White House, it’s not until early January that the formal process of picking the president via the Electoral College is complete. No federal agency or election commission provides updates to the public in the meantime about what’s happening with their votes. The work of counting actual is performed by the local government election officials . Only election officials provide official election results.

The Associated Press is used to report results up until then. Traditional exit polling has become more challenging and less reliable.When exit polls were designed in the 1960s, the vast majority of voters cast their ballots in person, making it easy for exit poll staff to interview them. But recent changes in voting behavior have made this methodology challenging, if not obsolete. That being said, the Associated Press calls an election based on AP Vote Cast.

AP VoteCast is a survey of American voters administered by NORC at the University of Chicago for media networks The Associated Press (AP) and Fox News. Most of the discussion out there right now evolves around the data they have shared with news media.

How Key Groups of Americans Voted in 2024

APVote Cast created this comprehensive graphic showing the variables of age, education, race or ethnicity, location, gender and age, men by race, women by race and suburban men and women. If you didn’t already think we are split in this country, think again.

Why Was There a Broad Drop-Off in Democratic Turnout in 2024?

The 2024 Election turnout is near the 2020 record. See how each state compares. Yet, counties with the biggest Democratic victories in 2020 delivered 1.9 million fewer votes for Ms. Harris than they had for Mr. Biden. The nation’s most Republican-heavy counties turned out an additional 1.2 million votes for Mr. Trump this year, according to the analysis of the 47 states where the vote count is largely complete.The drop-off spanned demographics and economics.

Besides lower Democratic turnout, reasons in the press include, but are not limited to:

1. Ms. Harris was simply the latest political casualty of a postpandemic global trend favoring challengers
2. Ms. Harris did not have enough time to overhaul the campaign after taking over for Mr. Biden
3. Criticism of her messaging suggesting the campaign was chasing ghosts in trying to appeal to Republican crossover voters by campaigning with conservatives like Liz Cheney and talking about threats to democracy.
4. Racism and sexism – Democratic strategist David Axelrod called out “racial bias” and “sexism” for what he labeled as their “impact” on the outcome of the presidential election. Racially coded language was utilized along the campaign trail, shocking some voters but rallying others who appreciated racial tropes. For the second time in eight years, a woman lost the race for the presidency.
5. The Harris campaign should have spent more time talking about how her economic policies would affect an important, but disaffected, part of her party. Biden’s attention to the working class went far beyond the symbolic. And working class pain should have been a strong part of the messaging.
6. Trump had edgier and stronger material that he was constantly communicating at rallies, on podcasts and in other appearances.
7. Democrats tried to compete in seven battleground states and call it a day.
8. Harris was losing support of the progressive portion of her political base. Harris’ unwillingness to make serious concessions to voters unhappy with her position on Israel was indicative of a broader failure to make a convincing appeal to the left flank of the Democratic Party. Conversely, others believe identity politics. cost her the election.

The warning bells are ringing for Democrats well beyond the battleground states.

The Future of The Democratic Party

House-cleaning. A new generation of Democratic leaders, Autopsies. Messaging. Consultants, and a multitude of recommendations are filling the airwaves, internet and podcasts. All eyes are on the party and its decisions in the coming years.

Respond

The U.S. Senate’s Democratic majority began a crusade on Tuesday to confirm as many new federal judges nominated by President Joe Biden as possible to avoid leaving vacancies that Republican Donald Trump could fill after taking office on Jan. 20. Contact your Senator and support this initiative.

Find your local Indivisible chapter and join their long term plan in response to the Election 2024 results. They are prepared to work together step by step throughout the next four years fighting Project 2025 and the Republican Trifecta. Eyes are already on the 2026 Senate races. Thirty-three Senate seats are open for election on November 3, 2026. Of those, 20 are held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.

Stay Informed. Support independent public media and other press outlets following the decisions that will be made in this country.

Continue to be involved locally and at your state level in as many ways as you can.

This is our Democracy. Our will is strong. You are not alone.





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We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Debra29

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The US presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris takes place next week on November 5, but it could be several days before a winner is confirmed. Some 244 million Americans are eligible to vote in this year’s presidential race. Should voter participation match the record turnout of 67 per cent in 2020, about 162 million ballots will be cast across the 50 states.

As you know the battleground states will determine who reaches 270 electoral college votes to secure the White House. They have individual methods for counting, analysing and handling ballots. Consequently the different states’ rules on processing votes means it could take several days before Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is named president-elect.

Turnout

In New York, Democrats see glimmer of hope for the House races. Democrats have embraced tougher stances on issues that typically play among conservative and moderate voters, like immigration and crime, while still hammering away on abortion rights .In addition, party leaders have assembled a sophisticated new turnout operation. Many believe that getting out the youth vote will be most important in this tight election.

Indivisible is recruiting a swing-state army of progressives to turn out their neighbors to vote for Kamala Harris and down-ballot Democrats. With a program called Neighbor2Neighbor, Indivisible is mobilizing progressive volunteers to canvas where they live — and persuade neighbors who are like-minded, but infrequent-voters, to cast a ballot. Other national organizations in GOTV include Black Voters Matter, Vote Latino and APIA Vote.

The elections of 2018, 2020 and 2022 were three of the highest-turnout U.S. elections of their respective types in decades. About two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate for any national election since 1900. With one week until Election Day, more than 48 million ballots have been cast across 47 states and the District of Columbia.

Closing speeches

Kamala Harris
Protector of the Public Good

Vice President Kamala Harris’ Closing Argument Speech to American Voters. She explained she would govern with unity in mind, based on what she said was a “lifelong instinct to protect” people who had been abused or victimized. But she also used the arc of history to make her case, saying that the country was born “when we wrested freedom from a petty tyrant” and that, over centuries, Americans had fought threats both foreign and domestic to preserve the promise of democracy.

“What Donald Trump has never understood is that E pluribus unum, ‘out of many one,’ isn’t just a phrase on a $1 bill — it is a living truth about the heart of our nation, our democracy. It doesn’t require us to agree on everything,” Harris said. “We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms. It is time to turn the page on the drama and the conflict, the fear and division. It is time for a new generation of leadership in America.”

Trump
Fear and Hate

In Trump’s lead-up to the rally, social media was full of reminders that the American Nazi Party had held an infamous event in Madison Square Garden’s predecessor in 1939. The Trump rally lived up to that billing. It was a closing argument of unvarnished bigotry and hate, one that showed that the MAGA movement has become so much bigger than the man who founded it. Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden was a parade of foot soldiers in a hateful movement .

His rally highlighted crude and racist insults. He called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” and disparaged Black Americans, Latinos and Jewish people. Trump made eight claims fact checked by PBS to further emphasize the lies the Republican Party is using to win the election.


Voting Information

The League of Women Voters have an excellent site, vote 411, that provides information state by state. This includes Voting by Mail applications and deadlines, Early Voting locations, and In Person Voting sites. Please forward ahead to friends and family.

NYC Votes is an additional site for New York City residents. It, too, provides information regarding your Early Voting site and hours, Election Day site and hours, in addition to Early Mail/Absentee Voting deadlines and applications. You can register to vote on this site, find your actual ballot, and determine who is running in your district.

Respond

Vote Remind friends and family members to do so as well. Share the voting information posted above.

Donate  Continue to support candidates who need your support from my last post You cannot be neutral. There are a multitude of fundraising drives. Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party.

Volunteer in a local campaign

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians by turning out the vote up to and including Election Day.
Indivisible

Next Post: The results.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

You cannot be neutral. You must either join with us who believe in the bright future or be destroyed by those who would return us to the dark past.

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Debra29

Daisy Lampkin. American suffragist and civil rights activist,

We are not going back

Former president Donald J. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he had nothing to do with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative policy initiative to reshape the federal government. Mr. Trump has said that he has not read its proposals and does not know who is behind it. But Project 2025 has numerous ties to Mr. Trump and his campaign, a New York Times analysis has found.

Spokespeople for Project 2025 have denied that they are advocates for any particular candidate, and Project 2025 has no official ties to the Trump campaign. But the president of the Heritage Foundation told The New York Times in an interview in January that he views the foundation’s role as “institutionalizing Trumpism.”

While Mr. Trump has publicly disavowed Project 2025, there is significant overlap between the playbook and the plans Mr. Trump has articulated in campaign speeches and in his current campaign agenda, Agenda 47.

The Uphill Battles for Abortion Rights Will Continue

Voters in nine states are deciding next month whether to add right to abortion to their constitutions, but the measures will not immediately change access. This is even if polls show a big increase in Republicans planning to vote for abortion rights. Instead, voter approval would launch more lawsuits on a subject that’s been in the courts constantly, and more than ever since the overturned Roe v Wade.

Still, the measure would mean that “the wind will be on our back” in court fights to overturn restrictions, said Emily Wales, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates in four states and is the only group in recent years to provide abortions in Missouri.

In the end, it is the work of various organizations and you, the volunteer, who will help protect reproductive rights for future generations. New Yorkers: remember to vote YES for Proposition 1

Voter Intimidation (title and link)

The GOP has recruited poll monitors from suburban areas to monitor the vote in Democratic cities.
Election experts expressed concern that the strategy could be disruptive to the vote-counting process this fall.

With Election Day drawing near, local officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have taken precautions to guard against any potential voter intimidation at the polls.

In New York, actual intimidation or attempts to intimidate should be reported immediately to the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-390-2992, or submitted online using the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s online Election Complaint Form.

This year, Philadelphia hired a security expert and is collaborating with state, federal and local law enforcement to address issues surrounding the count, as well as any type of potential voter intimidation on Election Day.

“If you’re outside the polls, you want to reach out to the police department or the district attorney’s office,” Deeley said. “If you’re inside the polls, you want to let the judge of elections know so that they can reach out to the proper people.”

MEMO To New York City Residents Only

UPDATE : The New York Chapter of the ACLU has recommended that you vote NO for Proposals 2 through 6. My last post gave the positions of the New York City Council regarding proposals 2-6 as well.

The 7 Battleground States Polling Results October 30, 2024

Always remember how accurate or off-target the polls can be. Despite that, I’ve used the posted polling results of The New York Times/Siena , and ABC’s 538 to give you an update as to what they believe is the status of the battleground states races. My prior post, It is not in the stars, explains how the Electoral College works in a presidential election. These races are the key players. The numbers represent points ahead or behind. The first number is from NYT/Siena (updated Nov 4) and the second is from 538 (updated Nov 4) ) The reason I’m including this is to emphasis how close this race is ten days ahead of Election Day. It’s time to DONATE to the Harris/Walz campaign , if you haven’t done so already.


Arizona Trump +3, Trump +3
Georgia Trump +1, Trump +2
Nevada Trump <1, Trump +1
Michigan Harris <1, Harris +1
North Carolina Trump <1, Trump +1
Pennsylvania Even, Even
Wisconsin Harris <1, Harris + 1

The House and Senate Races October 25, 2024

My post, Truth is Powerful and It Is Not In The Stars will provide links to these candidates websites. These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED November 1 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED Nov 4  . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Democrats need your support.

Toss Up House Races
Alaska – Support Mary Peltola (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Arizona 1st – Support Amish Shah (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Arizona’s 6th – Support Kirsten Angel (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 13th – Support Adam Gray (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
California 22nd – Support Rudy Salas (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 27th – Support George Whitesides (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
California 41st – Support Will Rollins (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 45th – Support Derek Tran (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Colorado 8th – Support Yadira Caraveo (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Iowa 1st – Support Christina Bohannan (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Iowa 3rd – Support Lanon Baccam (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Maine’s 2nd – Support Jared Golden (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Michigan 7th – Support Curtis Hertel (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Michigan 8th – Support Kristen Rivet (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
New Mexico’s 2nd – Support Gabriel Vasquez (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW New York’s 19th – Support Josh Riley (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
North Carolina’s 1st – Support Donald Davis (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Oregon’s 5th – Support Janelle Bynum (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 7th – Support Susan Wild (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 8th – Support Matt Cartwright (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Virginia’s 7th – Support Eugene Vindman(CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Washington’s 3rd – Support Marie Perez (CfP thinks Leans Republican)

Lean Democrat House Races ( both Cooks and CfP agree)
Ohio’s 9th – Marcy Kaptur
NEW Nebraska 2nd – Support Tony Vargas
NEW New York’s 4th – Support Laura Gillen
NEW Ohio’s 13th – Support Emilia Sykes

Lean Republican House Races – ( both Cooks and CfP agree)
NEW New Jersey’s 7th – Support Sue Altman
NEW New York’s 17th – Support Mondaire Jones

Senate Races

My post, Truth is Powerful, provides links to these Democrats.These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED OCTOBER 21 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED Nov 4. Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Senate races need your support.

Toss Up Senate Races
Michigan – Support Elisa Slatkin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Ohio – Support Senator Brown  (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
NEW Wisconsin – Senator Baldwin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW Pennsylvania – Senator Casey (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)

Lean Democrat Senate Races (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Arizona – Ruben Gallego
Nevada – Senator Rosen

Lean Republican Senate Races (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Montana – Support Senator Tester

Likely Democrat Senate Races – (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Maryland – Angela Alsobrooks

Respond


Donate to any and all campaigns above.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that usually involve meeting the candidate in person or by Zoom.

Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing

Join National Networks whose focus is on getting out the vote:
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

Next Post: Election sites, dates and deadlines.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You cannot be neutral. You must either join with us who believe in the bright future or be destroyed by those who would return us to the dark past.

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Debra29

Ida B. Wells

The 5 Ws of Voting
Election 2024

The League of Women Voters have an excellent site, vote 411, that provides information state by state regarding Who do I contact for voting information? What is on my ballot? Where can I vote? When should I register and vote by? and Why is it important to vote? Please check this site as some states have already begun early voting.

State Elections

Legislative races in 44 states will be conducted in November 2024. These include races in 87 of the nation’s 99 legislative chambers. No legislative races will be held in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey or Virginia because they hold state elections in odd-numbered years; in Alabama and Maryland, all legislators in both chambers run on four year-terms that coincide with midterm elections. Contact your state’s government site to confirm who represents you in your statehouse or USA.gov.

Republicans control the Senate in 29 states, Democrats have control of 20. In Alaska, power is shared via a bipartisan coalition. There are currently 23 Republican and 17 Democratic trifectas, where a single party holds the governorship and controls both chambers of the state legislature.

Republicans control 27 State Houses, while Democrats have control of 21. In Alaska, power is shared via a bipartisan coalition.

Initiatives, referenda, amendments, and propositions are on the ballot throughout 2024 in multiple states.

Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, voters in 6 states have weighed in on constitutional amendments regarding abortion, and the side favoring access to abortion prevailed in every state. In 4 of these states – California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont – measures amending the state constitution to protect the right to abortion were approved by voters and in the other 2 states – Kentucky and Kansas – measures seeking to curtail the right to abortion failed. In 2024, 10 states will have abortion measures on their ballot seeking to either affirm that the state constitution protects the right to abortion or that nothing in the constitution confers such a right. The states included are Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota. The far right has these states in focus , and have used misinformation campaigns to influence the vote. See what’s happening in New York below.

New York State Elections

New York City Residents: Search for your Early Voting or Election Day poll site.

Confirm who your New York State Senator and your New York State Assembly Member is. Also confirm what your State and Assembly districts are.

Democrats have maintained supermajorities in both the state Senate and the Assembly, but Republicans are hoping to chip away at those numbers. It is important to stay informed and support the candidates who represent your views at the Statehouse. Here are the candidates running in the races below.

Losing just three seats in the Assembly held by Democrats would cost the party its supermajority. The state Assembly races to watch for include Districts 4, 11, 21, 23, 40, 46, 96, 99, 107, and 133.

Democrats in the state Senate saw their own supermajority drop by one member last cycle, but they still held onto their two-thirds majority of 42 seats. Any losses this year would drop their numbers into simple majority territory. The State Senate races to watch for include Districts 4, 7, 11, 17, 23, 38, 39, 40, 42, 46, 50, 52 and 63.

Vote Yes for New York’s Proposition 1
New York’s Equal Rights Amendment

The proposal prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex – including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and abortion rights – by enshrining these rights in the state constitution.

Its Impact

Protects abortion access: Safeguards the right to abortion under the state constitution, ensuring lasting protections based on pregnancy status regardless of any changes at the federal level.

Keeps power in New Yorkers hands: Solidifies protections for civil rights in the State Constitution, keeping decision-making in the hands of the people of our state.

Closes loopholes: Strengthens anti-discrimination laws, closing the gaps that could be exploited to deny civil rights.

The Far Right’s War Against Reproductive Rights for New Yorkers
With Lies and Attacks

The New York Republican Party opposes this measure .Republicans have come up with new attacks on the ballot proposition that would enshrine abortion rights and other protections against discrimination. Others believe this ballot measure has become a battleground in the culture wars. The Catholic Church is joining the fight against reproductive rights for the women of New York.

What you can do

Help the fight against the misinformation campaigns out there by contributing to New Yorkers For Equal Rights. Share accurate information from the various organizations including the New York City Bar Association , The League of Women Voters and New York NOW is a weekly Emmy Award-winning public affairs program .

Propositions 2 through 6
Where did they come from and what do they say?

Proposals two through six would amend the New York City Charter, the city’s governing document. The path to getting these Charter-related propositions on the ballot has been rocky, and resulted in a legal clash between the New York City Council and Mayor Adams. The end result is only Mayor Adams’ proposed Charter revisions will appear this November. The New York City Council has posted their own reflection of Propositions 2 through 6.

Ballot Question 2: Cleaning public property
Ballot Question 3: Additional estimates of the cost of proposed laws and updates to budget deadlines
Ballot Question 4: More notice and time before votes on public safety legislation
Ballot Question 5: Capital planning
Ballot Question 6: Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), film permits, and archive review boards

The State of the 2024 Presidential and Congressional Races

My prior post , It is not in the stars, has the updated Cook Political Report and University of Virginia’s Center for Politics reports on how the toss up races are going.

The presidential race will most likely come down to voters in eight states that remain competitive, 

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that usually involve meeting the candidate in person or by Zoom.

Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing

Join National Networks whose focus is on getting out the vote:
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

NEXT POST: The status of the Presidential, Congressional and Senate races. Legal strategies Republicans are using to intimidate local election officials and challenge the election results.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Debra29

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Inform

Who will decide the 2024 Presidential Race?

Women

Women have registered and voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980, with the turnout gap between women and men growing slightly larger with each successive presidential election. Young people, especially young women, drove the Democratic resistance to the “red wave” in the 2022 election. Kamala Harris’ chances in November could hinge on a women’s voting surge.

Project 2025 will have a devastating effect on women. It maps out the permanent reversal of more than 50 years of hard-fought gains for American women and girls. It promotes the patriarchal family and biblically based marriage. It will destroy reproductive rights including abortion, contraception, sex education and gender-affirming healthcare.

How could the 2024 election affect coverage of and access to women’s health care? By strengthening or restricting Medicaid funding. By strengthening or restricting Title X funding for family planning and preventive services. While maternal wellness has strong backing of both parties, the way to do so differs.

Harris is targeting women of every stripe: Since Biden bowed out, poll after poll has shown women voting increasingly Democratic — an 18-point gap in the male-female vote in an ABC News/Ipsos poll out over Labor Day weekend. Reproductive rights soared past the economy as the top voting issue for women in swing states under age 45, New York Times/Siena College polling found.

Independents and the Undecided

Polls show an incredibly tight race between the two candidates , and a handful of swing voters could decide the election, depending on who they vote for or if they decide to stay home. Only a tiny slice of the electorate is considered persuadable — anywhere from 6% or less to the low teens. And while undecided voters often have unique reasons for what influences their votes, there was a clear gender divide.That reflects the wide gender gap seen in polls between the candidates. How could anyone at this date still be undecided?

With polls showing the presidential election a toss up, the votes that third-party and independent candidates receive in key states could very well decide the White House. In a race that will be decided on the margins in a handful of states, the Harris campaign and its allies are working to win over at least a few Republicans and right-leaning independents uncomfortable with the Trump-led Republican Party.

Young Voters

Young voters could have a monumental impact on the election, including the deadlocked presidential contest. Nationwide, nearly 42 million 18-to-27-year-olds — the group known as Generation Z — will be eligible to vote, according to a Post analysis of 2022 census data. Nearly half are people of color. n the seven battleground states — Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — about 7.8 million Gen Zers are eligible to vote in this fall’s election.

Voters concerned about Body Politics

In the five decades that Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, almost every abortion question on state ballots was put there by anti-abortion groups. In the last two years, abortion rights activists won seven out of seven ballot initiatives. So this fall, they’re swinging big, asking voters in 10 states to establish a constitutional right to abortion.

Democrats have another motivation for the initiatives: to drive turnout for Kamala Harris and the party’s congressional candidates, especially in battleground states like Arizona and Nevada. In some places, the ballot amendment won’t really change abortion policy — it just affirms state law. But it could draw more voters to the polls.

The 7 Battleground States Polling Results Post Debate
Arizona Georgia Nevada Michigan North Carolina Pennsylvania Wisconsin

In other U.S. elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they are chosen through the Electoral College process. The process of using electors comes from the Constitution . Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census .Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of Senators and Representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its Senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.

It will take 270 electoral votes to win the 2024 presidential election. As of today, 226 votes will likely be for the Democratic candidate and 219 votes will likely be for the Republican. Consequently, 93 electoral votes are a toss up. All States, except for Maine and Nebraska, have a winner-take-all policy where the State looks only at the overall winner of the state-wide popular vote.

September 25, 2024 – Polls change weekly, but the 7 battleground states remain the same.

Trump has a 0.5% lead in Georgia based on 31 polls. Vice President Harris holds a 1-point advantage over former President Trump among registered voters in North Carolina, according to an Elon University/YouGov poll released Tuesday, September 24th.

September 23, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump are neck-and-neck in four crucial states with 42 days to go until the election, a new poll has found.A survey of 9,794 swing state voters published September 23 by Redfield & Wilton Strategies for The Telegraph found that Harris and Trump were tied for support in four of these battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Vice President Harris has a small lead over former President Trump in Michigan, a new survey shows, but the results are within the margin of error.The poll, conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University, found Harris leading with 48 percent to Trump’s 45 percent. The results are within the poll’s 4.4 percent margin of error.

Help Democrats Regain Control of The House of Representatives

My last post, Truth is Powerful, links the Democrats of 9 competitive House races . These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED October 18 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 30 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly.

Toss Up House Races
Alaska – Support Mary Peltola
Arizona 1st – Support Amish Shah
California 13th – Support Adam Gray
Maine’s 2nd – Support Jared Golden
New York’s 4th – Support Laura Gillen (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 8th – Support Matt Cartwright
Washington’s 3rd – Support Marie Perez

Lean Democrat House Races – continue to support
Ohio’s 9th – Marcy Kaptur

Leans Republican House Races – continue to support
New Jersey’s 7th – Support Sue Altman


Additional House races have become more competitive since then and, are listed below. All of these House races need your support.

The races below are all TOSS UP as rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED October 18 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 30 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I’ll update their status regularly.

Arizona’s 6th Congressional District
Democrat Kirsten Engel versus Incumbent Republican Ciscomani

California’s 22nd Congressional District
Democrat Rudy Salas versus Incumbent Republican Valadao

California’s 27th Congressional District
Democrat George Whitesides versus Incumbent Republican Mike Garcia

California’s 41st Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Will Rollins versus Incumbent Republican KenCalvert

California’s 45th Congressional District
Democrat Derek Tran versus Incumbent Republican Michele Steel

Colorado’s 8th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo versus Republican Gave Evans

NEW Iowa 1st Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Christina Bohannan versus Incumbent Republican Miller-Meeks

NEW Iowa 3rd Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Lanon Baccam versus Incumbent Republican Nunn

Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, Open
Democrat Curtis Hertel versus Republican Tom Barrett

Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, Open
Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet versus Republican Paul Junge

Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District (CfP now thinks it Leans Democrat)
Democrat Tony Vargas versus Incumbent Republican Bacon

New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Democrat)
Incumbent Democrat Gabriel Vasquez versus Republican Yvette Herrell

New York’s 17th Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Mondaire Jones versus Incumbent Republican Lawler

New York’s 19th Congressional District
Democrat Josh Riley versus Incumbent Republican Molinaro

North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Donald Davis versus Republican Buckshot

Ohio’s 13th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Emilia Sykes versus Republican Coughlin

Oregon’s 5th Congressional District
Democrat Janelle Bynum versus Incumbent Republican Cheves De Remer

Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Susan Wild versus Republican Mackenzie

Virginia’s 7th Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Democrat)
Democrat Eugene Vindman versus Republican Anderson

The Status of the Senate Races

Thirty-four Senate seats are up for election in November, but the balance of power in the chamber will likely be decided by seven of the most competitive races, according to the most recent ratings by the Cook Political Report. Currently Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate, with four independent senators caucusing with the party.

My last post, Truth is Powerful, provides links to these Democrats.These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED OCTOBER 21 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 25 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Senate races need your support.

Toss Up Senate Races
Michigan – Support Elisa Slatkin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Ohio – Support Senator Brown
NEW Wisconsin – Senator Baldwin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW Pennsylvania – Senator Casey (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)

Lean Democrat Senate Races – continue to support
Arizona – Ruben Gallego
Nevada – Senator Rosen


Lean Republican Senate Races
Montana – Support Senator Tester

Likely Democrat Senate Races – continue to support
Maryland – Angela Alsobrooks

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that usually involve meeting the candidate in person or by Zoom.

Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing

Join National Networks whose focus is on getting out the vote:
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

NEXT POST:

2024 State Elections and Propositions

Status of the Presidential and Congressional Races

Voting Information

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

Truth is powerful. And it prevails.

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Debra29

We have all been thrown down so low that nobody thought we’d ever get up again; but we have been long enough trodden now; we will come up again, and now I am here. Sojourner Truth

Inform

The Harris Waltz Policies

Axios ‘s presentation of Harris’ policies on the economy, health, immigration, energy and foreign policy.

Additionally, The New York Times adds onto her proposed actions on climate change, democracy, and racial justice.

Lastly, Politico explains where both Harris and Walz stand on 2024’s biggest policy issues including the economy, abortion and IVF, labor, the environment, taxes, agriculture and Israel and China. They indicate whether it would make a difference to swing voters, and/or would be a major target for Republicans.

The Battleground States

The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Most of the drama in this year’s presidential election will focus on a handful of states.

While each major U.S. political party has many states it counts on winning on November 5, a handful of states are too close to predict. These “swing states” have populations that are closely divided politically. In recent elections, outcomes have swung back and forth between Democratic and Republican wins. They are the “battleground states” that candidates target with frequent campaign visits, advertising and staffing.

The 2024 Battleground States are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Taking the pulse in these states will happen up until November. Undecided voters could make the difference.

Republican money is being poured into the three “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which were all carried by Biden in 2020 and are seen as vital to the outcome of November’s election.

Special attention is being paid to Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral college votes, and where a new CNN poll shows Trump and Harris tied at 47% each. Resources have also been transferred to southern and south-western Sun belt states – namely North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona – where Trump previously had healthy leads over Biden that have been whittled away since Harris replaced the US president at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Helping Democrats Regain Control of The House of Representatives

Upended by the summer shake-up that replaced President Joe Biden with Harris atop the Democratic ticket, the down-ballot campaigns enter this fall stretch at a virtual toss-up, a high-wire uncertainty where every single seat won or lost could make the difference in party control.

Democrats need to flip just four seats to take back control of the House while Republicans hope to expand their majority and make it easier to get priorities over the finish line. Resources are pouring into the few truly competitive congressional races expected to help determine the balance of power in Washington next year.

Alaska‘s sole Congressional Seat
Incumbent Democrat Mary Peltola versus Republicans Nick Begich and Trump endorsed Nancy Dahlstrom in ranked choice general election *

Arizona’s 1st Congressional District
Democrat Amish Shah versus Trump endorsed Incumbent Republican David Schweikert *

California’s 13th Congressional District
Democrat Adam Gray versus Incumbent Republican John Duarte who backs Trump *

Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
Democratic incumbent Jared Golden versus Trump endorsed Republican Austin Theriault *

New Jersey‘s 7th Congressional District
Democrat Sue Altman versus Incumbent Republican Thomas Kean Jr. who backs Trump*

New York‘s 4th Congressional District
Democrat Laura Gillen versus Trump endorsed Incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito *

Ohio‘s 9th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur versus Trump endorsed Republican Derek Merrin #

Pennsylvania‘s 8th Congressional District
Democrat Matt Cartwright versus Trump endorsed Republican Rob Bresnahan *

Washington‘s 3rd Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez versus Trump endorsed Republican Joe Kent *

Additionally, explore who is running a tight, toss up race in your own state by using the Cook’s Political Report linked below.

Helping Democrats Keep Control of The Senate

Senate Democrats face a grueling and narrow path to maintain their slim 51-49 majority this fall, as they prepare to defend 23 seats across the United States, many of them in purple and red states.

With Sen. Joe Manchin III (I-W.Va.) retiring, Republicans are all but guaranteed to pick up at least one seat in that ruby red state, putting even more pressure on Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to defy political gravity once again in their red states and win reelection.

Only 11 Republican-held seats are up for election in November. If Republicans win those races as expected and flip just one state, the Senate will be tied 50-50 with deciding votes made by the new vice president. If they flip two seats, Republicans will win back Senate control no matter who is in the White House.

Long gone are the days of supermajorities in the House and Senate, replaced by a new era of razor-thin margins that leave little margin for errors in political campaigns, or actual governing.

Arizona
Democrat U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego versus Trump endorsed Republican Kari Lake #

Maryland
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks versus Republican Larry Hogan +

Montana
Incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester versus Trump endorsed Republican Tim Sheehy *

Michigan
Democrat U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin versus Trump endorsed Republican Mike Rogers *

Nevada
Incumbent Democrat Senator Jacky Rosen versus Trump endorsed Republican Sam Brown #

Ohio
Incumbent Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown versus Trump endorsed Republican Bernie Moreno *

Pennsylvania
Incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey versus Trump endorsed Republican Dave McCormick #

Wisconsin
Incumbent Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin versus Trump endorsed Republican Eric Hovde #

*Toss Up
# Leans Democrat
+ Likely Democrat
~ Leans Republican

All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report 2024 House Races as of September 6, 2024 or Cooks Political Report Senate Race Ratings August August 15, 2024

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough. Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that usually involve meeting the candidate in person or by Zoom.

Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing

Join National Networks whose focus is on getting out the vote:
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time.
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

Next Post:

The voters that will decide the 2024 Election, and the status of all races post debate.


Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Truth is powerful. And it prevails.

Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides..*

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Debra29

We are living in troubling times. We’ve watched as our Democracy and its freedoms have unraveled as a result of careful funding, planning, and execution by organized, extreme conservative forces. Town by town, state by state, and, now, on the national stage.

Inform

Project 2025

This is a right wing policy blueprint and personnel project prepared for the next Republican president. It’s a collaborative effort across the conservative ecosystem led by the Heritage Foundation.The website also notes that the project is backed by over 100 conservative organizations, many led by close allies of Trump, including

The Heritage Foundation

Turning Point USA

The Center for Renewing America

The Claremont Institute and here

The Family Policy Alliance

The Family Research Council

Moms for Liberty

America First Legal

Two years into Trump’s presidency, The Heritage Foundation touted that he had instituted 64% of its policy recommendations, ranging from leaving the Paris Climate Accords, increasing military spending, and increasing off-shore drilling and developing federal lands.

Other Project 25 policies include less federal intervention in education and more support for school choice; work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults on food stamps; and a secure border with increased enforcement of immigration laws, mass deportations and construction of a border wall.

The agenda calls for the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its 24-year-old approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. It also recommends the Justice Department enforce the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. It proposes to eliminate a long list of terms from all laws and federal regulations, including “sexual orientation”, “gender equality”, “abortion” and “reproductive rights”.

Project 2025 aims to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and government departments as part of what it describes as a wider crackdown on “woke” ideology. in addition to calling for the abolishing the Department of Education, aims to boost school choice and parental control over education and criticises what the party calls the “inappropriate political indoctrination of our children”.

It proposes that the entire federal bureaucracy, including independent agencies such as the Department of Justice, be placed under direct presidential control – a controversial idea known as “unitary executive theory”.

The document proposes slashing federal money for research and investment in renewable energy, and calls for the next president to “stop the war on oil and natural gas”.

Christian Conservatives

Christian Conservatives march ahead for God, for country, and for Trump . Only eight years ago, during the 2016 presidential campaign, many conservative Christians supported Mr. Trump pragmatically, for his promises to nominate conservative Supreme Court justices who would end abortion rights. He earned favor for his promise that Christians would have power in America.And they did. Even after his loss in 2020, a segment of Christians on the far right became emboldened, calling for the end of the separation of church and state. At the same time, the rituals of Christian worship became embedded in Republican rallies

The National Assault on Reproductive Rights

State legislative activity in the first half of 2024 included attacks on reproductive care for young people, restrictions on contraceptive access and criminalization of pregnancy outcomes. The harms caused by these attacks are compounded by the total abortion bans enforced in 14 states and the early gestational bans enforced in seven states that would have been unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade. Such harms fall particularly hard on those with lower incomes.

Now conservative attacks on birth control could threaten access. Far-right conservatives are sowing misinformation that inaccurately characterizes IUDs, emergency contraception, even birth-control pills as causing abortions. Lawmakers in many states focused on curtailing youth access to sexual and reproductive health care. These types of laws affect youth regardless of income status, but youth with the fewest resources will be the most affected. Requiring parental consent for contraceptive and STI care is another way lawmakers limit youth access to reproductive health care. In a recent decision, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling from 2022 that blocked clinics in Texas receiving federal Title X funding from providing prescription contraceptives to minors without parental consent. In addition, an Idaho law that was signed into law in March requires minors to get parental consent to access health care such as STI treatment.

A Threat to In Vitro Fertilization

U.S. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth outlined how Republican attacks on IVF are serious, real, and on the rise across America.

19 states have either broad personhood provisions in their law, language on personhood or defining “unborn children” in their criminal code or case law expanding the definition of child under state law to include fetuses, according to a report from Pregnancy Justice. The Texas Republican Party’s platform committee narrowly rejected a proposal classifying embryos created through IVF as “human being(s)” and calling for a state law to designate their destruction as a “homicide.”

In the House and Senate, hundreds of Republicans have signed on to legislation, the Life at Conception Act, that could threaten the use of IVF for pregnancy, a process in which unused embryos or those with abnormalities can be discarded. The Heritage Foundation has launched a concerted effort to “regulate”—thereby restricting access and advancing personhood principles and measures—IVF. The Southern Baptist Convention moved to adopt a resolution opposing in vitro fertilization.

More than a dozen other U.S. states have laws in place that could be interpreted as bestowing personhood rights on an embryo, even if it has not yet resulted in a pregnancy. And yet, in June, Republican senators—including Trump’s current running mate, J.D. Vance—voted against a bill that would have established a federal right to IVF care.

The Campaign Against Transgender Rights

About 1.3 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States identify as transgender. Today, the effort to restrict transgender rights has supplanted same-sex marriage as an animating issue for social conservatives at a pace that has stunned political leaders across the spectrum. It has reinvigorated a network of conservative groups, increased fund-raising and set the agenda in school boards and state legislatures. At least 20 states, all controlled by Republicans, have enacted laws that reach well beyond the initial debates over access to bathrooms and into medical treatments, participation in sports and policies on discussing gender in schools. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Republicans attacked transgender rights on RNC opening night.

The Education Department last month unveiled a final set of sweeping changes to Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools and education programs that receive government funding, after more than a year of delays. The new regulations, slated to take effect Aug. 1, also cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Fifteen Republican-controlled states sued the department last week in four federal lawsuits that argue the new regulations are “plainly illegal” and undermine protections meant for cisgender students.

Recently, the Supreme Court, for now, blocked expanded protections for transgender students in several Republican states that mounted challenges. All nine members of the court said that parts of the new rules — including the protections for transgender students — should not go effect until the legal challenges are resolved.

The Plan to Attack and Block Elections and Results

Election officials are facing a deluge of disinformation. They are staring down new conspiracy theories, political pressure and threats. The new generation of elections officials must multitask as defenders against disinformation and its consequences. On any given day, they are debunking claims that masses of dead people are contaminating the voting pool or that mail-in balloting is susceptible to fraud. They have faced harassment campaigns targeted at their female family members, received intimidating letters laced with fentanyl and been subjected to fake threats of bombings and break-ins.

In response to these threats, state legislatures have taken action to protect them and make elections more resilient. So far, 20 states have passed urgently needed reforms to protect election officials since January 2022. At least 21 states introduced additional protective bills since 2022.

Trump allies test a new strategy for blocking election results. In five battleground states, county-level officials have tried to block the certification of vote tallies — which election experts worry is a test run for trying to thwart a Democratic victory. Trump has instructed the Republican National Committee, now led by his daughter-in-law and a close ally, to prioritize building out a team of poll watchers and lawyers to monitor the vote and litigate potential post-election challenges.

Some of The Billionaires and Millionaires Supporting all MAGA Objectives

The Aug. 2 dinner at the Bridgehampton, N.Y., home of Howard Lutnick, the Cantor Fitzgerald chief executive, was a high-powered affair. Among the roughly 130 people who dined under an air-conditioned tent were some of Donald Trump’s wealthiest supporters, including the billionaire hedge-fund financier Bill Ackman, who sat next to the former president, and Omeed Malik, the president of another fund, 1789 Capital. Elon Musk committing around $45 Million a Month to a new Pro-Trump Super PAC Other backers of America PAC include Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale and the Winklevoss twins.

Respond

Become informed. Open the links of the eight conservative groups listed above and peruse their agendas. Then read what Project 2025 is all about. It’s not just jargon. Once you have read this post you can see how their goals have translated into action in all of the national news stories. Understand what’s at stake in this election, as organized and wealthy groups are attempting to dismantle the underpinnings of our Democracy.

“We will not go back” is more than a campaign phrase. The conservative movement in this country can fracture whatever gains we’ve made over the decades. It’s up to each of us to prevent that from happening, in whatever way we can,

Join organized groups in your state and volunteer whatever way you can. Some are:

Indivisible

Vote Forward

League of Women Voters

When We All Vote

Planned Parenthood

Human Rights Campaign

Resolve (IVF advocacy group)

Next Post(s): The Harris-Waltz Platform, the Swing States of 2024, and the Crucial Congressional Races

* King Lear

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