Please share this with your MAGA friends and family—it’s a real eye-opener! 👀👇👇 I’ve already helped change a lot of minds with this piece, and it’s gaining momentum. 🇺🇸💙
Free and fair elections is what any American should want in a democracy, but voter restrictions and suppression tactics are being pushed through in conservative leaning legislations by multiple states. Voting is an American right and only voters can change that
Alright, this is off-topic but I flashed on it and want to leave it somewhere. About the recent assassination attempt, something smells really off. I'm not prone to conspiracy theories, but there's nothing wrong with speculation as long as you clearly identify it as such. This is what I think:
The guy's obviously a right winger, voted for Trump in '16, soured on him, wanted Nikki Haley and/or Vivek Ramaswamy this time and is enough of a gun fanatic to have been in a police standoff with a fully automatic machine gun. So this is no unhinged Bernie bro like the guy who shot Scalise.
The cops who nabbed him on I-95 said he was the proverbial cool cucumber, demeanor like he was off to a church picnic. So ... could this be a setup? Somebody Trump paid to fake an assassination attempt and then drive off in a car with license plates to get caught on the interstate and then Trump makes the charges go away or pardons him? As a way to change the narrative from this week of horrific bad news and get sympathy like the last (real) attempt on his life?
I dunno. Like Tucker Carlson always sez, I'm just asking questions ;)
Noting: Mike Johnson was not elected. He ran unopposed in 2022. That was a shock to me, but -- he is running unopposed, again, this year! The DNC wants my money, every 15 minutes -- and I see this. No D candidate. We need a rich guy and a write in campaign, it seems . . . as if.
Similarly, the current occupant of the governor's office in Louisiana received only about 1 in 6 eligible votes. You used the word 'eligible' for voters in your article, thanks, I rarely see that.
Steve Kornacki does not present eligible voters in his otherwise excellent counting, and no one else does either afaik, and that is a huge problem for me.
The current occupant of the Texas governor's office received 1 in 5 eligible votes, by my estimate form the official data sources.
Texas: 'won with 55% of the vote' No. 20%
Louisiana: 'won with 51% of the vote' No. 16%
Mike Johnson: 'elected' -- No.
Missouri, Kansas . . . similar disgraces. I'm working through the list.
I heard about this movement to do just that, and I found the website. It was in the same article I read (I think it was NY Times but I'm not sure right now) about the number of uncontested races.
The ideas, laws and numbers Rick outlines shows that the Donvict's claim that 'you would never need to vote again' if he returns to the presidency in November, by telling supporters to “get out and vote, just this time”, adding that “you won’t have to do it anymore...four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine, you won’t have to vote any more..." is more ominous than ever, eh?
In Australia we have compulsory voting and the only reason you stay longer than 5 minutes at the school or community hall where you’re casting your vote is if you choose to hang around and grab a sausage from the BBQ there have running at nearly all polling places.
If we can do that here it tells you that America’s queues are a choice, looking at the faces in those queues tells you why the choice is being made, you never see the queues in the heavily Republican voting neighbourhood that’s for sure
You are absolutely right! Australia has three laws that would make a vast difference in America’s wellbeing: 1) requiring all citizens to vote and issuing uniform ID to every citizen . 2) banning all weapons and requiring a license for citizens, farmers/ranchers who need them, and 3) national healthcare, which includes basic mental health care.
Those (Republicans) who fear losing power (because of the changing demographic make-up of America) are all-in on voter suppression, fake electors, new stricter laws based on false conspiracy theories, and anything to SUPPRESS THE VOTE.
Democracy should be about Increasing Voter Participation, not suppressing it.
Compulsory voting will never happen in the US - we're all about FREEDOM! That includes freedom to be stupid, freedom to NOT VOTE, freedom to carry military armaments, freedom to lie, cheat, spread misinformation, conduct insurrections, etc.
(But women's reproductive freedoms? Nah, govt has to step in to quash that.)
So, good for you Aussies. You seem to cherish democracy enough to make it requirement of citizenship.
While in the US, we cherish the Freedom to be ignorant lying assholes.
Gov Newsome:Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”
It's just the beginning. He will punish/reward corporations based on their support or criticism of him. He'll even use the government to target individual citizens any way he can.
With people like Trump the only response is to fight him all the time about everything. Knock him down and then when he's down kick him and don't let him up. No quarter.
The UF Elections Lab has extensive data on turnout of eligible voters. These are people who could vote, but can't if they're not registered to vote. Texas is a state that makes it harder to register, and is now suing some counties that want to send registration forms to eligible voters. Texas has similar demographics to California, which turned solidly blue, partly in reaction to Prop. 187 in 1994, a ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system.
In 2020, Texas turnout of eligible voters was 60%, while it was 69% in CA. Seems very likely that Texas could vote blue, if another 9% of the citizens voted.
The Heritage Foundation database lists no cases of illegal voting in California in 2020, and four cases in 2022. But the lying Trumplicans are doing their utmost to scare people, and keep some citizens from voting.
The Republicans have known for years that their policies are never favoured by the majority of Americans, so rather than adapt and change their policies they know the only way they can ever win is by enacting laws that will suppress the vote. They fought for 50 years to overturn Roe and nothing worked until they finally got the criminal President in power and teamed him up with Senator shenanigans McConnell to finally get the job done. Maybe it's time they realized that their tired old platform of lower taxes (which always seem to favour the wealthy), less regulations (which basically favour the large donor companies) and small government (like getting rid of what, the FBI, the CIA, the FCC, the FDA, the IRS and apparently anything else that pisses them off) are not something the majority either wants or believes in.
There's a call to codify the terms of the Roe v. Wade into federal law to guarantee the right to an abortion nationwide. What about having Congress restore the Voting Rights Act to override SCOTUS's disastrous Shelby decision and create a tool that could be used to combat disenfranchisement initiatives nationwide?
Sure, both would require Democrats to control the While House and both houses of Congress. But if we don't start planning for such a measure, it will never happen.
We should also increase the number of elected reps beyond 435. Overturn the law limiting it at 435. It seems like the easiest way to make gerrymandering less effective and would dilute power of very low population states. Like WY and AK.
there are so many structural and systemic improvements that could be made to increase rather than suppress voting (not to mention SCOTUS reform, etc etc) but it's only chance of happening depends on a Blue Wave that gives Dems the House, Senate and White House.
We see the makings of that Blue Wave now, but as per Rick's article, there's so much Republican BS and election-tampering already going on, that the Blue Wave must become a Blue Tsunami to prevent even a hint of "rigged" or "stolen" or Jan.6 Season 2.
Nothing but a Blue Tsunami can save America from Trump, and give Kamala Harris the power to actually make improvements in the system; and for that to happen, Americans will have to stand up and be counted, literally, at the ballot box.
Dems should use issues like women's reproductive freedom and voting freedom to the max, and repeat ad nauseum her middle class plans:
1. restore the American Rescue Plan’s popular expansion of the child tax credit to as much as $3,600, up from $2,000, and call for it to be made permanent.
2. add a new child tax credit of up to $6,000 for middle-class and lower-income families with children in their first year of life.
3.restore the American Rescue Plan’s enhancement of the earned income tax credit, known as the EITC, which increased the maximum credit for workers without dependent children to roughly $1,500
4. include a four-year plan to lower housing costs, including $25,000 in down payment assistance and a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homeowners
5. lower rent costs in the US. The first would block landlords from using algorithm-driven price-setting tools to set rents. The second would discourage wealthy investors from buying up properties and marking up rents in bulk by removing tax benefits for investors who buy large numbers of single-family rental homes.
6. expand the current $35 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin and the upcoming $2,000 annual limit on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs generally to all Americans, not just Medicare enrollees
These are MONEY IN YOUR POCKET plans to address the pocketbook issues at the top of most Americans' priorities.
She's got the plans; she's got the money to publicize and popularize her plans; she's got Trump ranting about immigrants eating dogs and cats.
Put out the Middle Class Plans and sell them. It's the economy stupid, so sell an economic plan that will appeal to millions and millions of Americans. Turn a liability (concern about economy) into an asset (here are solutions that put money in your pocket).
Please share this with your MAGA friends and family—it’s a real eye-opener! 👀👇👇 I’ve already helped change a lot of minds with this piece, and it’s gaining momentum. 🇺🇸💙
https://open.substack.com/pub/donovanwashere/p/15-clear-signs-that-youve-either?r=13lrsx&utm_medium=ios
Free and fair elections is what any American should want in a democracy, but voter restrictions and suppression tactics are being pushed through in conservative leaning legislations by multiple states. Voting is an American right and only voters can change that
This info is especially important in NC where the voting laws have changed several times only in the past couple of years.
you still into boys?
Alright, this is off-topic but I flashed on it and want to leave it somewhere. About the recent assassination attempt, something smells really off. I'm not prone to conspiracy theories, but there's nothing wrong with speculation as long as you clearly identify it as such. This is what I think:
The guy's obviously a right winger, voted for Trump in '16, soured on him, wanted Nikki Haley and/or Vivek Ramaswamy this time and is enough of a gun fanatic to have been in a police standoff with a fully automatic machine gun. So this is no unhinged Bernie bro like the guy who shot Scalise.
The cops who nabbed him on I-95 said he was the proverbial cool cucumber, demeanor like he was off to a church picnic. So ... could this be a setup? Somebody Trump paid to fake an assassination attempt and then drive off in a car with license plates to get caught on the interstate and then Trump makes the charges go away or pardons him? As a way to change the narrative from this week of horrific bad news and get sympathy like the last (real) attempt on his life?
I dunno. Like Tucker Carlson always sez, I'm just asking questions ;)
Vote.org told me neither my husband & I were registered. I checked my county's election department & we are registered. Phew.
lots of vote suppression efforts by Repubs; everyone needs to check and double check
Thanks for your great work, Rick!
Noting: Mike Johnson was not elected. He ran unopposed in 2022. That was a shock to me, but -- he is running unopposed, again, this year! The DNC wants my money, every 15 minutes -- and I see this. No D candidate. We need a rich guy and a write in campaign, it seems . . . as if.
Similarly, the current occupant of the governor's office in Louisiana received only about 1 in 6 eligible votes. You used the word 'eligible' for voters in your article, thanks, I rarely see that.
Steve Kornacki does not present eligible voters in his otherwise excellent counting, and no one else does either afaik, and that is a huge problem for me.
The current occupant of the Texas governor's office received 1 in 5 eligible votes, by my estimate form the official data sources.
Texas: 'won with 55% of the vote' No. 20%
Louisiana: 'won with 51% of the vote' No. 16%
Mike Johnson: 'elected' -- No.
Missouri, Kansas . . . similar disgraces. I'm working through the list.
thanks, best luck to US -- b.rad
I read in total at state and federal level more than 50% are unopposed races. There is a Democratic movement to oppose in more races at all levels.
Wow. Thanks for the estimate, but wow. Howard Dean had the every race strategy under way, but what happened?
We needed the DNC to be in on every race, and funding every race *last year*. [ volcanic cussing . . . fill in the blanks ] — best luck to US, b.rad
I heard about this movement to do just that, and I found the website. It was in the same article I read (I think it was NY Times but I'm not sure right now) about the number of uncontested races.
Yeah we need to contest. Every. Damn. One.
https://www.contesteveryrace.com
The ideas, laws and numbers Rick outlines shows that the Donvict's claim that 'you would never need to vote again' if he returns to the presidency in November, by telling supporters to “get out and vote, just this time”, adding that “you won’t have to do it anymore...four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine, you won’t have to vote any more..." is more ominous than ever, eh?
VOTE BLUE TSUNAMI!
The queues are what still fill me with rage
In Australia we have compulsory voting and the only reason you stay longer than 5 minutes at the school or community hall where you’re casting your vote is if you choose to hang around and grab a sausage from the BBQ there have running at nearly all polling places.
If we can do that here it tells you that America’s queues are a choice, looking at the faces in those queues tells you why the choice is being made, you never see the queues in the heavily Republican voting neighbourhood that’s for sure
You are absolutely right! Australia has three laws that would make a vast difference in America’s wellbeing: 1) requiring all citizens to vote and issuing uniform ID to every citizen . 2) banning all weapons and requiring a license for citizens, farmers/ranchers who need them, and 3) national healthcare, which includes basic mental health care.
I Washington State, all voting is done by mail. Very civilized.
Those (Republicans) who fear losing power (because of the changing demographic make-up of America) are all-in on voter suppression, fake electors, new stricter laws based on false conspiracy theories, and anything to SUPPRESS THE VOTE.
Democracy should be about Increasing Voter Participation, not suppressing it.
Compulsory voting will never happen in the US - we're all about FREEDOM! That includes freedom to be stupid, freedom to NOT VOTE, freedom to carry military armaments, freedom to lie, cheat, spread misinformation, conduct insurrections, etc.
(But women's reproductive freedoms? Nah, govt has to step in to quash that.)
So, good for you Aussies. You seem to cherish democracy enough to make it requirement of citizenship.
While in the US, we cherish the Freedom to be ignorant lying assholes.
Best posts these days are pictures of your beautiful grand daughter. More please. Only if you think it is safe, of course,
Just heard the phrase, "bankrupt of morals" a reference to Germany and the Nazi's.
Great phrase for maga and t. When do we get to think they have gone the lowest.
Sarah, I don't believe there is any bottom to the ugliness, dishonesty, treachery and insanity of Trump and his cult.
I agree, Just llisten to what Daffy and the Juvenille Deliquent (sp on purpose) are saying today. Are they really so stupid...rhetorical questions.
sadly, are millions of Americans so stupid that they believe all this BS.
Fisher's Law might explain it:
https://kamala4prez.substack.com/p/fishers-law
Do y’all think Mike Johnson is a top 5 ruble earner?
Also, has his porn detector gone off in the last 2 hours?
All of the above.
Gov Newsome:Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”
It's just the beginning. He will punish/reward corporations based on their support or criticism of him. He'll even use the government to target individual citizens any way he can.
With people like Trump the only response is to fight him all the time about everything. Knock him down and then when he's down kick him and don't let him up. No quarter.
The UF Elections Lab has extensive data on turnout of eligible voters. These are people who could vote, but can't if they're not registered to vote. Texas is a state that makes it harder to register, and is now suing some counties that want to send registration forms to eligible voters. Texas has similar demographics to California, which turned solidly blue, partly in reaction to Prop. 187 in 1994, a ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system.
In 2020, Texas turnout of eligible voters was 60%, while it was 69% in CA. Seems very likely that Texas could vote blue, if another 9% of the citizens voted.
The Heritage Foundation database lists no cases of illegal voting in California in 2020, and four cases in 2022. But the lying Trumplicans are doing their utmost to scare people, and keep some citizens from voting.
The Republicans have known for years that their policies are never favoured by the majority of Americans, so rather than adapt and change their policies they know the only way they can ever win is by enacting laws that will suppress the vote. They fought for 50 years to overturn Roe and nothing worked until they finally got the criminal President in power and teamed him up with Senator shenanigans McConnell to finally get the job done. Maybe it's time they realized that their tired old platform of lower taxes (which always seem to favour the wealthy), less regulations (which basically favour the large donor companies) and small government (like getting rid of what, the FBI, the CIA, the FCC, the FDA, the IRS and apparently anything else that pisses them off) are not something the majority either wants or believes in.
Their lack of moral compass is truly stunning.
There's a call to codify the terms of the Roe v. Wade into federal law to guarantee the right to an abortion nationwide. What about having Congress restore the Voting Rights Act to override SCOTUS's disastrous Shelby decision and create a tool that could be used to combat disenfranchisement initiatives nationwide?
Sure, both would require Democrats to control the While House and both houses of Congress. But if we don't start planning for such a measure, it will never happen.
We should also increase the number of elected reps beyond 435. Overturn the law limiting it at 435. It seems like the easiest way to make gerrymandering less effective and would dilute power of very low population states. Like WY and AK.
there are so many structural and systemic improvements that could be made to increase rather than suppress voting (not to mention SCOTUS reform, etc etc) but it's only chance of happening depends on a Blue Wave that gives Dems the House, Senate and White House.
We see the makings of that Blue Wave now, but as per Rick's article, there's so much Republican BS and election-tampering already going on, that the Blue Wave must become a Blue Tsunami to prevent even a hint of "rigged" or "stolen" or Jan.6 Season 2.
Nothing but a Blue Tsunami can save America from Trump, and give Kamala Harris the power to actually make improvements in the system; and for that to happen, Americans will have to stand up and be counted, literally, at the ballot box.
Dems should use issues like women's reproductive freedom and voting freedom to the max, and repeat ad nauseum her middle class plans:
1. restore the American Rescue Plan’s popular expansion of the child tax credit to as much as $3,600, up from $2,000, and call for it to be made permanent.
2. add a new child tax credit of up to $6,000 for middle-class and lower-income families with children in their first year of life.
3.restore the American Rescue Plan’s enhancement of the earned income tax credit, known as the EITC, which increased the maximum credit for workers without dependent children to roughly $1,500
4. include a four-year plan to lower housing costs, including $25,000 in down payment assistance and a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homeowners
5. lower rent costs in the US. The first would block landlords from using algorithm-driven price-setting tools to set rents. The second would discourage wealthy investors from buying up properties and marking up rents in bulk by removing tax benefits for investors who buy large numbers of single-family rental homes.
6. expand the current $35 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin and the upcoming $2,000 annual limit on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs generally to all Americans, not just Medicare enrollees
These are MONEY IN YOUR POCKET plans to address the pocketbook issues at the top of most Americans' priorities.
She's got the plans; she's got the money to publicize and popularize her plans; she's got Trump ranting about immigrants eating dogs and cats.
Put out the Middle Class Plans and sell them. It's the economy stupid, so sell an economic plan that will appeal to millions and millions of Americans. Turn a liability (concern about economy) into an asset (here are solutions that put money in your pocket).
And that's all i've got to say about that.