Governor DeSantis, thank you for your proposal on classroom instruction that “prohibits making people feel discomfort, guilt, anguish on account of race, color, sex or national origin.”
As an American (my national origin): I feel guilt over use of the atomic bomb that led to death and destruction at Hiroshima. I feel discomfort about the vicious tactics perpetrated on the labor movement in the 1800s. I feel anger studying the Reagan Revolution that rewarded the rich at the expense of everyone else .I feel anguish about the Gilded Age. Don’t make me read about it. I feel disgust for the lies that got us into the Iraq war.Your prohibition will protect me from having to learn our full history or the truth of our past So many didn’t believe that Republicans in power would play fast and loose with the filibuster and succeed in packing the Supreme Court with right wing conservatives. They did.So many didn’t believe that the Republicans would take away abortion rights that have existed for almost 50 years.
They are about to. So many didn’t believe that climate change was real because the Republicans said, “pshaw” and ended research. Now we have the most extreme weather events in our history.So many don’t believe that Republicans threaten the existence of democracy. They do, with laws that put election outcomes in GOP hands.If Republicans take control of Congress in 2022, they can impeach Joe Biden/Kamala Harris and likely will. Succession mandates that the Speaker of the House then becomes our next President. And who might that be? Kevin McCarthy? Trump himself? Believe it. The Senate Republicans are the impediment to Build Back Better and Voting Rights legislation. It would take only a handful of Republican Senators to get both bills passed but they are in lockstep with the Mara Lago Grand Leader and the Republicans are, if nothing else, intractably committed to their Master. He speaks; they salute. We better get used to saluting him as we will be required to do so if they succeed in enacting voting rights legislation across this country that all but guarantees Republican election victories. You know the salute I mean. It connotes the end of democracy.
Your foe is not Joe Manchin. It is the 50 Republicans who won’t budge, no matter what.
They oppose child care, health care, environmental care, senior care, college care, prescription care, climate care, family care. In other words, they don’t care.The Republican Party’s BBB plan is Block Biden’s Budget at all costs. Destroy, not build. Delay, not Do. Whine, not cheer. Carp, not care. Hate, not love. They represent the Grinch but their hearts don’t grow; they remain two sizes too small. Can we shed our ambivalence toward anti-democratic forces and restore allegiance to our United States?We need Democracy on Parade.
1. A Social Media brigade to counter on-line disinformation. 2. A speaker’s brigade to expose voter suppression to community organizations. 3. An Election brigade to recruit candidates to replace anti-democratic legislators. 4. A Senate brigade in West Virginia and Arizona educating voters on the filibuster. 5. A Media brigade to counter Fox News. 6. A Podcast brigade to inform on how government CAN work and has. 7. A youth brigade to end racism and homophobia and act on climate change. 8. A national brigade to push back at all anti-democratic forces publicly, loudly and often.Attention National Democratic Party! Organize us at every precinct, state and federal level and we’ll get the job done. (edited) Against abortion? You must be for the Violence Against Women act?
Against the Violence Against Women Act? You must be for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Against the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act? You must be for the expansion of Medicaid. Against expansion of Medicaid? You must be for the reduction of insurance premiums. Against the reduction of insurance premiums? You must be for subsidized child care. Against subsidized child care, then you certainly are for child care tax credits. Against child care tax credits? But you are for universal pre-K?Against universal pre-K, then you are for increase in minimum wage? Against an increase in minimum wage, but you are for strengthening unions? Against strengthening unions, then you must be for free college education? Against free college education, then you are for government’s job creation? Against government’s job creation, then you must be for training a new work force? Against training a new work force?Wait a minute. Then what are you for? Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s father worked 24 hour shifts as Assistant Fire Chief for Bakersfield, California and moved furniture as a second job. Kevin’s parents, Democrats, fed the homeless and gave precious time to local charities. Would they say “No” to Build Back Better?Congressman Jim Jordan’s dad was a Toledo, Ohio beat patrol officer. Would he refuse an investigation into who attacked his brethren in blue on January 6? Congressman Tommy Tuberville’s father earned five Bronze stars and a Purple Heart for combat during World War II. Would he support those who plotted to de-certify a U.S. election and threaten democracy for which he fought so bravely?Congressman Matt Gaetz’ dad served in his state legislature and swore an oath on his Father’s Bible to protect and defend the Constitution. Would he support his son’s characterization of the January 6 insurgents as political prisoners?Congressman Madison Cawthorn’s father, has been a U.S. Marine and a deacon in his church. Does he abide the inflammatory remarks of his son who talks of bloodshed and rebellion and “rigged elections?”Republicans don’t’ support and will not even debate voter’s rights, women’s rights, health, education and welfare rights, an entire agenda of domestic issues to help every day Americans.Neither Congressman Paul Gosar’s siblings or Andy Biggs siblings could tolerate the conduct of their respective brothers and publicly advised voting against them, stating they were unfit for office.Republican members of Congress are failing to honor the solemn oath they take. Where are the family values?
Democrats will change lives forever. You will have cheaper prescription drugs, better health care with dental and vision coverage included, 21st century schools, broadband internet available to everyone, one year of pre-school and two years of post-high school education without cost, reduced insurance premiums and cheaper prescription drugs, and jobs, jobs, jobs The truth is that Biden has told us since 2009 that nation building was not feasible and that our efforts would not achieve results.
The truth is that politicians and military leaders engaged, for years, in equivocation, asserted progress when there was none, promised a republic where there could be none; and tied America to an Afghani government where there wasn’t one.The truth is that Trump’s negotiation with the Taliban, called by some a “surrender agreement”, released thousands of hardened Taliban soldiers at the same time that Trump removed thousands of American troops and stopped processing visas for Afghani interpreters. He left a vacuum. The Taliban filled that vacuum, connected with those hardened Taliban soldiers and organized itself for the final blows to the Afghani government and its allies. They got Trump’s message; America was finished with Afghanistan.The truth is that it wouldn’t matter when the final days of evacuation occurred, there was going to be chaos, heartbreak, and a mess left behind. The departure of any losing Army is never clean or well-organized and is usually bloody. Read history.The truth is that the Biden White House has had its own missteps but let’s not be so quick to give up and give in to the harsh critics.The truth is that Biden’s decisiveness, steadfastness and heart just may result in one of the better evacuations in history.The truth is that war is hell. Voting No means that you want Governor Gavin Newsom to remain in office as Governor. A recall which would remove Governor Newsom from office occurs if “more” people vote yes to remove him (not necessarily a majority) than vote no to keep him.You can also vote for one of the many candidates running against him so that if he is recalled, another candidate wins.Voting yes means that you do NOT support Governor Newsom and do NOT want him to remain in office and you might vote for one of the 40+ candidates running against him.
IF THAT HAPPENS THEN:The candidate running against Newsom wins who has more votes than anyone else. With so many candidates the vote will be spread across 40+ candidates. Thus, a person could win with only 5% of the vote, 10% of the vote. It depends upon how widely split the vote is.Bottom line: a person could become Governor with only a few thousand votes or even a few hundred among millions of eligible voters.Caveat: It is being asserted that some candidates listed as Democratic are actually Republican party members. See Voter Information Guide for further information about the election and its processes. Sunday, August 22nd |