October 29, 2022

'In the first 12 hours after Musk acquired the site, the use of the n-word increased nearly 500%.'

Letters from an American: Heather Cox Richardson

'Today, racist and antisemitic content rose sharply as users appeared to be testing the limits of the platform under Musk. The Network Contagion Research Institute, which studies disinformation on social media, noted that posters on the anonymous website 4chan have been encouraging users to spread racist and derogatory slurs on Twitter. The Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism, which focuses on civil rights law, backed this observation up today when it noted that on October 27, an anonymous post on 4chan, which users immediately spread to extremist Telegram channels, told followers how to increase antisemitic content on Twitter.'



https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-28-2022

October 28, 2022

Want to send Speaker Pelosi a message? I attached a link.

https://www.speaker.gov/

October 28, 2022

The husband of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives was bludgeoned...

in his own home by a person made crazed by the blatant LIES of GOP politicians and vile right wing radio, television, and social media pundits.

Enough. VOTE, so that we can hold these evil bastards responsible for their despicable lies and incitement to violence and to save our democracy.

I plan to post on DU after I vote: 'I voted today'. I ask you all to do the same in the name of democracy.

October 27, 2022

Trump sabotages his own party. Got to love it.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-26-2022

'Trump’s next legal move is unclear, but his political moves seem designed to scuttle the aspirations of his rivals. He announced today that he will be in Miami on November 6, holding a rally with Senator Marco Rubio to boost Rubio’s reelection campaign. Notably absent from the announcement was Florida governor Ron DeSantis...

A Republican consultant told Politico...: “You’ve got the Sunday before Election Day totally hijacked by Trump parachuting in on Trump Force One taking up the whole day….No Republican could go to a DeSantis event that day. None. And DeSantis won’t be here? This is big.”'

October 25, 2022

YOU ARE QURAZY!

https://www.rawstory.com/juan-o-savin-qanon/


QAnon conspiracists joining forces to take control of state elections: 'Trump is going to be president again'

'QAnon influencer Juan O. Savin is building a coalition of partisan secretaries of state who could help rig future elections in favor of Republican candidates...Savin's group has endorsed candidates in multiple states, including New Mexico secretary of state candidate Audrey Trujillo, Arizona secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem, and Michigan secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo, and the QAnon conspiracist has been telling followers that Trump's allies are encircling Washington, D.C., with concertina wire ahead of violent action around next month's election.'

VOTE!

October 24, 2022

It seems the accusation of 'socialism' in America has a long history...

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-23-2022

October 23, 2022
Heather Cox Richardson

'...Maricopa County Elections Department announced that two people, both armed and dressed in tactical gear, stationed themselves near a ballot drop box in Mesa, Arizona. They left when law enforcement officers arrived...

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln...used the federal government to defend equality... After the war...Congress passed the 1867 Military Reconstruction Act, establishing the right of Black men to vote for delegates to write new state constitutions...Ku Klux Klan tried to stop southern Republicans—both Black and white...

...when they realized that the violence of the Ku Klux Klan simply hardened Republican resolve. They insisted that government policies promoting black equality were simply a redistribution of wealth as poor men—especially poor Black men—voted for lawmakers who would agree to fund roads and schools and hospitals with tax money. In the postwar South, the people most likely to own taxable property were white men.

Black voting, they insisted, was “Socialism in South Carolina.”'

October 23, 2022

Joe Biden just might save our democracy: Highlights Below.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/08/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-is-taking-action-to-restore-and-strengthen-american-democracy/

It's a comprehensive strategy to use the full force of the Federal Government to strengthen our democracy. It gives me hope. Below are a few of the actions being taken. Please read the entire Fact Sheet.

FACT SHEET: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration is Taking Action to Restore and Strengthen American Democracy

The Biden-Harris Administration firmly believes that renewing democracy around the globe begins by working diligently and transparently to strengthen its foundations at home. The Administration is taking bold action across the Summit’s three broad themes: strengthening democracy and defending against authoritarianism; fighting corruption; and promoting respect for human rights.

Strengthening Democracy and Defending Against Authoritarianism
Ensuring Compliance with Voting Rights Laws.
Making it Easier for Americans to Register to Vote.
Combating Misinformation and Disinformation.
Fighting Corruption
Promoting Respect for Human Rights
Strengthening Democracy

And so much more...

October 23, 2022

There are two things preventing Trump from ending democracy: concentration camp expert

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-lacks-2-things-to-end-democracy-concentration-camp-expert-says-there-is-time-to-stop-him/

My God:

'Andrea Pitzer is the author of the 2017 book, One Long Night A Global History of Concentration Camps, and explained her perspective in a thread posted to Twitter on Saturday.'

"Unfortunately, despite Trump's loss of the election in 2020, he has remained a significant threat to the country... "That said, there are two key areas still missing from the common template for ending democracy and establishing strong authoritarian rule: unambiguous support from the military and a court system willing to consistently defer to the executive... I think it's not impossible for the army & courts to surrender eventually, but he's not there yet. And neither is any other Trump rival. I offer this not to reassure but instead to say there's still room to work. More than 50% of surveyed voters view him somewhat/very unfavorably."

October 22, 2022

"The election is not a referendum. It's a choice." Or in other words, "It's the economy stupid."

Letters from an American - Heather Cox Richardson

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-21-2022

As always, there is so much good information in Professor Richardson's newsletter. This is what stands out for me. Spread this news on every social media site possible. It isn't getting the coverage it should be.


'...Democratic president Joe Biden contrasted his record in office against that of his Republican predecessor...He noted that since he took office, the nation has added 10 million jobs and has seen unemployment drop to 3.5%.. He...highlighted that the country has added almost 700,000 manufacturing jobs and that companies are continuing to invest in new industries, at the same time that we are rebuilding our roads, airports, bridges, and ports...today the administration announced that the deficit this year fell by $1.4 trillion. This was the largest-ever decline in the federal deficit. Last year’s drop was $350 billion.

The deficit climbed every year of the Trump presidency, including in the years before the pandemic. Trump and the Republicans added $400 billion to the deficit, primarily because of their $2 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and for corporations....According to Politifact, Republican presidents since Ronald Reagan have exploded deficits, while Democrats have brought deficits down. Reagan sent the deficit from $70 billion to $175 billion. George H.W. Bush took it to $300 billion. Bill Clinton—with help from Bush’s willingness to raise taxes—got the deficit to zero. George W. Bush took it back up to $1.2 trillion with unfunded wars. Barack Obama cut that back to $600 billion. And Trump’s tax cuts sent it skyrocketing again, even before pandemic spending sent it higher still.

Biden emphasized that Republicans have told us what they will do if put back into power. They will pass massive tax cuts for the wealthy, after which they plan to repeal the administration’s actions—like the ability of Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act—that are bringing down the deficit. After their plan explodes the deficit again, they have said they would cut Medicare and Social Security.'

“The election is not a referendum,” Biden said, “it’s a choice.”

October 19, 2022

Heads up, people: A podcast for our times.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-presents-ultra

RACHEL MADDOW PRESENTS: ULTRA

Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra
'Sitting members of Congress aiding and abetting a plot to overthrow the government. Insurrectionists criminally charged with plotting to end American democracy for good. Justice Department prosecutors under crushing political pressure. Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra is the all-but-forgotten true story of good, old-fashioned American extremism getting supercharged by proximity to power. When extremist elected officials get caught plotting against America with the violent ultra right, this is the story of the lengths they will go to… to cover their tracks. Follow now and join Rachel Maddow for the first two episodes on October 10th.'