They also refuse to suggest regulating propaganda, and refuse to rally people to defend democracy and fair elections, which amazes me. Why aren't they out in front denouncing death threats? What happened to the John Lewis Voting Rights Act? What, we try once and give up? The American people need to be rallied to the cause. That's politic…
They also refuse to suggest regulating propaganda, and refuse to rally people to defend democracy and fair elections, which amazes me. Why aren't they out in front denouncing death threats? What happened to the John Lewis Voting Rights Act? What, we try once and give up? The American people need to be rallied to the cause. That's politics.
Senator Schumer was in town yesterday trying to shore up investment in microchips. This is very important, and yet I feel like he could have delegated that. The work stoppages in the Senate from Tuberville and Paul need to be addressed first, but there doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency or sense that national security is of vital importance.
The complete disappearance of the John Lewis Voting Rights Acts is, to me, one of the biggest disappointments of the last couple of years. How could the Dems let that happen?
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act passed the House in 2021 but never got on the Senate floor due to the then Majority Leader McConnell. It has been reintroduced to the House this year but is unlikely to be passed there because the House has more Republicans than Democrats.
I understood the rationale of the Dems in the early Biden years was to deal with the economic fallout of Covid and to get some projects going that people in states could see benefitted them...infrastructure and such. These things, by the way gathered some support from a few Republicans and so they passed. No matter how good the idea, if a couple of Republicans won't vote for it, it will never pass the House.
Because they cared more about passing the IRA and the CHIPS Act than they did about ensuring the JLVRA got passed or the Trump tax cuts for the rich got rescinded. Their priorities are ALL fucked up.
It was. The voting rights bills passed the House in 2021 when Democrats held the majority there. Then Majority Leader McConnell kept them from even getting a committee hearing. The key to voting rights bills is to get votes from the opposing party when there are slim majorities in the House and Senate. No Republican representatives are going to vote for voting rights bills introduced by Democrats. It just won't happen. And the same is true in state legislatures.
Would that have stopped the GOP if the shoe were on the other foot? The GOP would have found another way to get that stuff into law--at the state level across the country at a minimum. Dems don't use their state power coalition for anything except for gun laws and abortion protections. A coalition of dem governors and mayors could do more across the country than what dems in congress currently can't get done. The GOP has more vigor about banning drag shows via state law than the dems do about anything that doesn't involve guns or abortion.
I agree with your take Travis. I've been very disappointed with the lack of grass root push on voting rights. The Dems seem to be leaving it all up to Mark Elias to hash out in courts. He's good at it, but court cases don't drive out votes or raise awareness.
It depends on what state you are in. There is motion in places like Ohio and in Southern states in terms of voting rights, but it's an uphill climb and will probably fail. Losers don't get press remember...only winners do.
That’s because they have way more trifectas than democrats do in state legislatures. They have gone after a ton of stuff in states where they have a trifecta but they have the same problem Republican trifecta has...the courts
A friend of mine ran for office and I did some writing for her, and man oh man, local politics can be really difficult and competitive. I admire people who can go through all that campaigning and self-promotion and abuse. I think I'll stick to writing! But yes, if anyone in the comment section runs for public office, please let us know!
You are so right about local politics - especially school boards even before this weird moment. I served for about 15 years on a tiny water control district, and we were almost constantly being harassed. We finally folded during the pandemic. It’s a perilous situation when only those with a thirst for power, publicity and self dealing are willing to run for office.
Anyway, keep writing! The pen is mightier than the sword!
The First Amendment isn't a poison pill. We can still ask that propaganda not be called "news". You and I can't pay for and air a program of lies such as "Coca Cola turns your skin green." Why is Rupert Murdoch allowed to do so when I can't?
Yes, you very much can pay for and "air" a program like that. You can post it on YouTube right now. That doesn't mean Coke can't sue you for libel, but you most certainly can air it.
And "not calling" something news, or criticizing it by you and me is perfectly fine.
But when you start "regulating" speech, that's a very bad idea. Who's speech? Who decides what speech is "propaganda?"
They also refuse to suggest regulating propaganda, and refuse to rally people to defend democracy and fair elections, which amazes me. Why aren't they out in front denouncing death threats? What happened to the John Lewis Voting Rights Act? What, we try once and give up? The American people need to be rallied to the cause. That's politics.
Senator Schumer was in town yesterday trying to shore up investment in microchips. This is very important, and yet I feel like he could have delegated that. The work stoppages in the Senate from Tuberville and Paul need to be addressed first, but there doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency or sense that national security is of vital importance.
The complete disappearance of the John Lewis Voting Rights Acts is, to me, one of the biggest disappointments of the last couple of years. How could the Dems let that happen?
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act passed the House in 2021 but never got on the Senate floor due to the then Majority Leader McConnell. It has been reintroduced to the House this year but is unlikely to be passed there because the House has more Republicans than Democrats.
I understood the rationale of the Dems in the early Biden years was to deal with the economic fallout of Covid and to get some projects going that people in states could see benefitted them...infrastructure and such. These things, by the way gathered some support from a few Republicans and so they passed. No matter how good the idea, if a couple of Republicans won't vote for it, it will never pass the House.
Because they cared more about passing the IRA and the CHIPS Act than they did about ensuring the JLVRA got passed or the Trump tax cuts for the rich got rescinded. Their priorities are ALL fucked up.
I thought it got stalled in the Senate because the Dems couldn't get the votes to bypass a GOP filibuster.
It was. The voting rights bills passed the House in 2021 when Democrats held the majority there. Then Majority Leader McConnell kept them from even getting a committee hearing. The key to voting rights bills is to get votes from the opposing party when there are slim majorities in the House and Senate. No Republican representatives are going to vote for voting rights bills introduced by Democrats. It just won't happen. And the same is true in state legislatures.
Would that have stopped the GOP if the shoe were on the other foot? The GOP would have found another way to get that stuff into law--at the state level across the country at a minimum. Dems don't use their state power coalition for anything except for gun laws and abortion protections. A coalition of dem governors and mayors could do more across the country than what dems in congress currently can't get done. The GOP has more vigor about banning drag shows via state law than the dems do about anything that doesn't involve guns or abortion.
I agree with your take Travis. I've been very disappointed with the lack of grass root push on voting rights. The Dems seem to be leaving it all up to Mark Elias to hash out in courts. He's good at it, but court cases don't drive out votes or raise awareness.
It depends on what state you are in. There is motion in places like Ohio and in Southern states in terms of voting rights, but it's an uphill climb and will probably fail. Losers don't get press remember...only winners do.
That’s because they have way more trifectas than democrats do in state legislatures. They have gone after a ton of stuff in states where they have a trifecta but they have the same problem Republican trifecta has...the courts
Kate, they gave up on the voting rights bill because they couldn’t pass it. It needs 10 Republican votes. Those don’t exist
Kate Fall for Prez!
Seriously, I’d nominate several people on this forum for public office. Why don’t our elected reps see with such clarity?
A friend of mine ran for office and I did some writing for her, and man oh man, local politics can be really difficult and competitive. I admire people who can go through all that campaigning and self-promotion and abuse. I think I'll stick to writing! But yes, if anyone in the comment section runs for public office, please let us know!
You are so right about local politics - especially school boards even before this weird moment. I served for about 15 years on a tiny water control district, and we were almost constantly being harassed. We finally folded during the pandemic. It’s a perilous situation when only those with a thirst for power, publicity and self dealing are willing to run for office.
Anyway, keep writing! The pen is mightier than the sword!
"They also refuse to suggest regulating propaganda,"
Small impediment called the First Amendment, but sure...that's the Dems (hell, anyone's) fault.
The First Amendment isn't a poison pill. We can still ask that propaganda not be called "news". You and I can't pay for and air a program of lies such as "Coca Cola turns your skin green." Why is Rupert Murdoch allowed to do so when I can't?
Yes, you very much can pay for and "air" a program like that. You can post it on YouTube right now. That doesn't mean Coke can't sue you for libel, but you most certainly can air it.
And "not calling" something news, or criticizing it by you and me is perfectly fine.
But when you start "regulating" speech, that's a very bad idea. Who's speech? Who decides what speech is "propaganda?"