@laura-f anyone who has spent as much time and effort on trying to overthrow the will of the People as Bannon has, and tries to help install a dictator, is no anarchist, regardless of how he may view himself. (And neither is Merriam Webster, for that matter) But YMMV ❤️
anyone who has spent as much time and effort on trying to overthrow the will of the People as Bannon has, and tries to help install a dictator, is no anarchist, regardless of how he may view himself. ❤️
I couldn't agree with you more. He's a fascist, not an anarchist who sucks up to billionaires so he can get money.
And speaking of the euphemistic names that fascists give themselves, I am sick of having radicalized Republican friends in my town telling me they are "libertarians." Meanwhile they happily avail themselves of free education and many free amenities the government provides.
They are no more libertarians than the fascist creep-a-zoid Charles Koch. Koch's father, by the way, who also called himself a libertarian, made his millions helping Stalin and Hitler refine oil into petrol to fuel their tanks during WWII. Koch Industries has been receiving tax subsidies from the US government for decades.
For those that live in less progressive areas, this is CA's pushback on gun and abortion rulings. Please let it be seed planting for the entire country.
"California blocks gun sales to those at risk of breaking the law" https://apnews.com/article/california-gun-politics-legislature-gavin-newsom-42081c0b5d0e0a65b73e3c0e846d1851
"Gov Newsom signs bill allowing suits against gun makers for negligence" https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/12/newsom-gun-bill-california-00045370
"California voters will decide in November whether to enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in the state constitution — making the Golden State the first to put reproductive rights on the ballot" - https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2022/06/california-abortion-constitutional-amendment/
"Abortion is legal in California. It will remain that way. I just signed a bill that makes our state a safe haven for women across the nation. We will not cooperate with any states that attempt to prosecute women or doctors for receiving or providing reproductive care." https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1540440016605679616?s=20&t=F_0B7euoa3zHFFIPIUarZg
Follow your candidates/reps on social media, donate to those that represent your values, and send a note of thanks when you see their efforts and accomplishments.
@theungamer Michigan's been busy too.
There are a TON of ballot initiatives that will appear on the ballot in November. (Some not so good)
Two biggies: Promote the Vote - I collected signatures for this one. I wasn't able to get a lot in my deep red area, but I'm proud to have provided some of of the 650,000 signatures (nearly a record) that will appear on the ballot.
MI Reproductive Freedom - Totally WOULD have collected signatures for this one had I known it was even being circulated. It both flew under the radar AND yet collected more signatures than any statewide initiative ever!
So while these good ones (and a few others) will be on the ballot, there's also some others circulating. But - there's hope because they simply need a simple majority vote to become law. And there's this little ditty which Im' sure has many in our formerly heavily gerrymandered legislature fuming:
The Legislature can adopt and amend ballot proposals that establish new state law — and it’s done so before . In 2018, the Republican-led Legislature scaled back two ballot proposals to raise the minimum wage to $12 and require employers to pay for sick leave.
But with enough valid signatures, constitutional amendments do not go to the state Legislature. Those initiatives directly go before voters and take effect with a majority approval.
The other great thing here is that we've undone gerrymandering in the state. For the first time in my adult life, I'll be voting in an election where most of the state is competitive. That doesn't include my own deep red zone, but there's a very strong chance we can retake both chambers in the state with a slim majority which would force lawmakers in Lansing to work together a lot more than they have in the past.
Here's an article on the two initiatives: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/whats-next-abortion-rights-early-voting-ballot-initiatives-michigan
Seems like there are inflation protests all over the world. Some of these are leading to regime changes like in Sri Lanka.
This article doesn't even mention Cuba, France, China, Israel, and the Netherlands. I wonder, how long until the United States wakes up?
Thank you for sharing the MI seed planting and being part of it. Excellent work on Promote the Vote and bold to do it in the deep red zone. Well done! I’m encouraged there were a lot of signatures for the Reproductive freedom initiative. Change happens when we humans come together. Am feeling a little surge of hope.
MI did away with gerrymandering? That’s a BIG one. When did this happen?
To add to what @theungamer said, CA is also going to make its own drugs, starting with insulin.
https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/California-manufacture-insulin/626916/
This very much jibes with what @jeanne-mayell (and others) have said about CA becoming as close to its own country as possible, and with states in general turning away from centralized government.
@theungamer Michigan had a perfect storm of events in 2018. After 40 years of heavy gerrymandering a small group led (initially by one concerned citizen - a great reminder of the power of the individual!) called Voters NOT Politicians formed to do the longshot work of getting a constitutional amendment passed in a state with a lot of voter apathy (caused in part due to the heavy gerrymandering of the state) - like many states, the power to redistrict rested in the legislature. Their simple call, that voters should choose their representatives, NOT the other way around" resonated with a lot of people and the necessary signatures were collected.
I did mention a perfect storm however. That was also the year Gretchen Whitmer, who excited a lot of the base at the time (and still does for that matter) announced her candidacy for governor. And if that wasn't enough, a different group led a signature drive for the legalization of recreational marijuana. (And of course, two years of Trump at that point) - All of these things led to a midterm election in Michigan that significantly increased turnout. The ballot measure passed and an independent redistricting commission (one that's been held up as a model for the rest of the country) became the law of the land.
What they did this year has the makeup of the Michigan legislature listed as "toss up" for the first time in my adult life. Rural zones like mine will continue to reliably vote Red, but for the rest of the state, people are going to have to run on policies vs geography. And the Republicans... aren't. I'm certain you're all shocked by that statement.
If we can even logjam one chamber (The Senate is listed as highly likely to flip) we can begin to undo some of the damage that's been done these past four decades. But the house is literally 50/50 likely and with a record number of signatures for the reproductive freedom initiative I'm guessing turnout will be high and we might just flip both chambers. I'd love for Whitmer to have her final four years in office be with a progressive majority. By the time 2028 rolls around I'd only have 5 years left before I'm eligible to retire from education with my pension. I'd love to see a few years of attention, growth, and investment head our way. (No, the Pandemic and all the pandemic funds don't count - those dollars are hard to spend and only temporary!)
Here's more background on Voters, NOT Politicians. May every state get a group like this going: https://votersnotpoliticians.com/about/
I like the State’s perfect storm and the reminder of what a single person can set in motion and accomplish. Whitmer seemed to just shake off the abduction threat and power forward. What a force of nature. “Voters Not Politicians” should be a nationwide chant. 👍
@theungamer Whitmer is tough as nails. I look forward to four more years of her leadership. It's not even a question of "if" - the four remaining Republican candidates' in the primary's approval ratings combined don't even match her approval rating overall. You have the man who claims to have golden genitals that women can't resist (my wife assures me, she and self-respecting women everywhere can, in fact, resist them), the real estate guy who was just arrested by the FBI for his role in the January 6th terrorist attack, the chiropractor who believes that rape is a heroic moment for women to bear children from (sent from god of course - he's quadrupled down on that one!), and - the least crazy of the bunch, the former softcore porn actress turned conservative news host who Betsy Devos has thrown all the money in the world behind to support. Unfortunately - to the Trumpers out there, Betsy is establishment and part of the problem. And Tudor Dixon is a woman. No Proud Boy/Militia member will vote for a woman.
I am rolling on the floor laughing at the description of Whitmer’s competition. There may be something too conservative about me, but any candidate whose platform includes a genital description is off the list. Your wife is correct. LOL
@theungamer I really wish I were making this up:
Like - I really, really, really wish I were making this up.
Golden genitals guy: https://www.rawstory.com/kevin-rinke/
Heroic moment guy: https://michigandems.com/after-comments-equating-rape-to-a-heroic-moment-that-god-put-women-in-garrett-soldano-quadrupled-down-and-called-the-horrific-crime-a-sacred-cr/
Arrested for January 6th guy: https://www.npr.org/2022/06/09/1103925150/michigan-candidate-for-governor-ryan-kelley-arrested-by-fbi-for-jan-6-involvemen
Soft Core Porn Lady (Okay I slightly exaggerated here -- but not by much) https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/06/michigan-governor-hopeful-tudor-dixon-eaten-zombies-horror-film/9656674002/
AND - This was after the field was narrowed down from 10 to 4 because 6 of the candidates were campaigning on election fraud and they committed... wait for it ... FRAUD in getting enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
I remember a runoff election in California in the 90s where it was this gigantic parade of unqualified hacks. It feels like that here, only - we have a qualified choice and I'm confident she's safe this election.
@dannyboy Please let us know when this group debates. Will crank up the Benny Hill theme and pop some corn.
@theungamer Already happened:
The Grand Rapids Debate: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/michigan-gop-candidates-governor-pledge-loyalty-trump-primary-debate-rcna37028
The Detroit Debate: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/07/michigan-republican-gubernatorial-candidates-trade-barbs-in-testy-debate.html
The Mackinaw Island Debate: https://www.michiganradio.org/politics-government/2022-06-02/4-of-whitmers-gop-challengers-debate-on-mackinac-island
The Traverse City Debate: https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/2022-05-26/gop-gubernatorial-candidates-to-debate-in-traverse-city
Me thinking about all the upcoming debates:
that is ridiculous, @dannyboy -everybody knows republicans don't have genitals. Smooth as a Barbie doll down there.
I LOL'ed Unk!
Can you imagine this story as a wizened elder being related back to grandkids?
Grandpa DannyBoy? Will you tell us the story of the 2022 Republican Primary for Michigan Governor again?
Well, darling grandchild, it started with 10 contenders, all of whom were really, really, up in arms about all the election-related fraud that didn’t happen in Michigan. The field then narrowed considerably when 6 of them were disqualified for committing election-related fraud. Of the 4 who remained, one was a man who claimed to have irresistible golden genitals, one was arrested by the FBI for his role in the terrorist attack on the capital. One was a chiropractor who thought women getting pregnant by rape are gods chosen heroes and should be made to carry the baby to term.
What about the lady one?
Oh, you mean Tudor Dixon, the soft-core porn actress? She was never a serious contender because the Devos family was funding her and the one thing everyone could agree on back then was that the Devos family is establishment and has to go.
#PureMichigan