Welcome 😄 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
There’s been a lot of talk lately on how that Supreme Court fight made us weak and destroyed our determination. But although I was angry and depressed, I know my own will never wavered. Because the other side is so awful that I simply cannot accept what they are doing. So even if I am in tears, I will still vote (I already voted), will still give money, will still fight.
And it seems that a large part of the country feels the same way. So vote, and/or work to get out the vote! And fight the corruption, and the attempts to steal the election, by shining lights on these attempts and by protesting.
On to Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the very bad stuff that is happening. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including ourselves) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. Because sometimes the good news, which can be incremental, gets lost in the deluge of the click-bait bad (please save that click-bait bad for other diaries). Because we need to fortify ourselves before returning to the fight. Because we sometimes get ideas about how to fight while here. And also — because we’re a community 💙 ❤️ 💙 — we like to be here. And let me say that although I have not met any of you (to my knowledge) I feel really close to many of you.
There’s lots of bad news out there — the Republican party is so amazingly nasty, racist, misogynist, and corrupt — and Trump’s deeds will take a lot of work to undo. But little of it is surprising, at least not surprising on what the bad guys are doing or are trying to do (at least not to us). What has been surprising is the outpouring on our side. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. And you know what? Anger and fury are pretty good motivators, and are reasons that a blue wave is predicted for November.
💚 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. We have to keep demoralizing them. Name, blame and shame!
💙 The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
💙 Toxic 🍄 Trump Matters 👎
🔨 Mueller seems to be zeroing in on collusion
Trump’s legal team is drafting written answers to a series of questions submitted by special counsel Robert Mueller, marking a potentially major development in the Russia investigation.
According to CNN, which first reported on the revelation Thursday evening, Mueller’s questions focus on the issue of potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the period leading up to Trump’s inauguration.
Limiting the scope to the pre-inauguration period means that Trump can’t claim executive privilege to avoid answering certain questions.
💩 Trump is so unpopular that even FOX is losing interest in his rallies: 👎
Fox News didn’t bother airing Trump’s primetime rally in Pennsylvania Wednesday night. Instead, it found more pressing news to cover.
This has become a recent pattern at the GOP-friendly network, which not long ago bragged that it was the home of Trump rally programming. Last week, Fox News declined to air three Trump rallies in full.
For an egomaniac like Trump, who prides himself on being able to produce big TV ratings, the snubs are reportedly leading to concerns inside the White House.
“In a crucial period with the midterms less than a month away, some in the White House are worried that the president is losing a megaphone to his base,” Politico
reports.
Apparently the fact that FOX News cut away from the rally (a ratings disaster) caused the desperate Trump to call into them to complain. They had to work to get him off the line ☎️
As the southeastern United States continued to deal with the devastation of Hurricane Michael, Trump spent his morning calling in to Fox News to rant for the better part of an hour — prompting one of the hosts to remind Trump to go do his job.
But he quickly moved on to his usual self-serving, conspiratorial rants — about 45 minutes’ worth of them. ✂️
“We know you’re probably running short on time,” co-host Steve Doocy gently prompted Trump after about 34 minutes of this.
If Trump is right and it’s all about the ratings — and in this respect he is canny — then this is great news for us.
Trump is accusing Hillary of collusion with Russia (I am not going to link to it). When he accuses someone else, you can take it as a confession. But here’s Hillary Clinton’s response:
💙 Democrats Are Great 🌊
Republicans 🐘 Got Nothing 👎
💉 💊 Democratic Senators force vote on health care 💙
In a return to its characteristically more unruffled mode of work, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a Democratic attempt to stop President Donald Trump from expanding access to short-term health care plans, which offer lower costs but skimpier coverage. It was clear Democrats would lose, and a real victory was never feasible since the measure would have died anyway in the Republican-run House.
But by pushing ahead, Democrats made Republicans cast a health care vote that Democrats could wield in campaign ads for next month’s midterm elections, in which they hope to topple the GOP’s 51-49 Senate majority. The vote was also aimed at refocusing people away from the Senate’s nasty battle over confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, which both sides say has transformed indifferent conservative voters into motivated ones — for now.
Healthcare is something that matters to everyone. They don't want Obamacare taken away.
🔫 Top Republican donor not giving money to Republicans because of guns… 💛
Few Republicans have succeeded in their quest for statewide or federal office in Florida without Al Hoffman Jr.’s help. The self-made real estate magnate has invested millions of dollars in the GOP over the last half century … ✂️
But during the 2018 midterms, 84-year-old Hoffman is holding onto most of his cash. After the February school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Hoffman vowed not to give any money to candidates who don’t support an assault weapons ban—something for which only a handful of lawmakers in Hoffman’s party have voiced support. ✂️
Now, Hoffman aims to extend his influence even farther: His group has teamed up with Ban Assault Weapons Now, a group with a similar mission led by Parkland Rep. Ted Deutch, a Democrat, to establish a state constitutional amendment that will ban assault weapons in Florida by way of a 2020 ballot measure. If successful, Hoffman wants to go state by state to achieve the same ends—an approach that national gun safety groups have also taken in the face of congressional inaction on the issue.
🌊 The Guardian is hoping that Hurricane Michael (as well as the other woes plaguing Florida) will get that state to get rid of its climate-deniers
My best to those who were in Michael’s path.
💛 Some Republicans running for re-election are trying to pretend they care about pre-existing conditions when their votes say otherwise
Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican who’s facing a tight race to keep his seat outside Dallas, has thrown his weight behind protecting insurance coverage for people with preexisting health conditions—after a long history of voting to undo such protections. In late September, Sessions introduced a resolution calling on his colleagues to “preserve patient protections, especially ones to prevent anyone from discriminating against patients with pre-existing conditions” even if they repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
I’m not going to report on the polls, just because they have been all over the place. Get out the vote, and especially, get young people to vote.
🐍 Lots of Schadenfreude 🍎
🐍 Trump wants to fire John Kelly, but is having trouble because John Kelly is who he uses to fire people 🍎
President Donald Trump has reportedly attempted to fire White House chief of staff John Kelly, but has apparently failed because he typically uses Kelly to oust other people from his administration and didn't know who else to ask.
Not a very deep bench. And speaking of the bench:
😟 Looks like retired Justice Kennedy didn't get what he wanted from stepping aside for Kavanaugh 🐍
There’s no sound, but boy is this worth watching. You will go, WTF? Remember, Trump stiffs his creditors, over and over. Is this what happened to Kennedy? What happened exactly?
🐍 💰 UK Confiscating Oligarchs’ Unexplained Wealth 🍎
Britain like the USA has had a system of expedited residency visas for those who “invest” a large amount of money in the country. Also like the USA, this has led to property being an ideal way of getting oligarchs’ ill-gotten gains out of their home country. Now the UK is cracking down and demanding that such people show the source of their funds when issued an “Unexplained Wealth Order” (UWO). If not, any property purchased can be confiscated. Routing the money through a company in a tax haven does not provide an escape as the wife of a disgraced Azerbaijani banker is finding out in the first case to come to the courts.
Wouldn't it be neat if Trump could lose his Scottish golf club this way? Although it’s hardly a sign of wealth, given how much money it has been losing.
💰 👎 Trump is complaining that the ‘loco’ Fed is screwing up the stock market.
President Trump on Wednesday blamed the Federal Reserve for triggering a steep stock sell-off earlier in the day, saying the central bank “is going wild” with a “ridiculous” series of interest rate hikes.
Calling into Fox News late Wednesday night, Trump said the Fed “is going loco” and blamed the central bank for causing U.S. stocks to suffer their worst day since February.
But Trump replaced Obama’s appointment for Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen, with his own pick, Jerome Powell. So isn't he responsible?
Although I don't like a stock decline, I do like the timing of this one. Even if it bounces back up, investors will be nervous. For many Republicans, money comes before party, even, and they may be a little less willing to support the party that picks the locos. That means Trump, not the chief of the federal reserve.
🌻 And Brett Kavanaugh is now a resource for sexual assault survivors. Not the justice, of course, but his name:
… visitors to BrettKavanaugh.com are treated to a large-typed message: We Believe Survivors.
This past month, thousands of survivors came forward to tell their stories. We applaud your bravery. We believe you. And if you are seeking additional resources, these groups can offer assistance:
The page links to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, End Rape On Campus, and the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. The website is the work of Fix The Court.
⚡️ Washington State just abolished the death penalty. So, according to the comments, did the country of Malaysia — I looked it up and 1200 people on death row will be spared. 🌻
📎📎📎 Odds and Ends 📎📎📎
🌻 US Bans New Mining Near Yellowstone
EMIGRANT, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke approved a 20-year ban on new mining claims in the towering mountains north of Yellowstone National Park on Monday, after two proposed gold mines raised concerns that an area drawing tourists from the around the globe could be spoiled. ✂️
The former Montana congressman was joined by local business owners and residents who pushed for the ban after companies began drafting plans for new mines in an area frequented by wolves, elk, bears and other wildlife.
This may just be a crass political move to help the Republicans in Montana, or, since Zinke is from Montana, due to some actual affection for the area (or for his friends who have businesses in the area). If the former, well, that’s how politics is supposed to work.
👮 Tamir Rice’s murderer won’t be on another police force
Name. Shame. And blame the idiot chief of police in Ohio. Who in their right minds would hire a child killer? Even if you don't think black lives matter (and the police chief obviously does not), offering a position to someone so trigger-happy has got to make local parents (white as well as black) freak out.
🔨 Missouri Judge blocks key portions of voter ID law
A Missouri judge on Tuesday blocked key portions of the state’s voter photo identification law, meaning some voters could find it easier to cast ballots in a November election headlined by a hotly contested U.S. Senate race.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
This is a marathon, not a sprint, but this is the time to ratchet up our efforts to finish this particular part of the race (and no matter what happens on November 6th, we will have to keep at it afterwards). If you have any ideas of what else can be done, please comment on it below.
Donate to ActBlue
Donate to Swing Left
Send postcards to voters in other districts
Sign up to go door to door in your district
Sign up to drive people to the polls
Find your local Democratic Party and volunteer!
FreewayBlogger
Plus! Check out Yosef 52's diaries, posted daily, full of ideas and links! GOTV! GOTV!
🍀 “My experience has been that work is almost
always the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.” 🍀
Eleanor Roosevelt
🔥 If you’re going through hell, keep going! 🔥
Winston Churchill
🌹 🌹 🌹
TRUTH MATTERS. LOVE MATTERS.