dailykos--2020-07-28--Lessons from Covid:
Part Fourteen--
Ten Tenets for Now and post-Covid

I was listening to a podcast on servant leadership , and bam , it hit me .
This is what our country is missing—servant leaders .
Sure , we have leaders .
But no one wants to serve the people , and do what is best for our country , so I ’ ve decided to share some of my tenets for living with you .
1 .
Have faith .
In these times ( and in many times ) , it ’ s hard .
But I would be very lonely if I didn ’ t have my church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early church was often used as a safe haven ( and still is ) for those being persecuted and harmed .
Inside the walls of the “ church , ” members felt safe and secure .
We know all too well that shootings and bombings can happen in places that are supposed to feel safe .
But , the bottom line is to have a faith .
Believe in something higher than yourself that will help you get through the hard times , and provide you with a gentle ear .
2 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am the first to admit , that to my detriment , I often put my family , students , children and animals ahead of my needs .
And as a woman , let ’ s face it , the world has come to expect that if something needs fixing , if a doctor ’ s appointment needs to be made , if the car needs a lube change , if the kids need to see the dentist and then the orthodontist , it usually falls to us ( or at least me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after my kids first well visit ( when they had just been born ) , if I hadn ’ t arranged the next 100+ appointments , my kids would be wild children -- “ tays in the wind ” ( Google Nell , with Jodi Foster ) .
Before I go off on a rant about overworked mothers , I advise you not to let yourself to be swallowed whole by whatever beast is out there greedily chewing away at your time .
If you need to go to Target ( with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , out for a glass of wine , to try on some shoes or just to take a long car ride , do it .
Your family may not get it , but somewhere along the way many of us forgot we were Lizzys ( or if my parents were mad , Elizabeth Rachel !
! )
before we were teachers , wives , mothers and administrative assistants .
Being kind to you is often the gift that keeps on giving .
And believe me , no one is going to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Hey Mom , remember all those games you took me to , all the years you paid for my fees , washed my uniform before a game and spent a portion of your paycheck on athletic paraphernalia ?
You ’ re the best !
Thank you.
” This gratitude will seldom or ever get acknowledged .
They will remember when they had the crappy cleats from Shopko for t-ball .
This is a given .
Hallmark moments are a sham .
They lie to you , so you ’ ll feel badly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cozy glow like the one on Candace Cameron ’ s Hallmark movie ( this week ) or buy their over-priced cards that your teenager will forget to open when you locate it in laundry a year later .
Don ’ t be mad .
Grab that MFing card , tear the heck out of it in order to release some endorphins , smile and head to your favorite wine bar .
You more than deserve this , sister .
3 .
Be kind and remember the Golden Rule .
Part of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world is that no one is putting others ’ first .
From our POTUS on down , it seems all to be about self .
There is no shame in saying “ I ’ m sorry , ” or “ I was wrong about that .
Forgive me.
” It took me two years of teaching to realize that kids react much more humanly to someone who treats them with civility and kindness ( it shouldn ’ t have taken me that long , but I never said I was swift ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hell no !
This year I had a pregnant student who was just vile .
Really bitter and angry at the world , but I was concerned for her and her unborn child .
I tried to make small talk with her about baby names , infant care , and her plans for the future .
I wasn ’ t always successful , but I tried to show her some support throughout her day .
And everyone needs to feel worthy .
We all need that extra pat on the back that says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re important and loved , ” and “ Your ideas count for something .
They have value.
” Pre-masks , I used to smile at everyone .
I think my students would think I was goofy .
But I told them that I never knew if that was the 10th smile they received that day or the first .
Everyone deserves a smile .
And particularly in this divisive nation we live in , smiles go farther than shouts .
Sometimes shouts are necessary , but as my dear mother used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with honey than vinegar.
” So true , mom .
4 .
Do your best .
If you work your ultimate hardest , no one can accuse you of being lazy .
Today ’ s best may look a little different than tomorrow ’ s , but that ’ s okay .
Sift through the sludge of the day , and locate those diamonds in the rough ( or sludge ) .
But , when it ’ s time to leave , go home .
Or , if you work from home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It took me years , actually decades , to realize this .
It hit me during Covid , to recognize that I was burning out .
I was literally running out of steam and patience .
I decided in five years ( when I can retire ) that I may move somewhere warm and green .
I always believed in staying in the Midwest for my family .
It was great when my parents were living , but my brother ( who lived all of five hours away ) visited me five times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s brothers visited two-three times each .
So , I ’ m not sure this is a reason to put up with Wisconsin winters .
This isn ’ t meant to guilt trip anyone , and I am so glad I was near my parents , and my husband is still near his father ( who is 90 and doing quite well ) .
But if my kids end up in Hoboken , Grand Forks or Minnetonka , I am not to start looking for real estate there .
I love them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their own decisions to make and lives to lead .
I ’ m a part of the background .
Ultimately , do the best you can for you .
Text , Zoom , write letters , call .
Stay in touch , and if it happens , it happens .
And at work , be your best , but realize you are not Wonder Woman or Superman .
I can ’ t get 200 papers graded in two days .
I can ’ t .
I ’ ll do my best , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s all I can do .
That ’ s all any of us can do .
Do your best , but if you come up short , don ’ t beat yourself up .
Tomorrow is another day , Scarlet .
5 .
Love Others : You can love your family , friends and tolerate your co-workers ( and vice versa ) , but you may never understand them ( and vice versa ) .
I am definitely the square peg trying to fit into the round hole .
Try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit .
I just can ’ t .
Sometimes that made it fun and exotic .
Other times it made me cry and was horribly lonely .
But that ’ s okay .
For most of us , we are just trying to do our best and trying to get by .
Sometimes a basic stranger will offer his cabin to your family because you all look like you could use a break , and other times , the crabby octogenarian will cut in front of you at the Piggly Wiggly .
Shit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magic .
And that basic stranger , who isn ’ t really a stranger , but a fellow parent ( and I ’ ve also had all his children as students ) made that offering out of the goodness of his heart .
I was blown away .
Showing love and kindness to those you know and don ’ t , will come back to you threefold .
Maybe not right away .
But it will .
History will not be kind to the haters .
History never is .
Love .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of shelter animals could use some love as well .
In a town near me , Charlie , has been at the shelter for one year .
Come on someone .
You need Charlie , and he needs you .
6 .
Be on time and be prepared .
I ’ m always prepared , but I ’ m also ALWAYS running late .
It ’ s a horrible habit which tells my co-workers , family members , doctors , coaches and friends that their time isn ’ t as valuable as mine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I mean , but that ’ s how it will be interpreted .
I realize lateness can ’ t always be helped .
Life happens .
Kids get sick , emergencies come up , car accidents happen .
But if you can , be early .
That really throws everyone for a loop .
In fact , if you can be early , strive for that .
And bring treats .
That group won ’ t know what hit them .
Not only will they be astonished , but you might get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings , all the comfy chairs are at the front .
I don ’ t want to look like a suck up , but the early birds do get the comfy chairs .
That ’ s a life lesson you can carry to the bank .
7 .
Laugh a little each day .
Smiles and laughter use up more calories than frowns and grimaces .
I didn ’ t just make that up .
That ’ s science .
It may be pathetic humor , like laughing at our president who thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remembering “ person , woman , man , camera and t.v.
” But it ’ s better than crying , and throwing a hard object at that expensive plasma t.v .
Let ’ s be honest .
There isn ’ t a lot to laugh at these days .
Life pretty much sucks .
But as Annie said in my one time favorite musical , Annie , “ Gosh darn it , smile.
” Smile at others through your masks and find humor .
I love MST3K , Schitt ’ s Creek , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ole ’ Andy Griffith .
I adore Stephen Colbert , Trevor Noah and Seth Myers .
My husband likes watching a show about old movies called , Tired Old Queen at the Movies .
It ’ s hosted by an hysterical guy named Steve Hayes who knows his movies and the uber juicy gossip of Hollywood during its heyday ( Sidebar : As some of you who have read other entries know , I have questioned and lamented about my husband sexuality .
Why won ’ t he touch me ?
Why was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is MY Mr. Darcy ?
Is this one of the nails in the coffin ?
I really do appreciate the input .
My conclusion is that basically he has an awesome sense of humor but is lazy or asexual .
Sorry to get off-track ) .
By the way , the show is a hoot .
At any rate , whatever makes you smile , and adds some chuckles to your day , can help .
Read something funny .
Listen to an amusing podcast .
Watch something on t.v .
or Netflix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our news is oppressive , depressive and not for the faint of heart .
But a line from Jim Gaffigan about taking his third nap of the day can be amusing and downright hilarious .
And if you haven ’ t met John Mulaney , you need to .
Now .
Youtube that hilarious bastard now .
You will thank me .
He ’ s adorable .
And then we can make jokes about his infamous lines .
8 .
Be forgiving .
I see so much anger and resentment .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing masks .
Other countries mock us for this , and they should .
It ’ s a MASK .
I wear glasses and have asthma , but I will make this work .
If it means that the older senior citizen next to me might be kept safe , I ’ ll do it .
Forgiveness is tough .
I ’ ve carried around anger about big , significant things and petty things .
Both are exhausting .
Back to faith , God wants us to forgive .
I might not forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me or others , but I can forgive .
In church the other day , my pastor said not to forget that everyone has a backstory .
That ’ s true .
I ’ m not saying that I condone the Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun of Marshall , MN when they wore their swastika masks ( they weren ’ t even fashioned into a clever mask .
They were plopped on their heads .
And the woman wore an ill-fitting brown ( oh , some irony there .
Interesting ) shirt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local Wal-Mart .
But believe it or not , they may have some awful backstory .
Or maybe they ’ re just hateful , and the Price Is Right had just ended .
So forgive them ( they truly must not know what they do ) .
My dad used to say , “ Don ’ t worry about them , Lizzy .
Let God worry about them .
You just worry about you.
” I hate that dad ( and mom ) were always right .
No one was a better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom would concur .
He expected a lot , but forgave easily , and when he went to bad at night , he slept soundly because there was never any rancor in his heart .
And there could have been .
Also , that ’ s not to say that he was a pushover .
He wasn ’ t .
He was pretty strict .
But he was also the most loving , gentle and kind man I ever knew .
My dad loved me like no other , and I miss him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , but he loved me for me .
And because of my dad and mom , I am going to work on these tenets .
I ’ m still going to be sarcastic and ( hopefully ) whimsical .
But I ’ ll keep trying .
Love and light to all of you .
As a final comment , my husband and I had our 25th anniversary not long ago .
He is not very romantic or clever .
Every year he gets me flowers .
I adore flowers , so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the flowers started showing their brief lifespan within two-three days .
But there ’ s still this perfect pink rose looking right at me .
Isn ’ t that just life ?
Life has its shiny baubles ( that tarnish ) , gorgeous flowers ( that will fade ) , and yes there will be the occasional thorn .
However , there is also that unassuming perfect rose waiting patiently to be noticed .
Be the pink rose .
9 .
Show Integrity : Another area sorrily lacking in today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I might be so bold as to say that some don ’ t even know what acting with integrity means .
Albert Einstein was rather prophetic when he said , “ Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters can not be trusted with important matters.
” The U.S. has been hit particularly hard with a pandemic for this very reason .
First there were fifteen cases , then it was a hoax driven by the democrats , then it would get better and probably be over by April .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get worse before it gets better.
” Imagine where we would be if he had acknowledged that we had a crisis on our hands in March ?
Integrity is being willing to be wrong .
To hear another side of an argument ( or several sides ) and possibly change direction .
Integrity is doing the right thing , and admitting when we don ’ t .
10 .
Be a lifelong learner : Integrity plays into this well .
Your education shouldn ’ t stop just because you may have received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am way more “ woke ” now than I was 20-30 years ago .
I hope I learn everyday .
I ’ m not sure I want to spend two hours on how to create a better Zoom classroom , but I better be willing to do so , if I want to keep up with the times and stay hired .
Learning keeps us young and vital .
I learned so much about the Civil Rights Movement and BLM this past month .
I was oblivious to the treatment of my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need to do better .
We need to do better .
And there is no shame in saying , “ I don ’ t know.
” We ’ ve been served a generous helping of humble pie this past spring and summer , and it would be a shame to come out on the other side of this uninformed .
Be open to change and to learning .
It isn ’ t easy .
Often it is downright humiliating and frustrating , but if we allow our chance to learn , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And isn ’ t that what we want ?
To contribute to something and make the world bettter .
I maintain that it is .
Read a book .
Read the paper .
Talk ( with a mask on ) to a stranger .
Talk to your kids .
Talk to a colleague or a neighbor .
Hope this helps make your Tuesday a tad more joyous .
Thank you for reading .
Your comments are always welcome .


dailykos--2020-07-29--Good News Roundup for July 29, 2020 — Portland calling

Greetings to all you Gnusies , Gnewbies , occasional drop-ins , silent regulars , and first-timers !
Come sit with us to find and share messages of hope and to celebrate all the ways good people are triumphing over the evil-doers in power .
The task we have set ourselves here in Gnuville is to search out hope no matter how difficult the situation might be .
Fortunately , hope can always be found .
Right now , however , since I ’ m writing from a city that ’ s under siege by my own government , I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real for all of you what that looks and feels like .
Obviously , it ’ s not “ good news.
” But what good news is how the wonderful people I share my city with are responding — with passion , strength , ingenuity , solidarity , and compassion .
And I have no doubt the folks in your own city will do the same if called upon .
A friend who lives across the Columbia River in Washington state emailed a couple of days ago and asked “ Is America at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany was in July of 1932 ?
” I think the short answer is no , for a very simple reason : Germany ’ s experience of democracy was very brief ( 1918-1933 ) before the rise of Nazism , but our experience of democracy goes back almost 250 years .
Democracy and its accompanying mindset are baked into American culture : insistence on individual rights , dislike of regimentation , impatience with petty bureaucratic regulations , and ( for the vast majority of us ) devotion to our founding ideals of equality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us far too long to extend those benefits to systemically marginalized Americans .
And , of course , it is the battle for the wider distribution of those benefits that triggered the events in Portland .
My apologies for how long this diary is .
I ’ m trying to cover the Portland news and also provide the good news items we always offer here .
My advice is to take it in small bites , perhaps by skimming the text and saving the videos and links until later .
And finally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of courageous women my age ( I ’ m 75 ) taking part in the protests , I personally don ’ t feel I can take the risk of being tear-gassed or beaten with batons , so this report is second-hand .
Sharing these stories and videos is one way I can help the cause .
The more light we shine on this situation , the better .
“ What a field day for the heat , a thousand people in the street.
” Those words from Buffalo Springfield ’ s “ For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been rattling around in my mind for weeks .
Because the sad fact is that it a field day for armed government enforcers , both local cops and fed mercenaries .
There is evidence that the Portland Police Bureau welcomed the arrival of the federal goon squad ( see this OPB article ) , and the feeling one gets from watching videos of the feds and the PPB attacking protesters is that they are actually enjoying the violence .
This is why there are calls to “ defund the police ” : unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police with military equipment and train them in military tactics is instead diverted to unarmed public safety response teams , this kind of police violence will continue no matter how many regulations are put into place .
The old cliché that “ to a man with a hammer , everything looks like a nail ” is sadly true .
One of the few really good writers left at the Oregonian , Steve Duin , wrote a moving op-ed which I ’ ll quote from to illustrate how things might have unfolded if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of violence and weren ’ t collaborating with the feds : What You Need To Know About The Battle of Portland This link arrived in my inbox on July 21 from Portland Literary Arts , a long-running and highly-esteemed series that brings international authors to Portland for presentations and Q & A .
The author of the linked piece has spent his career covering conflict zones , and he presents an excellent , detailed history here .
It ’ s now over a week old , but it remains the best on-the-ground reportage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I also recommend DKos member BOHICA ’ s excellent diaries about the events in Portland .
Go to his link to find them .
Another excellent summary of the events in Portland was published , amazingly enough , in the fashion magazine Harper ’ s Bazaar .
I guess that ’ s a pretty good indication that sympathy for Portland ’ s protesters is widespread !
What to Know About Portland 's Crackdown on Protesters and How You Can Help The most important part of the piece is “ What Can I Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these organizations would indeed make the greatest positive impact in Portland right now .
A lot of attention has been paid in the Portland media and elsewhere to the idea that the original BLM message has been overtaken by focusing on the violent over-reaction of the PPB and the fed goons .
But Portland ’ s only Black newspaper , The Skanner , had a different take .
Note the important point at the end that the reason our protests are so white is that Oregon is , too .
‘ Standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiences with Portland ’ s Wall of Moms What these women are doing takes guts .
Check out the second video in this tweet from Saturday night .
Would you confront a line of guys in full combat gear carrying assault rifles ?
?
A former border patrol agent describes the special federal unit deployed in Portland as some of 'the most violent and racist in all law enforcement ’ This is what the Portland protesters are up against .
I ’ m linking to a summary from Business Insider , but go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article .
The next story is good news : Protect Democracy has filed a suit against Chad Wolf on behalf of Don ’ t Shoot Portland , Wall of Moms , and several protesters This is the next legal effort following the failure of the Oregon AG ’ s suit .
And our Congressional delegation gets it And from a Merkley email on July 28 : On the lighter side of the protests Raffi has written a song for the moms !
This feels surreal and might seem silly , but it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As one mom put it , “ I grew up with his songs , and now my daughter has grown up with them.
” Love for Raffi cuts across a lot of socio-political barriers .
I ’ ll close this section on Portland with an Onion parody .
Their best ones are always the ones that manage to capture the truth behind the exaggeration , and this one nails it : DHS Secretary Assuages Concerns About Protester Abductions By Promising This Will All Feel Routine In A Month Okay , sorry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story here .
But this really does belong in the national good political news category : If even Sinclair stops being a reliable tool for Twitler and his spokesweasels , you know a sea change is underway .
Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the US in 25 years Not surprising news to us , but a good message for the nation at large .
Biden is sending out some good fundraising emails !
This showed up in my inbox last week , and I loved it , which is not my usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the formatting gets messed up in transit over the intertubes — formatting text and photos within a quote on DKos is challenging , to say the least ! )
The subject heading was “ There are pictures of dogs in this email ” .
It ’ s not trivial that Joe loves dogs and tRump hates them .
Just think of how many Americans are dog-lovers !
Meanwhile , the Rethug candidates really are desperate Looks like David Perdue couldn ’ t find any voters who ’ d back him on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another fun way to GOTV !
Here ’ s what the cards look like : It ’ s hardly news that Larry Kudlow is one of the simpler tools in the WH , but really , how hard is it to figure out a face mask ?
Someone please instruct Kudlow on the proper way to wear a mask Thank you , JamesSNYC , for the perfect response !
Yes , there is some !
Multnomah County voters may decide whether to tax highest earners to fund universal preschool in November Additionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay pre-school providers 145 % of Portland ’ s minimum wage — currently $ 13.25 per hour , which would mean pay of $ 19.21 per hour if the program were enacted now — and eventually be comparable to what the average Portland elementary teacher earns .
Good news from around the nation Good national news you might have missed The American Independent aggregates good news stories each week .
Last week ’ s stories were especially heartening .
I ’ m giving you just the headlines — click the link to read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Aspiration Debit Card Helped Customers Finance 1Mil Trees Planted , and Get Cash Back California 's only known wolf pack produces new litter of pups Good news from around the world Do read the GNN article , because the back story about this team is fascinating .
And I also found a video : Two sisters regrowing forests with help from their dogs www.wweek.com/ ... Portland ’ s “ Naked Athena ” Speaks for the First Time to a Local Podcast .
She says her action was “ my feminine response of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of vulnerability looks like ...
I just wanted them to see what they 're shooting at.
” medium.com/ ...
The Lead Federal Agency Responding to Protesters in Portland Employs Thousands of Private Contractors .
It ’ s important that we understand this .
www.cjr.org/ ...
The attacks on press freedom in Portland .
A terrific piece by the Columbia Journalism Review , full of details that are frankly horrifying .
Read it and do something !
Playing for Change is one of my favorite sources of joyful musical energy .
This video features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It also has the best footage of Yo Yo Ma ever !
Thanks to each and every Gnusie for your smarts , your hearts , and your faithful attendance at our daily Gathering of the Herd .

Welcome
Greetings to all you Gnusies, Gnewbies, occasional drop-ins, silent regulars, and first-timers! Come sit with us to find and share messages of hope and to celebrate all the ways good people are triumphing over the evil-doers in power. The task we have set ourselves here in Gnuville is to search out hope no matter how difficult the situation might be. Fortunately, hope can always be found.
Right now, however, since I’m writing from a city that’s under siege by my own government, I also feel the need to try to make real for all of you what that looks and feels like. Obviously, it’s not “good news.” But what is good news is how the wonderful people I share my city with are responding — with passion, strength, ingenuity, solidarity, and compassion. And I have no doubt the folks in your own city will do the same if called upon.
A friend who lives across the Columbia River in Washington state emailed a couple of days ago and asked “Is America at the same point in time now that Germany was in July of 1932?” I think the short answer is no, for a very simple reason: Germany’s experience of democracy was very brief (1918-1933) before the rise of Nazism, but our experience of democracy goes back almost 250 years. Democracy and its accompanying mindset are baked into American culture: insistence on individual rights, dislike of regimentation, impatience with petty bureaucratic regulations, and (for the vast majority of us) devotion to our founding ideals of equality and freedom, though it has taken us far too long to extend those benefits to systemically marginalized Americans. And, of course, it is the battle for the wider distribution of those benefits that triggered the events in Portland.
My apologies for how long this diary is. I’m trying to cover the Portland news and also provide the good news items we always offer here. My advice is to take it in small bites, perhaps by skimming the text and saving the videos and links until later.
And finally, a disclaimer: although there are plenty of courageous women my age (I’m 75) taking part in the protests, I personally don’t feel I can take the risk of being tear-gassed or beaten with batons, so this report is second-hand. Sharing these stories and videos is one way I can help the cause. The more light we shine on this situation, the better.
* * * * *
Portland news — The Battle of Portland
“What a field day for the heat, a thousand people in the street.”
Those words from Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” have been rattling around in my mind for weeks. Because the sad fact is that it is a field day for armed government enforcers, both local cops and fed mercenaries. There is evidence that the Portland Police Bureau welcomed the arrival of the federal goon squad (see this OPB article), and the feeling one gets from watching videos of the feds and the PPB attacking protesters is that they are actually enjoying the violence. This is why there are calls to “defund the police”: unless the money now used to arm city police with military equipment and train them in military tactics is instead diverted to unarmed public safety response teams, this kind of police violence will continue no matter how many regulations are put into place. The old cliché that “to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail” is sadly true.
One of the few really good writers left at the Oregonian, Steve Duin, wrote a moving op-ed which I’ll quote from to illustrate how things might have unfolded if the PPB didn’t have a culture of violence and weren’t collaborating with the feds:
Portland cops and the public trust
From the Oregonian:
There’s much to unravel here, and more each night. Chad Wolf, acting secretary of Homeland Security, argues that his troops routinely square off with “500, 600 violent individuals, violent criminals across the street from you.” That’s absurd … but I believe the cops who tell me there are ugly players in the crowd, threatening their families. That’s why it would have been all the more inspiring if a Portland cop – one of the many watching the mayhem on surveillance cameras and video feeds – had marched through the smoke last Saturday to embrace vet Christopher David and confront the mercenaries who broke his hand. Imagine if the bridge building didn’t end there. What if former police Chief Jami Resch and several other female officers emerged from the Justice Center and took their place in the Wall of Moms? What if Chief Lovell and his command staff stood with Wheeler in the middle of the fray? Do we really think the goon squad would keep lobbing tear gas at their feet? Stranger things have happened, I know. I just don’t think the strangest of all – truce and reconciliation – are possible until Portland police decide to fight with us, not against us.
What You Need To Know About The Battle of Portland
This link arrived in my inbox on July 21 from Portland Literary Arts, a long-running and highly-esteemed series that brings international authors to Portland for presentations and Q & A. The author of the linked piece has spent his career covering conflict zones, and he presents an excellent, detailed history here. It’s now over a week old, but it remains the best on-the-ground reportage I’ve seen so far.
From Bellingcat:
The abduction filmed on the 15th did not happen in a vacuum. As other local reporters have noted, it was the end result of more than six weeks of escalating state violence against largely nonviolent demonstrators. I have been in the streets of Portland documenting this movement since the very first riot. Before the national press unleashes a flood of new stories based on their first few hours in town, I’d like to explain what’s been happening: State and Federal law enforcement are at war with the people of Portland.
I also recommend DKos member BOHICA’s excellent diaries about the events in Portland. Go to his link to find them.
Another excellent summary of the events in Portland was published, amazingly enough, in the fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar. I guess that’s a pretty good indication that sympathy for Portland’s protesters is widespread!
What to Know About Portland's Crackdown on Protesters and How You Can Help
From Harper’s Bazaar:
The most important part of the piece is “What Can I Do to Help?” Donations to any of these organizations would indeed make the greatest positive impact in Portland right now.
A lot of attention has been paid in the Portland media and elsewhere to the idea that the original BLM message has been overtaken by focusing on the violent over-reaction of the PPB and the fed goons. But Portland’s only Black newspaper, The Skanner, had a different take. Note the important point at the end that the reason our protests are so white is that Oregon is, too.
Black Protesters Say Focus on Feds Hasn’t Derailed Message
From The Skanner:
Since President Donald Trump deployed militarized federal agents to the progressive city early this month, the numbers of protesters have swelled again into the thousands, including mothers wearing yellow shirts and dads armed with leaf blowers to drive away tear gas. “Feds go home!” the mostly white demonstrators chant. But they also call for racial justice, often led by Black protesters with megaphones. While the protests have taken on a new tone of opposition to federal intervention, Black leaders and protesters say the surge in activity — though often chaotic — hasn’t distracted from their anti-racist message. Instead, it’s shined a spotlight on it. Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, the first Black woman elected to that office, rejected the idea that the Black Lives Matter protests are being hijacked by white people. “We cannot afford not to respond to this attack on our democracy, this attack on our Constitution,” Hardesty said. “And we would be foolish to believe that we could stay focused just on Black lives and not address the physical assaults that are taking place.” ✂ Those attending the protests are overwhelmingly white, a reflection of Oregon’s makeup. Its population is only 2% Black, compared with 13% for the entire U.S., largely due to the state’s racist past. Its Constitution excluded Blacks from living in Oregon until the clause was repealed in 1927.
‘Standing next to our sisters’: Shared experiences with Portland’s Wall of Moms
From The Oregonian:
x YouTube Video Bev Barnum, the woman who founded the Portland group, wrote about the experience Sunday after the Wall of Moms first went out. In less than eight hours, she said, several moms helped her put the group together. Nearly 14,000 people have joined the Wall of Moms private Facebook group. “We tried in earnest to give the kids a break by shifting the pervasive narrative that protesters are rioters,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Case and [sic] point, we wore our whitest whites to show that we weren’t there to make trouble, we showed up to prove that feds are the violent ones at protests.” ✂ [Protester Megan] Sage said she went to be an ally but doesn’t want to distract from Black protesters’ experiences of racism. “It’s not about me being a white suburban mom showing up for this other than to support the movement that is really from those people who have been really affected by this and are affected by it every day,” Sage said. She said the protests were a supportive environment, with people offering free water and food throughout the night. She left around 11:30 p.m. and did not face tear gas.
What these women are doing takes guts. Check out the second video in this tweet from Saturday night. Would you confront a line of guys in full combat gear carrying assault rifles??
x After the vehicles take off, remaining #FPS and #CBP officers again hold the crowd at an intersection, apparently uncertain of their next move as two POC activists confront the officers and question their motives. #pdxprotest #portlandprotest pic.twitter.com/8Qo3sNVAIu Ã¢ÂÂ Brian Conley (@BaghdadBrian) July 27, 2020
A former border patrol agent describes the special federal unit deployed in Portland as some of 'the most violent and racist in all law enforcement’
This is what the Portland protesters are up against. I’m linking to a summary from Business Insider, but go to the Guardian link for the full article.
From Business Insider:
A former senior border patrol agent described an elite federal unit deployed by the Trump administration to quell protests in Portland, Ore., as some of the "the most violent and racist in all law enforcement." Jenn Budd, who worked at the agency for six years until 2001, recalled her encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol's unique unit, known as Bortac, to The Guardian in a story published on Monday. The specially trained officers are the "biggest guys, like the jocks in a football team," Budd told The Guardian. "They live in tight groups like the Navy Seals, spending their time in military-style training." "They don't exist within the realm of civilian law enforcement," Budd said. "They view people they encounter in the military sense as enemy combatants, meaning they have virtually no rights.”
The next story is good news:
Protect Democracy has filed a suit against Chad Wolf on behalf of Don’t Shoot Portland, Wall of Moms, and several protesters
This is the next legal effort following the failure of the Oregon AG’s suit.
From Protect Democracy:
Protect Democracy, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, and Perkins Coie LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of Don’t Shoot Portland, an organization founded by Black Lives Matter activist Teressa Raiford; Wall of Moms and its organizer, Bev Barnum; and protesters Demetria Hester, Danialle James, Sabrina Cerquera, and Lisa Kipersztok. The lawsuit contends that federal law enforcement officers have exceeded the limits of their authority in Portland, Oregon, where protests have persisted since the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by police in Minneapolis. ✂ The lawsuit alleges that the administration’s actions violate protesters’ Fourth Amendment rights as well as constituting viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment. The mobilization of federal agents against Black Lives Matter protesters stands in stark contrast to the administration’s lack of response to anti-COVID quarantine protesters who stormed government buildings in other states. Notably, President Trump has tweeted his support of anti-quarantine protesters while speaking out against the Black Lives Matter movement. The lawsuit also claims that DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who was neither nominated by the president nor confirmed by the Senate, is unlawfully serving in his role, making his orders regarding the Portland deployment void.
And our Congressional delegation gets it
Senator Ron Wyden (from an email July 28):
Right-wing media and members of Donald Trump's administration have long tried to market a funhouse mirror version of my hometown. In their telling, Portland is a lawless wasteland, where roving bands of anarchists are re-enacting "Mad Max" every night after dark. Nothing could be further from the truth - crime in Portland has actually been lower than average in recent weeks. It seems that, because liberal Portland in Blue Oregon is not the violent wasteland that the far-right echo chamber imagines, Trump and his flunkies are determined to bring violence to us.
Senator Jeff Merkley (from an email July 28):
In Portland, that cry for justice has recently been met with the kind of disturbing tactics that you might expect from an authoritarian government. The Trump administration sent heavily armed, unmarked, unrequested federal agents to our state, and these unaccountable, opaque forces have met protesters with violent force. Nightly, they fire munitions and tear gas at protesters, using weapons that local police are prohibited from deploying. They have been caught on video violently assaulting a Navy veteran peacefully trying to talk to federal officers, shattering his hand. A young man was sent to the hospital for facial reconstruction surgery after being shot in the head with an impact munition by a federal agent. Federal agents in camouflage without identification have also waged a campaign of terror on Portland’s streets, pulling protesters into unmarked minivans, apparently without any probable cause other than their proximity to protests and what they were wearing. Across our state and this country, individuals’ constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate is under attack.
This kind of brutality, intimidation, and lack of transparency or accountability has no place in a democratic republic like America. ...I won’t stand idly by while the Trump administration tears up Americans’ civil rights.
And from a Merkley email on July 28:
As the Senate debates COVID 4, the latest emergency funding package, I'm pushing to attach my No Secret Police in America amendment to that legislation. Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, told MSNBC that there is "broad support within the Democratic caucus" for adding it to COVID 4.
My colleagues, Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer—both of whom represent parts of Portland—are working this week to add a similar amendment in the House to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been unwavering in her criticism of Trump's actions, saying, "These are not the actions of a democratic republic."
At my request, the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security has begun an investigation into the use of force by DHS officers in Portland.
Representative Earl Blumenauer (from an email July 26):
There’s no simpler way to say this: Donald Trump is waging a campaign against the American people. Most recently, he’s turned part of downtown Portland into a dystopian nightmare where nonviolent demonstrations are tear-gassed and beaten, and unmarked officers snatch peaceful protesters off the streets and take them away in unmarked vans. But his abuse of power in the streets is just the newest front in Trump’s war against our people. Our country is breaking records of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus while the rest of world has practically eliminated it. Not coincidentally, President Trump wants to cut funds for testing. Because when you only think about yourself, if you can't see a problem, it doesn't exist.
On the lighter side of the protests
Raffi has written a song for the moms! This feels surreal and might seem silly, but it could really open some minds and some hearts. As one mom put it, “I grew up with his songs, and now my daughter has grown up with them.” Love for Raffi cuts across a lot of socio-political barriers.
x Ã°ÂÂÂÃ¢ÂÂ¤Ã¯Â¸Â in solidarity with #BlackLivesMattter, a tribute to the heroic protests vs injustice in Portland and elsewhere: an idea that woke me up 3 am, now recorded. thanks to @LinzMunroe (vocals) and Ivan Rosenberg (dobro). #PortlandMoms #ResistFascism #FloydGeorge #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/uzOIQKW056 Ã¢ÂÂ Raffi Cavoukian (@Raffi_RC) July 25, 2020
I’ll close this section on Portland with an Onion parody. Their best ones are always the ones that manage to capture the truth behind the exaggeration, and this one nails it:
DHS Secretary Assuages Concerns About Protester Abductions By Promising This Will All Feel Routine In A Month
From The Onion:
WASHINGTON—Explaining that any shock over the incidents was completely unfounded, Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf attempted Monday to assuage concerns over the videos of protesters in Portland being abducted by promising this will all feel fairly routine in a month. “We get that unmarked federal vehicles taking people off the street seems disturbing to people right now, but within a few months, this will just seem like an everyday occurrence that isn’t worth a second thought,” said Wolf, who told reporters that any outrage or concern from civilians or the press should dissipate as the abductions rapidly blend into the mundane fabric of American life. “By the end of the year, you’ll feel strange thinking of a time when these abductions were not happening. Change is uncomfortable for sure, but soon you’ll be walking down the street, see a jogger get pulled into a military vehicle, and you’ll just keep on listening to your music or podcast without batting an eye. Trust me, save your emotional energy for all the other stuff we’ll be rolling out over the coming weeks.” Wolf further dismissed any criticism over the haphazard nature of the military operation by noting this rollout has been excitedly discussed by the administration for years.
* * * * *
Good political news
DHS chief faces protest at home after agents storm Portland
Okay, sorry, I’m still on the Portland story here. But this really does belong in the national good political news category:
From Raw Story:
Neighbors of acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf came to his home to protest on Sunday after his agency clashed with demonstrators in Portland, Oregon. According to writer Julia Rosas, the group of neighbors assembled outside Wolf’s home because they oppose the use of force against protesters in Portland. One woman, who described herself as Wolf’s neighbor, complained that powerful men and women often face no consequences for misbehavior. ...”We must make social consequences for these men and women. We must make it uncomfortable for them.” “We will not be good Germans!” the neighbor continued. “We will not be the people who watched our neighbors commit these atrocities and said nothing because their kids were home, because they were polite.”
Sinclair drops segment featuring conspiracy theory about Fauci
If even Sinclair stops being a reliable tool for Twitler and his spokesweasels, you know a sea change is underway.
From CNN:
The Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) said Monday it will not move forward with airing a segment featuring a conspiracy theory that suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, was responsible for the creation of the coronavirus. Over the weekend, Sinclair announced it would postpone and "rework" the segment featuring discredited "Plandemic" researcher Judy Mikovits which was set to air during the program "America This Week" hosted by Eric Bolling. But on Monday, the company pulled the plug altogether. "Upon further review, we have decided not to air the interview with Dr. Mikovits," a spokesperson for Sinclair told CNN Business in a statement. "Although the segment did include an expert to dispute Dr. Mikovits, given the nature of the theories she presented we believe it is not appropriate to air the interview. We also reiterate our appreciation for all that Dr. Fauci and his team have accomplished for the health and wellbeing of Americans and people worldwide," the Sinclair spokesperson added.
Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the US in 25 years
Not surprising news to us, but a good message for the nation at large.
From The Guardian:
Donald Trump has made warnings about the threat of antifa and “far-left fascism” a central part of his re-election campaign. But in reality leftwing attacks have left far fewer people dead than violence by rightwing extremists, new research indicates, and antifa activists have not been linked to a single murder in decades. A new database of nearly 900 politically motivated attacks and plots in the United States since 1994 includes just one attack staged by an anti-fascist that led to fatalities. In that case, the single person killed was the perpetrator. Over the same time period, American white supremacists and other rightwing extremists have carried out attacks that left at least 329 victims dead, according to the database.
Biden is sending out some good fundraising emails!
This showed up in my inbox last week, and I loved it, which is not my usual response to fundraising emails. (Apologies if the formatting gets messed up in transit over the intertubes — formatting text and photos within a quote on DKos is challenging, to say the least!) The subject heading was “There are pictures of dogs in this email”.
In a minute, we’re going to ask you to donate to Joe Biden’s campaign. But first, we have to ask you a question. Have you met Champ and Major? Champ is Vice President and Dr. Biden’s older pup, who they adopted just after Obama and Biden’s election victory in 2008! We think he’s grown up to be pretty doggone great. Major is their younger rescue dog, and we couldn’t leave him out, either! They’re both loving spending so much quality time with Joe and Jill right now, but we think Champ will enjoy giving Major a tour of the White House even more. So, that’s where you come in. Will you help us get them there? If you can make your next $12 donation, it will go a long way toward getting decency, and dogs, back in the White House.
If every fan of Champ and Major chipped in today, we would be well on our way to hitting our ambitious fundraising goal for July >>
It’s not trivial that Joe loves dogs and tRump hates them. Just think of how many Americans are dog-lovers!
Meanwhile, the Rethug candidates really are desperate
Looks like David Perdue couldn’t find any voters who’d back him on his healthcare record. This ad is pathetic.
From The American Independent:
Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) released a new campaign ad on Thursday, but he failed to disclose that a woman featured in it is a longtime GOP operative with close ties to the Georgia Republican Party. After Perdue spoke directly to the camera about the need to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs, Janelle King, a woman identified only as a resident of Sandy Springs, Georgia, praised Perdue. x YouTube Video At no time did the ad disclose that King previously worked as the deputy state and data director of the Georgia Republican Party, a field director for former Rep. Karen Handel's campaign, and as a consultant for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's 2018 campaign, according to her LinkedIn page. King currently appears as a panelist for the "Georgia Gang" show on a local Fox affiliate in Atlanta. A biography for the station describes her as "a rising star in the world of conservative politics in Georgia" who works as "a consultant to the GOP for community engagement, public affairs, and diversity initiatives.”
Time to make a donation to Jon Ossoff!
Another fun way to GOTV!
Moms Rising free GOTV postcards!
From MomsRising:
So many things feel uncertain and uneasy right now, but one thing that feels very certain is the urgent need for everyone to vote in 2020. You, me, and all of our neighbors, near and far. *Here’s the good news: MomsRising has a super easy, high-impact, and FREE way for YOU to help get out the vote while social distancing! >>> SIGN UP HERE to receive a FREE packet of 10 (or more) eye-catching voting reminder postcards to fill out!
Here’s what the cards look like:
* * * * *
New feature! “Today’s Ridiculous Rethug”
It’s hardly news that Larry Kudlow is one of the simpler tools in the WH, but really, how hard is it to figure out a face mask?
Someone please instruct Kudlow on the proper way to wear a mask
Thank you, JamesSNYC, for the perfect response!
* * * * *
Good news from Portland
Yes, there is some!
Multnomah County voters may decide whether to tax highest earners to fund universal preschool in November
From The Oregonian:
Multnomah County voters may decide this fall whether to tax incomes of more than $165,000 to fund preschool for children ages 3 and 4. The Universal Preschool Now campaign on Wednesday announced that county elections officials certified its petition signatures. It’s now up to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners whether to adopt the measure and refer it to voters in November. The board must decide by Sept. 3. ✂ If voters pass the measure, the county will collect a tax of 3.9% on personal incomes of more than $165,000 and joint incomes of over $190,000. The revenue will go into a fund to be disbursed among childcare providers, existing pre-kindergarten programs and private daycares, expanding capacity, according to Universal Preschool Now. The group expects it will cost $260 million per year to run the program. If voters approve the measure, program organizers say they’ll spend the first 12 to 18 months working with county officials to develop pilot preschools for traditionally underserved communities. Free programs would expand gradually after that until they roll out to every eligible family by fall 2027.
Additionally, the money would be used to pay pre-school providers 145% of Portland’s minimum wage — currently $13.25 per hour, which would mean pay of $19.21 per hour if the program were enacted now — and eventually be comparable to what the average Portland elementary teacher earns.
* * * * *
Good news from around the nation
Good national news you might have missed
The American Independent aggregates good news stories each week. Last week’s stories were especially heartening. I’m giving you just the headlines — click the link to read them.
From The American Independent:
Fairfax County school removes name of Robert E. Lee and honors Rep. John Lewis Pro-LGBTQ bill signed into law in Rhode Island Minnesota governor signs police reform bill into law Virginia law allows undocumented immigrants to get driver’s license Automatic voter registration is coming to New York Jody Daniels to become first woman to lead Army Reserves
Bank With A Conscience: The Aspiration Debit Card Helped Customers Finance 1Mil Trees Planted, and Get Cash Back
From Good News Network:
In April, as the economic and social portents of the COVID-19 pandemic became ever clearer, an eco-conscious American bank called Aspiration launched a program to see if customers would be willing to contribute a small something to fund a mass tree planting. The results, merely 3 months later, were more than anyone with the gift of foresight might have imagined. Even though some of Aspiration’s customers may be temporarily jobless due to lockdowns, their rounding-up of various purchases funded the planting of 1 million carbon-capturing trees. Using an Aspiration debit card comes with a feature called “Plant Your Change” which rounds up every purchase to the nearest dollar, with the extra few cents going to Aspiration’s tree planting operations that span the globe, from North America to Africa.
California's only known wolf pack produces new litter of pups
From The Guardian:
The only known wolf family in California has produced a new litter of pups, its fourth, building on a gradual recovery of the species in the US west. The Lassen pack apparently lost its original father, a wolf not spotted since June last year. But a new male has joined the pack, resulting in the new litter of eight pups. There are now at least 14 wolves in the pack, including prior litters. ✂ “We’re elated at the birth of the Lassen pack’s endearing pups, who are breathing new life into the Golden State’s wolf recovery,” said Amaroq Weiss, a senior west coast wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “These little ones give hope to everyone who wants to see wolves re-established in the places these beautiful animals once called home.”
* * * * *
Good news from around the world
[Afghani] High-School All-Girl, All-Genius Robotics Team Creates Mobile Ventilator to Help Afghanistan’s Covid-19 Efforts
From Good News Network:
These days not much news comes out of Afghanistan that could be described as positive, but an all-girl high school team of legitimate geniuses, prove the South Asian country is so much more than just a war zone. Their robotics team invented an inexpensive new ventilator model that will help the thousands of Covid-19 patients in their homeland, where there is a lack of such machines in hospitals. In the city of Herat, the Afghan Robotics Team of 7 young girls finished the design of an open-source, mobile ventilator that costs as little as $700—compared to the $20,000 needed to purchase a traditional model. The lightweight machine can be powered by batteries that can run for ten hours.
Do read the GNN article, because the back story about this team is fascinating. And I also found a video:
x YouTube Video
Two sisters regrowing forests with help from their dogs
From the BBC:
Francisca and Constanza Torres and their three dogs, are planting seeds in areas of Chile devastated by wildfires. The project, which uses dog backpacks, is done in their own time and has already gained international recognition. x YouTube Video Banksy to donate sale of artwork to Palestinian hospital Banksy’s amazing generosity continues. From Raw Story: British street artist Banksy is to donate the proceeds from the auction of one of his works, valued at over $1 million, to a Palestinian hospital, one of his collaborators told AFP on Monday. Titled “Mediterranean Sea View 2017,” the work is to be auctioned Tuesday at Sotheby’s in London, said Wissam Salsaa, director of the Walled Off Hotel which Banksy helped set up in 2017 in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The work comprises three oil paintings depicting views of raging seas and shoreline littered with orange life jackets and buoys, alluding “to the lives lost at sea during the European migrant ‘crisis’ of the 2010s”, according to the description on the Sotheby’s site. The work, which used to hang in the entry of the hotel, is valued at $1.5 million... * * * * *
Moment of zen
The unique creations of Andreas Wannerstadt
x YouTube Video
* * * * *
Hot lynx
www.wweek.com/...Portland’s “Naked Athena” Speaks for the First Time to a Local Podcast. She says her action was “my feminine response of wanting to show them what my version of vulnerability looks like...I just wanted them to see what they're shooting at.”
medium.com/...The Lead Federal Agency Responding to Protesters in Portland Employs Thousands of Private Contractors. It’s important that we understand this.
www.cjr.org/...The attacks on press freedom in Portland. A terrific piece by the Columbia Journalism Review, full of details that are frankly horrifying.
www.dailykos.com/...ONE HUNDRED DAYS LEFT. Let’s WIN This Thing!! Yosef 52’s kickass encyclopedia of powerful GOTV actions.
Read it and do something !
* * * * *
Closing music
Playing for Change is one of my favorite sources of joyful musical energy. This video features kids from the Turnaround Arts program. It also has the best footage of Yo Yo Ma ever!
x YouTube Video
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Thanks to each and every Gnusie for your smarts, your hearts, and
your faithful attendance at our daily Gathering of the Herd.
❤💙 RESIST, PERSIST, REBUILD, REJOICE! 💙❤


dailykos--2020-07-29--J.D. Scholten Rejects the DCCC

J.D. Scholten Rejects the DCCC

There 's something you should know .
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) , the organization responsible for working to elect Democrats to the House of Representatives , has cold feet .
They want J.D .
Scholten , candidate for Iowa ’ s 4th district who successfully retired racist and xenophobic , Steve King , to run our campaign THEIR way in order to get some support .
After we moved the needle by 24 points in 2018 .
After we out-fundraised the entire Republican field combined this year .
Even after we retired Steve King and just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundraising in this district , they continue to make our campaign jump through hoops despite promising they were “ all in ” when begging J.D .
to run again .
The truth is that we do n't need the DCCC .
We 're making history in the most rural , Republican district in Iowa and we 're doing it without a dime from corporate PACs or the DCCC 's help .
Because we 've got something so much better than Washington insiders : We 've got you and thousands of other working families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hear it from J.D .
yourself here > > > Our campaign is owned and operated by the people , for the people .
It 's never been about J.D .
And it 's certainly never been about D.C. political operatives .
It 's always been about Iowans getting their voice back in Congress .
It 's always been the plan to run this campaign through Sioux City -- not Washington .
As long as we ’ ve got you , we can win and replace Steve King with the kind of leadership @ @ @

There's something you should know.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the organization responsible for working to elect Democrats to the House of Representatives, has cold feet. They want J.D. Scholten, candidate for Iowa’s 4th district who successfully retired racist and xenophobic, Steve King, to run our campaign THEIR way in order to get some support.
After we moved the needle by 24 points in 2018.
After we out-fundraised the entire Republican field combined this year.
Even after we retired Steve King and just set the second quarter record for Democratic fundraising in this district, they continue to make our campaign jump through hoops despite promising they were “all in” when begging J.D. to run again.
The truth is that we don't need the DCCC.
We're making history in the most rural, Republican district in Iowa and we're doing it without a dime from corporate PACs or the DCCC's help.
Because we've got something so much better than Washington insiders: We've got you and thousands of other working families determined to flip this seat blue.
Hear it from J.D. yourself here >>>
Our campaign is owned and operated by the people, for the people. It's never been about J.D. And it's certainly never been about D.C. political operatives. It's always been about Iowans getting their voice back in Congress.
It's always been the plan to run this campaign through Sioux City -- not Washington. As long as we’ve got you, we can win and replace Steve King with the kind of leadership Iowans deserve.


Lessons for Lawmen

Recent calls to ‘ Defund the police ’ , in the interest of social justice , have been misunderstood ; and this , in part , goes to explain the refusal of City Councils to meet those demands .
That we should remove the Police Departments and have nothing in their place , is a frightening thought to some of us , who are accustomed to that Department and would feel their loss as we might the loss of a limb .
But this is not the intended meaning of that demand .
The true meaning of ‘ Defunding ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget from militaristic weapons and enormous , inefficient , menacing vehicles , to a new curriculum of police training , devised to teach them rather to ‘ Protect and Serve ’ , after their former motto , than to intimidate the public , in their present manner of operation .
What must be altered , above all , is the essence of police training , or rather the attitudes it cultivates .
The present training , whether intentionally or otherwise , inclines the majority of police officers , and indeed of police departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sole force for “ Law and Order ” , in a hostile world : i.e.
, to imagine themselves as a sort of Round Table or peerage of Paladins , embattled on all sides ; and to perceive the rest of the world , as a reservoir of unruly sub-humanity , ready to overflow and contaminate the clean world beyond .
This incorrect perception , is typical of many persuasions , including , but not limited to religions , racisms , exceptionalisms , nationalisms , and political activisms of every kind , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in some sense the cause of most police manslaughter of civilians ; and if corrected by a better attitude , may reduce the incidence thereof .
Fortunately , we already have a model for the police to imitate , in the form of the Fire Department .
The Fire Department is a public service , perhaps even more essential than the police , and in some ways better organized .
Firefighters , like police , are large , strong , and generously built ; they drive wherever they will , even against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are equipped with the latest technology ; they are trained from childhood , and supremely disciplined ; and yet , they are not feared , but admired .
Every urban child hopes at some time in its life to be a firefighter ; every parent and neighbor is happy to see the firefighters pass by , even off-duty , and gladder still to see them arrive at an emergency .
Firefighters are courageous , even heroic , and yet gentle and chivalrous ; and not by accident , but because they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth .
Their whole apparatus , purpose , and trade are superficially similar to those of the police-department , and yet , firefighters are admired , while police are feared .
Where , then , lies the difference ?
It is for the police-departments , not only of this county but of the entire world , to study that difference , and learn from it , and model themselves on the fire-departments , from this year forward .
Some may consider it impossible .
But to change one ’ s ways , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thus in some sense to retain one ’ s identity ; and the police departments , though they may set themselves above the laws they inconsistently enforce , are as subject to that law , as any other human beings .

Recent calls to ‘Defund the police’, in the interest of social justice, have been misunderstood; and this, in part, goes to explain the refusal of City Councils to meet those demands. That we should remove the Police Departments and have nothing in their place, is a frightening thought to some of us, who are accustomed to that Department and would feel their loss as we might the loss of a limb. But this is not the intended meaning of that demand.
The true meaning of ‘Defunding’ the police, is to re-direct their budget from militaristic weapons and enormous, inefficient, menacing vehicles, to a new curriculum of police training, devised to teach them rather to ‘Protect and Serve’, after their former motto, than to intimidate the public, in their present manner of operation.
What must be altered, above all, is the essence of police training, or rather the attitudes it cultivates. The present training, whether intentionally or otherwise, inclines the majority of police officers, and indeed of police departments, to think of themselves as the sole force for “Law and Order”, in a hostile world: i.e., to imagine themselves as a sort of Round Table or peerage of Paladins, embattled on all sides; and to perceive the rest of the world, as a reservoir of unruly sub-humanity, ready to overflow and contaminate the clean world beyond. This incorrect perception, is typical of many persuasions, including, but not limited to religions, racisms, exceptionalisms, nationalisms, and political activisms of every kind, and of police departments no less. It is in some sense the cause of most police manslaughter of civilians; and if corrected by a better attitude, may reduce the incidence thereof.
Fortunately, we already have a model for the police to imitate, in the form of the Fire Department.
The Fire Department is a public service, perhaps even more essential than the police, and in some ways better organized. Firefighters, like police, are large, strong, and generously built; they drive wherever they will, even against traffic regulations, in enormous trucks; they are equipped with the latest technology; they are trained from childhood, and supremely disciplined; and yet, they are not feared, but admired. Every urban child hopes at some time in its life to be a firefighter; every parent and neighbor is happy to see the firefighters pass by, even off-duty, and gladder still to see them arrive at an emergency. Firefighters are courageous, even heroic, and yet gentle and chivalrous; and not by accident, but because they are taught to be so, from their youth. Their whole apparatus, purpose, and trade are superficially similar to those of the police-department, and yet, firefighters are admired, while police are feared. Where, then, lies the difference?
It is for the police-departments, not only of this county but of the entire world, to study that difference, and learn from it, and model themselves on the fire-departments, from this year forward. Some may consider it impossible. But to change one’s ways, is to remain relevant to society, and thus in some sense to retain one’s identity; and the police departments, though they may set themselves above the laws they inconsistently enforce, are as subject to that law, as any other human beings.


dailykos--2020-07-30--Richard Thripp for Congress: DemCast Meet the Candidates Questionnaire

I just wrote and submitted this to DemCastUSA and it should appear within the next few weeks on their website !
What office are you running for ?
U.S. House , Florida ’ s 6th District With which party are you running for office ?
Democratic Party Why are you running for office ?
I ’ m running to make a difference for Central Floridians and give us local , progressive representation in Congress .
The people of Daytona Beach have been left behind for too long .
We deserve so much better .
I know this area and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will work toward universal healthcare to benefit local residents and healthcare providers , increased Title I funding for our schools , affordable housing , a Green New Deal to retire failing fossil fuels and save our children ’ s future and coasts , protecting and strengthening Social Security for our district ’ s many retirees , and a universal basic income to put money in the pockets of the 99 % , rather than top businesses and the wealthy elites .
What is the biggest issue facing your community and how do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 at the moment , the climate crisis in the long term , and a lack of opportunity for residents in the medium term .
I know that ’ s 3 things , not 1 , so let me just focus on opportunity .
We have among the lowest median wages of any metropolitan area in Florida .
There are 553,000 people in Volusia County , who have for too long been forgotten , left behind , and stood in the shadow of Orlando ( and , to a lesser extent , Jacksonville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach don ’ t even have a grocery store .
I ’ m going to put a congressional district office right here in mid-town Daytona Beach to help constituents ( replacing the Port Orange office—those folks can drive a little bit ) .
We ’ ll have a shuttle back and forth to the Social Security office in Port Orange .
I ’ m going to work toward Medicaid expansion in Florida .
I ’ m going to whip votes for H.R .
584 , the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself if I have to .
Oklahoma , a deep red state , just expanded Medicaid .
Florida has left over $ 50 billion on the table , and over 800,000 Floridians without coverage , due to refusing on partisan grounds to expand Medicaid since January 1 , 2014 .
We need to make it very clear that the Republican party works against small businesses .
It works against the little guy—folks like you .
I ’ ll fight for Medicare for All—universal healthcare for all Americans .
Nurses , physicians , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a huge boost to our economy , to public health , and to American entrepreneurship and ingenuity .
How many folks do you know who are stuck in jobs they hate just for the health insurance ?
I ’ ll work to fully fund education .
Two-thirds of Volusia County schools are Title I schools .
I ’ m an educator with a PhD in Education who has studied financial literacy and economics .
I ’ ve taught 300 students at UCF , mostly future teachers .
We need to prioritize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to forgive these ridiculous student loan debts and never let it happen again .
We need to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 per hour .
We need to reduce militarism , repeal and replace the “ Tax Cuts & Jobs Act , ” and fully staff and fund our IRS .
Wealth stratification is out of control .
Vote # Thripp2020 for a Change for the Many .
These are dark , tragic times , but I believe a Great Democratic American Comeback and American Renaissance is around the corner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our country and start working together again ?
The divide has definitely widened .
We ’ ve got to return power to the people .
We need to make it easier to run for office and to end big money ’ s influence in politics .
It ’ s basically legal bribery .
We have to agree on facts .
The Republican party is basically committing harakiri at this point .
I think it will be difficult , in 6 months , to find a Republican politician who admits to having supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support environmentalism , labor protections , education , healthcare , good jobs , and social safety nets .
We ’ ll have a blue House , blue Senate , and blue presidency in 2021 .
We need to invoke the nuclear option in the Senate and act unilaterally , like the Republicans did with the greatest robbery of the U.S. Treasury in modern history ( The “ Tax Cuts & Jobs Act ” ) .
The American people will see the results , and they are going to love it .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m a husband to Kristy and father to Ricky , our 17-month-old son .
He is why I ’ m running for Congress .
I want him and all the other little kids like him to have a future .
We can not keep allowing awful politicians like the boot-licking Trump incumbent to hold the reins .
Being your congressman for Florida ’ s 6th district comes with a $ 1.4 million annual taxpayer budget for offices , resources , and staff to write laws , help constituents , and advocate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an awful job—if you send him a question you get a form email response that has nothing to do with your inquiry , and then he counts that in the 11,000 emails his office “ answered ” in 2019 .
There are plenty of other ways I could volunteer to make a difference , but in running for Congress here , we have the opportunity to make a huge impact .
I saw the Democrats had no real candidate , and how out-of-touch the freshman incumbent is , not even living in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s why I decided to run now .
It couldn ’ t wait .
This district is only an R+7 .
Oklahoma ’ s 5th district is an R+10 and flipped blue in 2018 .
Utah ’ s 4th district is an R+13 and flipped .
We can do it .
This is not a long-shot campaign just to make a political statement .
We ’ re making a big political statement AND WE ’ RE TAKING IT TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES !
!
WE ’ RE GOING TO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MR .
WALTZ !
!
How can our readers get involved in your campaign ?
Please visit us at ThrippforCongress.com and put in your info .
You can text our Google Voice line at 386-232-8172 or email campaign @ thrippforcongress.com .
We ’ d love your help .
We can just get you started amplifying us on social media with your personal account if you ’ d like .
We ’ re doing text banking , canvassing ( just leaving door hangers due to COVID-19 ) , and spinning up phone banking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it cost $ 3,500—ouch ! )
.
We need your help .
Dr. Richard Thripp is a teacher educator , husband , father , and progressive Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida ’ s 6th district .
We have been listed as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate , and we have been endorsed by the National Solidarity Movement , the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida , Florida for Bernie , Our Revolution : Florida , Our Revolution : Volusia , Progressives for Democracy in America : Central Florida Chapter , Volusia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. Johns for Bernie , The Hill of Roses , Dr. Tim Wilson of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University , Dr. Wendy Anderson of Stetson University , and Dr. Gary Mottola of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation !
Please support our campaign by donating $ 6 for District 6 today !
Vote Richard Thripp on August 18th , 2020 in the Democratic primary , or sign up to vote by mail by August 8th .

I just wrote and submitted this to DemCastUSA and it should appear within the next few weeks on their website!
July 30, 2020
Candidate Name: Richard Thripp
Candidate’s Preferred Pronouns: he/his/him
Campaign Website: ThrippforCongress.com
Campaign Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/ThrippforCongress
Campaign Twitter Account: twitter.com/Thripp2020
City, State: Orange City, FL
What office are you running for? U.S. House, Florida’s 6th District
With which party are you running for office? Democratic Party
Election Date: 8/18/2020, 11/03/2020
Why are you running for office?
I’m running to make a difference for Central Floridians and give us local, progressive representation in Congress. The people of Daytona Beach have been left behind for too long. We deserve so much better. I know this area and have lived in Volusia County since birth. I will work toward universal healthcare to benefit local residents and healthcare providers, increased Title I funding for our schools, affordable housing, a Green New Deal to retire failing fossil fuels and save our children’s future and coasts, protecting and strengthening Social Security for our district’s many retirees, and a universal basic income to put money in the pockets of the 99%, rather than top businesses and the wealthy elites.
What is the biggest issue facing your community and how do you propose helping?
I would say COVID-19 at the moment, the climate crisis in the long term, and a lack of opportunity for residents in the medium term. I know that’s 3 things, not 1, so let me just focus on opportunity. We have among the lowest median wages of any metropolitan area in Florida. There are 553,000 people in Volusia County, who have for too long been forgotten, left behind, and stood in the shadow of Orlando (and, to a lesser extent, Jacksonville). The people of mid-town Daytona Beach don’t even have a grocery store. I’m going to put a congressional district office right here in mid-town Daytona Beach to help constituents (replacing the Port Orange office—those folks can drive a little bit). We’ll have a shuttle back and forth to the Social Security office in Port Orange.
I’m going to work toward Medicaid expansion in Florida. I’m going to whip votes for H.R. 584, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2019, and re-introduce it in the 117th Congress myself if I have to. Oklahoma, a deep red state, just expanded Medicaid. Florida has left over $50 billion on the table, and over 800,000 Floridians without coverage, due to refusing on partisan grounds to expand Medicaid since January 1, 2014. We need to make it very clear that the Republican party works against small businesses. It works against the little guy—folks like you. I’ll fight for Medicare for All—universal healthcare for all Americans. Nurses, physicians, and allied health providers support it. It would be a huge boost to our economy, to public health, and to American entrepreneurship and ingenuity. How many folks do you know who are stuck in jobs they hate just for the health insurance?
I’ll work to fully fund education. Two-thirds of Volusia County schools are Title I schools. I’m an educator with a PhD in Education who has studied financial literacy and economics. I’ve taught 300 students at UCF, mostly future teachers. We need to prioritize education at all levels. We need to forgive these ridiculous student loan debts and never let it happen again. We need to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. We need to reduce militarism, repeal and replace the “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act,” and fully staff and fund our IRS. Wealth stratification is out of control. Vote #Thripp2020 for a Change for the Many. These are dark, tragic times, but I believe a Great Democratic American Comeback and American Renaissance is around the corner.
How do we fix the partisan divide in our country and start working together again?
The divide has definitely widened. We’ve got to return power to the people. We need to make it easier to run for office and to end big money’s influence in politics. It’s basically legal bribery. We have to agree on facts. The Republican party is basically committing harakiri at this point. I think it will be difficult, in 6 months, to find a Republican politician who admits to having supported Trump. Republicans are going to have to support environmentalism, labor protections, education, healthcare, good jobs, and social safety nets. We’ll have a blue House, blue Senate, and blue presidency in 2021. We need to invoke the nuclear option in the Senate and act unilaterally, like the Republicans did with the greatest robbery of the U.S. Treasury in modern history (The “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act”). The American people will see the results, and they are going to love it.
Do you have any kids/pets/talking houseplants?
I’m a husband to Kristy and father to Ricky, our 17-month-old son. He is why I’m running for Congress. I want him and all the other little kids like him to have a future. We cannot keep allowing awful politicians like the boot-licking Trump incumbent to hold the reins. Being your congressman for Florida’s 6th district comes with a $1.4 million annual taxpayer budget for offices, resources, and staff to write laws, help constituents, and advocate for you. The incumbent Republican has done an awful job—if you send him a question you get a form email response that has nothing to do with your inquiry, and then he counts that in the 11,000 emails his office “answered” in 2019. There are plenty of other ways I could volunteer to make a difference, but in running for Congress here, we have the opportunity to make a huge impact. I saw the Democrats had no real candidate, and how out-of-touch the freshman incumbent is, not even living in the district or knowing the area. That’s why I decided to run now. It couldn’t wait. This district is only an R+7. Oklahoma’s 5th district is an R+10 and flipped blue in 2018. Utah’s 4th district is an R+13 and flipped. We can do it. This is not a long-shot campaign just to make a political statement. We’re making a big political statement AND WE’RE TAKING IT TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES!! WE’RE GOING TO WALTZ RIGHT INTO YOUR CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, MR. WALTZ!!
How can our readers get involved in your campaign?
Please visit us at ThrippforCongress.com and put in your info. You can text our Google Voice line at 386-232-8172 or email campaign@thrippforcongress.com. We’d love your help. We can just get you started amplifying us on social media with your personal account if you’d like. We’re doing text banking, canvassing (just leaving door hangers due to COVID-19), and spinning up phone banking. We have DNC VoteBuilder Florida now (it cost $3,500—ouch!). We need your help.
Dr. Richard Thripp is a teacher educator, husband, father, and progressive Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida’s 6th district.
We have been listed as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, and we have been endorsed by the National Solidarity Movement, the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida, Florida for Bernie, Our Revolution: Florida, Our Revolution: Volusia, Progressives for Democracy in America: Central Florida Chapter, Volusia for Justice, Flagler for Bernie, St. Johns for Bernie, The Hill of Roses, Dr. Tim Wilson of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Dr. Wendy Anderson of Stetson University, and Dr. Gary Mottola of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation!
Please support our campaign by donating $6 for District 6 today!
Vote Richard Thripp on August 18th, 2020 in the Democratic primary, or sign up to vote by mail by August 8th.


dailykos--2020-07-30--Help Protect Our Election From the Forces Seeking to Undermine It - An Open Letter to the NASS

Protect Our Election is a non-profit charitable organization seeking to rally public support to preserve the sanctity of our federal elections this fall , and beyond .
Our central thesis is that state election administrators will be the most critical line of defense in maintaining faith in the democratic process , especially given the ongoing efforts from the executive branch to undermine it .
Below , please see our Open Letter to the National Association of Secretaries of State , asking them to adopt a new Resolution specifically addressing the domestic assault on our free and fair elections .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , We write to you today as concerned American citizens reaching out for reassurance .
Regardless of party or political affiliation , we believe the sanctity of our federal elections this November is under attack .
Public reports indicate that foreign powers will continue to try and probe our election systems .
The COVID-19 pandemic threatens our safety and our turnout numbers .
Documented attempts at voter suppression are being made in many states .
Funding to support mail-in-voting , poll worker training , and equipment is sorely lacking .
And , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our current president has no regard for our federal structure , does not value the democratic process , and will sow doubt about state-level electoral results that do not lead to his reelection .
We place our faith in you , as a group , to manage the threats against our country in the lead-up to November .
Faith in our system is the only thing that keeps democracy afloat .
To that end , we ask you , the members of NASS , to augment your existing NASS Resolution Affirming the Conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your existing NASS Resolution Reaffirming Commitment to Strengthening Elections with the following proposed Resolution : WHEREAS , chief election officials agreed to the principles set out in the NASS Resolution Reaffirming Commitment to Strengthening Elections on July 10 , 2017 , including a commitment to protect the autonomy of the states to administer elections and a recognition that states are responsible for preventing and detecting voter fraud ; WHEREAS , chief election officials agreed to the principles set out in the NASS Resolution Affirming the Conduct of Elections in a Nonpartisan Manner on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imperative to ensure confidence and trust in our democracy process ; WHEREAS , representatives of the executive branch of the United States federal government have popularized baseless claims of voter fraud around both the 2016 and 2020 general elections in an apparent attempt to undermine public confidence in same ; NOW IT BE RESOLVED that Secretaries of State do hereby affirm their responsibility to proactively counteract conspiracy theories and misinformation about the potential for a “ rigged ” or “ fraudulent ” election in 2020 , to do so regardless of the source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to do so publicly and in one unified voice .
We ask you to consider adopting this resolution as a public pledge that you will stand up for your constituents , and for America , by affirming your independence and your responsibility to proactively resist domestic attempts to undermine the results of our fair and free elections .
We know you understand the importance of your role in preserving our fragile democracy .
We believe that you will succeed .

Protect Our Election is a non-profit charitable organization seeking to rally public support to preserve the sanctity of our federal elections this fall, and beyond. Our central thesis is that state election administrators will be the most critical line of defense in maintaining faith in the democratic process, especially given the ongoing efforts from the executive branch to undermine it.
Below, please see our Open Letter to the National Association of Secretaries of State, asking them to adopt a new Resolution specifically addressing the domestic assault on our free and fair elections.
July 30, 2020
To the National Association of Secretaries of State,
We write to you today as concerned American citizens reaching out for reassurance.
Regardless of party or political affiliation, we believe the sanctity of our federal elections this November is under attack. Public reports indicate that foreign powers will continue to try and probe our election systems. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens our safety and our turnout numbers. Documented attempts at voter suppression are being made in many states. Funding to support mail-in-voting, poll worker training, and equipment is sorely lacking.
And, most critically, it is abundantly clear that our current president has no regard for our federal structure, does not value the democratic process, and will sow doubt about state-level electoral results that do not lead to his reelection.
We place our faith in you, as a group, to manage the threats against our country in the lead-up to November. Faith in our system is the only thing that keeps democracy afloat. To that end, we ask you, the members of NASS, to augment your existing NASS Resolution Affirming the Conduct of Elections in a Nonpartisan Manner and your existing NASS Resolution Reaffirming Commitment to Strengthening Elections with the following proposed Resolution:
WHEREAS, chief election officials agreed to the principles set out in the NASS Resolution Reaffirming Commitment to Strengthening Elections on July 10, 2017, including a commitment to protect the autonomy of the states to administer elections and a recognition that states are responsible for preventing and detecting voter fraud;
WHEREAS, chief election officials agreed to the principles set out in the NASS Resolution Affirming the Conduct of Elections in a Nonpartisan Manner on February 2, 2020, including the imperative to ensure confidence and trust in our democratic process;
WHEREAS, representatives of the executive branch of the United States federal government have popularized baseless claims of voter fraud around both the 2016 and 2020 general elections in an apparent attempt to undermine public confidence in same;
NOW BE IT RESOLVED that Secretaries of State do hereby affirm their responsibility to proactively counteract conspiracy theories and misinformation about the potential for a “rigged” or “fraudulent” election in 2020, to do so regardless of the source or supporters of these baseless theories, and to do so publicly and in one unified voice.
We ask you to consider adopting this resolution as a public pledge that you will stand up for your constituents, and for America, by affirming your independence and your responsibility to proactively resist domestic attempts to undermine the results of our fair and free elections.
We know you understand the importance of your role in preserving our fragile democracy. We believe that you will succeed.
Very Sincerely,
Stephen Wanczyk
Executive Director
Protect Our Election
www.protectourelection.com
@OurElection