38) While much of the focus of #Election2024 is focused on #Trump’s legal woes or #Biden’s age, the Us economy has been improving steadily on the back of legislation signed into law during the first two years of #JoeBiden’s administration.
Biden’s polling numbers aren’t great now, but continued economic improvement will yield good results come election time.
39) Things are not going well in the #RonDeSantis campaign.
One wonders whether his call for "throat slitting" directed at members of the Federal Government and invocations of the mystical and mythical Deep State were designed to make seem tougher than #Trump ?
General reaction across the #NewsMedia seems to be one of disgust. There doesn't seem to be major fist bumping going on within the #DeSantis faithful
#Election2023 #RighWing #HardRight
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4135422-desantis-vows-to-start-slitting-throats-on-day-one
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Scott Brown is a former senator from Massachusetts. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Sunday said he would “start slitting throats on day one” when it comes to taking on the “deep state.” DeSantis made the remarks at a barbecue campaign event in Rye, N.H.,…
40) Excellent report from #PBSNewsHour on #GOP candidates who have little to say on the extreme heat experienced by many Americans in the South, a geographical base of party support.
While GOP candidates acknowledge that #ClimateChange is real, they’re unwilling to acknowledge the impact of #FossilFuels
Will this be an #Election2024 campaign issue?
The 2024 Republican presidential campaign season is in full swing and candidates are stumping on a host of key issues. But one topic that’s missing from their agenda is climate change. Despite a summer of record-setting heat, new polling shows that Republican voters still don't see a warming planet as a concern. As William Brangham reports, neither do the GOP candidates who want to lead them.
41) Tomorrow is a big day in #Ohio as a special election has been called to decide if amendments to the states constitution require more than a 50% majority vote.
The special election was likely triggered to thwart a Nov election ballot measure which would enshrine #AbortionRights measures in the Ohio constitution. That ballot measure is likely to pass the current 50% threshold
Ohio voters will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on a ballot measure that could raise the threshold for changing the state constitution — and in the process have a direct impact on abortion rights in the battleground state. The measure, known as Issue 1, would raise the threshold for amending the state constitution from…
42) #Ohio voted NO to a #GOP sponsored ballot which would have made it more difficult to amend the state constitution
While Ohio was considered a swing state in the past, it has increasingly been dominated by the GOP who have supermajority control of the state legislature and have passed highly restrictive #abortion legislation
43) I need to start this post by first leading with: #Abortion rights are #HumanRights.
#ReproductiveRights also fall into the same category and will be a major issue in #Election2024.
The #GOP now realize there is no escape from the political trap created by the #SupremeCourt with the #Dobbs decision which overturned #RoeVsWade
The issue will drive #WomenVoters for the foreseeable future. Good article on the issue from @tpm_rss_bot
Republicans are reeling this week, days after Ohio voters handily defeated a ballot initiative widely understood to be a proxy fight for a coming proposal to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution.
@tpm_rss_bot
43) it seems likely that the District Attorney of Fulton County, Fani Willis, will bring charges this week against #DonaldTrump and his associates for the pressure campaign and fake electoral scheme used in an attempt to subvert the 2020 #Georgia presidential results
If so, former President #Trump will be facing 4 criminal indictments as he attempts to reclaim the presidency on #Election2024
The #NYT details the sprawling scheme in Georgia 👇
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/trump-georgia-election-results.html
44) The quartet of #Trump indictments are now complete. In addition to the former President, 18 additional defendants, many high level former administration officials, are named in the charge.
Finding space in Trump’s 2024 trial calendar will be challenging without regard for his #Election2024 ambitions which represent on off ramp for the candidate should his campaign meet with success
Donald Trump and 18 allies have been indicted in Georgia over efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The criminal case announced Monday night is the fourth brought against the ex-president and the second this month to allege that he tried to subvert the results of the vote. The indictment details dozens of acts by Trump and his allies to undo his defeat in the battleground state. Other defendants include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president’s efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia.
45) How will #Election2024 be affected by the #TrumpIndictments?
Politico has published a poll indicating that Americans want a speedy trial, that a slim majority think #Trump is guilty, and that a conviction would damage Trump’s election possibilities
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/08/25/ipsos-poll-trump-indictment-00112755
46) Today Enrique Tario of the #ProudBoys was sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy for his roll in the attempted #Jan6 coup.
The leadership of both the Proud Boys and the #OathKeepers are now serving significant sentences. Their activities on Jan 6th were triggered by #DoanldTrump.
Will #Trump also be called to account? He is after all the man that lit the fuse? What are the implications for American #Democracy should he too end up with a stiff sentence?
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/05/sentencing-enrique-tarrio-proud-boys-00114095
47) When #DonaldTrump overtly courted the #ProudBoys during the 2016 Presidential Debates
48) Tom Nichols at #TheAtlantic does an excellent job in detailing what is at stake in #Election2024, quite simply #democracy will be on the ballot.
#TheHeritageFoundation has provided a blueprint for another #Trump presidency which is a model for strongman despotism. Should that plan be implemented, there will be no easy recovery in reestablishing the rule of law.
49) Excellent piece on the heavy lift faced by #JoeBiden on switching #Ohio back to the #DemocraticParty column
#Biden identifies as an old style #Democrat who represents the interest of the #WorkingClass. Post #NAFTA, many Ohioans felt abandoned by the Democratic Party and became more receptive to the #GOP. Reversing Ohio voters perception of the Democratic Party as solely interested in the issues of the coastal elites, will be challenging.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/10/ohio-democrats-biden-working-class
50) To the absolute non surprise of anyone following #USPolitics, #KevinMcCarthy gave the green light to an #impeachment inquiry directed against #JoeBiden
In times past, presidential impeachment was reserved for overt misdeeds, think Nixon and the #Watergate break in. Now #GOP politics has degenerated to the point where political payback and #Trump fealty outweighs facts and evidence gathering
#Politics #Biden #HunterBiden #HardRight #FreedomCaucus #RightWing
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/12/1198922531/mccarthy-biden-impeachment-inquiry
51) A great piece on #MittRomney from in #TheAtlantic.
What is most disturbing is the profound isolation of Romney from his senatorial colleagues many who agree with him have opted to place their position and attendant reelection prospects above any sense of fidelity to the US Constitution
There is no honor left in the #GOP. The last honorable man in that caucus, that believed his oath, is walking away from the crumbling remains of the #RepublicanParty
52) #Wisconsin will be one of the battleground statres of #Election2024. The state will also be host to the #GOP convention.
The GOP dominates the state legislature and is attempting to remove a recently elected liberal justice from the state supreme court. Why?
With the election of Justice Protasiewicz, Wisoconsin's Supreme Court now has a liberal majority. That majority will likely redraw the Gerrymandered State and Federal election districts
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM's home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The Conversation. Wisconsin’s April 2023 state Supreme Court election was historic.
53) The #GOP state party has a lot of variables to consider should they opt to use #impeachment in attempting to remove Justice Protasiewic. There is no guiding ethical precedent for such an action
Excellent exchange between Ben Wikler, the #Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair and Josh Marshall of @tpm_rss_bot at the video 🔽 .
The #GOP seems to have found itself under increasing national scrutiny as this drama plays out. More to come!
54) A third party, #Election2024 candidate is a big concern for the #Biden re-election campaign.
What disturbs #Democrats sleep at night is that #NoLabels will put up a plausible #centrist candidate who will draw votes from #JoeBiden
In theory, more choice is better right? Not in America, and right wing #oligarch types understand this, it's why they're playing with the notion, and looking for a political patsy to do their bidding
#Politico has part of the story here:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/30/trump-donor-no-labels-adviser-00113395
55) In a similar vein, to the prior post, #CornelWest's #GreenParty candidacy, poses a threat to #JoeBiden and while I’m an admirer of Professor West, it would be better if he joined forces with #Biden to defeat the existential threat to democracy that is #DonaldTrump
#BernieSanders understands what it is at stake in #Election2024
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/27/sanders-biden-cornel-west-00113123
56) Despair is setting in for the monied types who wanted a nonsense free candidate as an alternative to #DonaldTrump
As #Trump support continues to coalesce in the #GOP primary, oligarch checkbooks are shutting.
There are rumblings that #NikkiHaley might be an alternative but it’s questionable those rumaors will manifest into a gusher of life giving campaign cash.
Politico has the story on the richies’ handwringing 🔽
58) #DonaldTrump and his companies ruled to have engaged in fraud. Specifically #Trump inflated his assets to borrow money from banks
The ruling was accompanied with an order which effectively cancelled the right of #Trump to business in #NewYork
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/26/trump-fraud-trial-inflate-net-worth-00118269
59) With the #UAWStrike almost 2 weeks old, #DonaldTrump went to #Michigan to posture as a supporter of American labor.
What did he do? He held his event in a non-unionized parts plant where he railed against #ElectricVehicles and environmentalists
#Trump does not care about #OrganizedLabor, the #environment and the #EV transition
Trump wants Americans to use 19th century fuel and 20th century tech in the 21st century. The #oilygarchy has no better advocate
60) Tomorrow, the Sunday politics talk shows will be filled with spinning about who blinked first on the threat of a government #Shutdown
Let’s start here, #KevinMcCarthy blinked. #McCarthy understands that shutdowns are bad #politics and have yet to yield a positive result for the #GOP at the ballot box
Assuming the #Senate passes the bill, the next item in the immediate future is whether the #Speaker will face a vote to remove him by the #FreedomCaucus
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/09/30/congress/stopgap-passes-00119280
61) The #GovernmentShutdown is a creation of the #GOP. The #RepublicanParty only becomes interested in #BalancedBudgets when out of, or with limited power.
Inevitably, the GOP’s onset of fiscal rectitude is accompanied by a desire to cut #spending which in turn will be used to reward the donor class with #TaxCuts. There is never any interest on the other side of the budgetary equation, namely raising taxes on the wealthy
This is the only governance idea the GOP has: #TaxCutsForTheRich
62) While a shutdown has been averted with stopgap funding, we get to do this all over again in November.
It is important to frame the chaos properly, shutdowns are a #GOP thing. A casual browse of history tells us that. This is part of a decades long #RepublicanParty effort to convince America that Washington is dysfunctional
So let’s be clear, the GOP is the party of dysfunction. These budget fights are a feature not a flaw in their strategy.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/09/30/congress/senate-votes-averts-shutdown-00119301
63) Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation explains the expense associated with a government #Shutdown threat.
#Buttigieg outlines the consequences of another similar action when the 45-day stopgap funding is used up
It's always a pleasure to listen to #PeteButtigieg who is articulate on the challanges of being in #government. He makes a refreshing diversion from the incoherence of what passes as political discourse on most TV coverage
65) The noose is tightening for #DonaldTrump as some of his co-conspirators start to plea out on their collective effort to subvert the presidential election in #Georgia.
The threat of the presentation of facts in a court of law does wonderful things to concentrate the mind. 😜
With both #Chesebro and #SidneyPowell taking a plea, I expect they will be required to testify to #Trump’s instructions as he attempted to subvert the election
66) Meanwhile over in the #HouseofRepresentatives, #GOP dysfunction is on full display as #JimJordan’s effort to accede to the #SpeakerOfTheHouse implodes
Given the #Republican Party’s dedication to the elimination of government, it’s not a surprise that they can’t implement anything approaching party discipline. The party with each passing month has become profoundly undemocratic
#UsSPolitics #Democracy #HouseSpeaker #houseGOP
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/20/congress/jordan-fails-again-00122706
67) For those with a deeper interest in the American political scene, this 3-parter #podcast from @ProPublica and #OnTheMedia, should be required listening.
In the past few years the impact of a multiple decade effort to swing the courts dramatically to the right of public concensus, is obvious to all but the somnolent
The series documents how one man, Leonard Leo, became and is an important player in the radicalization of the judiciary
https://www.propublica.org/article/we-dont-talk-about-leonard-podcast
68) #DonaldTrump and #RudyGiuliani must be feeling increasingly queasy as #JennaEllis, a third #Trump attorney, has now copped a deal rather than face legal jeopardy at the hands of #FaniWillis in #Georgia
It's not a good situation for a defendent when many subbordinated in the decision tree opt to avoid going down with the ship. I supose the big question is whether #Rudy will odp to plea out as well?
#Politico has the details 🔽
69) Meanwhile over in the #House we have the latest candidate for #speaker in the form of #TomEmmer of #Minnesota's 6th district.
There are plenty of cracks in plain sight and hard core #Trumpist types cite Emmer's vote to certify the presidential election on #Jan6 as being problematic.
He is rumored to be too liberal for the #FarRight types who are not appeased by his support for lawsuits which would have nullfied #SwingState votes
#Politics #USPolitics #HouseOfReps
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/24/congress/banks-00123253
70) And just like that, #TomEmmer's candidacy ends as he is branded a #RINO by #DonaldTrump.
The chaos will continue, much to the delight of the #HardRight of the #GOP who are uninterested in governing and more engaged by theatrical media appearence.
This is what it means to support #Trump's #Republican Party. It has been remade in his image, increasing populated with chaos monkies
71) The news flow appears to be quickening on multiple fronts, If #Meadows is now testifying against #DonaldTrump, there will be little place for the former president to hide
#USPolitics #Politics #Election2024
https://abcnews.go.com/US/chief-staff-mark-meadows-granted-immunity-tells-special/story?id=104231281
72) Next up in the #HouseSpeaker derby is Mike Johnson from #Louisiana’s 4th. Johnson, a lawyer, ticks the box from a #DonaldTrump fealty POV, having defended the former president during the impeachment trials
The #HardRight will support his opposition to financial support for the #UkraineWar
He is a #ChristianRight #SocialConservative, opposing #GayMarriage, #Abortion etc
#USPolitics #SpeakerOfTheHouse #Speaker #GOP
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/24/congress/next-up-mike-johnson-00123404
73) One drama has ended with the election of Mike Johnson. The question is whether he will be able to manage his fractious caucus and legislate
Where will Johnson stand on the #Ukraine War funding effort? Initially he was supportive of the war, now like make of his party, he is making reluctance noises. Will things change now that he has the #Speaker's gavel?
#Politics #USPolitics #HouseofReps #Congress
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/25/congress/johnson-takes-it-00123512
74) Much has been made of #JoeBiden’s verbal gaffes and supposed age related confusion in the #NewsMedia
Given #DonaldTrump’s rambling, non sequitor style of speaking, he appears to have been given a free pass
Today, the #NYTimes decided to call attention to Trump’s recent confusions
#Politics #USPolitics #Election2024
🔑 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/30/us/politics/trump-biden-age.html
75) File this one under remedial geographic education needed for presidential candidate
In 1976, Gerald Ford got slated for an absurd statement on the nature of of Soviet influence in Eastern Block countries. The response was appropriate. Expectations for a president should be higher.
Yet when #DonaldTrump gaffes on the location of #Hungary, it is mostly unnoticed.
What does that say about the #Newsmedia ecosystem in the United States?
https://www.politico.eu/article/us-donald-trump-hungary-orban-borders-russia-map-again/
76) One year from today, Americans will vote for the next President in #Election2024.
It’s virtually certain that #JoeBiden and #DonaldTrump will go face off again.
Today, the #NYTimes and #SiennaCollege published a battleground state poll containing sobering cross tabs for the #Biden campaign
A lot can happen in a year, but will Americans opt for the return of #Trump despite the multiple indictments faced by the former president?
I’m not sure if it’s power and greed or more despair, disappointment and anger resulting in an electorate willing to burn their democracy out of raw rage
I think our electorate reflects a failure to invest in public education with a particular shortcoming in understanding governance and how to improve it so that “a more perfect union” can be formed
This shortcoming creates an environment where #autocracy can thrive because #democracy “does not work”
The challenge now, for every thoughtful citizen, is to make sure that we step away from the brink of this madness and to encourage the same of others
Money has an outsized influence on American #politics. What passes as campaign finance law is little more than legalized bribery. Distinctions between soft and hard money are beyond ridicule and the whole leaky mess of legislation which supposedly governs election was made meaningless with the passage of Citizen’s United
One thing I can say a significant majority of Americans can agree on regardless of party is that there is too much money in politics
Martin Nutty
PNW Deb