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Post by hopechest on Apr 6, 2023 22:16:33 GMT
How do we get it to just stop? In its tracks? Stop.
The overturning reproductive rights, the harm to our LGBTQ+ communities, the lack of interest in any gun control, just all of it.
There just isn't enough time to protest and vote and all the stuff we're "supposed" to do to have our voices heard.
The other side can seem to push things through willy-nilly, why can't we stop it in the same way? What are we missing?
I realize of course, this shouting to the wind. The bullshit in TN is just sending me over the edge. They are removing the house members for listening to CHILDREN protesters, yet Clarence Thomas sits on the goddamn Supreme Court with not a care in the world. How???
We're missing something. There just has to be something that can be done.
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Post by ntsf on Apr 6, 2023 22:27:07 GMT
voting matters... every time, everyone who can vote needs to vote. donate or send texts, keep up what is happening.. raise kids who vote.
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,514
Nov 14, 2016 23:47:03 GMT
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Post by pinklady on Apr 6, 2023 22:27:55 GMT
It’s very simple, STOP VOTING FOR REPUBLICANS!
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Post by epeanymous on Apr 6, 2023 22:31:17 GMT
Pramila Jayapal, my representative, who has a trans child, has introduced federal legislation to protect trans rights. I believe she has introduced it before, however, so I don't know that "vote" and "call your reps" is enough.
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Post by Merge on Apr 6, 2023 22:37:54 GMT
I don’t know. I fear it may be too late. But all we can do is to keep showing up to vote. We pass our values on to our kids and talk with our friends and family about why these issues are important, in the hopes that they will vote, too. But I believe things will get worse before they get better. And as that happens, we must all be sure to be there for those who need us, reach out to marginalized folks, and do what we can for those who suffer under repressive policies.
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,685
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Apr 6, 2023 22:45:40 GMT
It seems to me we need a mechanism for response, a way to say, "That's not true" when republicans float their nonsense. It seems like MTG and Boebert say something unfounded and it fritters across the airways, unobstructed. A certain slice of society is going to believe whatever is coughed up in front of them, especially if there is no one saying, "That's not true" or "Provide proof" or "Where is the citation for this information?" I get that time spent challenging false statements of energy that should be used for making positive policy changes, but damn, unchallenged statements become the "accepted truth" pretty darn fast.
It could be someone's entire job, responding to republican falsehoods and pointing out inconsistencies. Better yet, let's make it two people's jobs: one from each side of the aisle.
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Post by Merge on Apr 6, 2023 22:48:42 GMT
It seems to me we need a mechanism for response, a way to say, "That's not true" when republicans float their nonsense. It seems like MTG and Boebert say something unfounded and it fritters across the airways, unobstructed. A certain slice of society is going to believe whatever is coughed up in front of them, especially if there is no one saying, "That's not true" or "Provide proof" or "Where is the citation for this information?" I get that time spent challenging false statements of energy that should be used for making positive policy changes, but damn, unchallenged statements become the "accepted truth" pretty darn fast. It could be someone's entire job, responding to republican falsehoods and pointing out inconsistencies. Better yet, let's make it two people's jobs: one from each side of the aisle. When we do that here (ask for citations from credible sources) we’re accused of stifling dissent and shutting down conversation. Problem is we as a society no longer agree on what is true and what are credible sources. So you’re just shouting into the wind .
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Post by MichyM on Apr 6, 2023 22:55:14 GMT
Pramila Jayapal, my representative, who has a trans child, has introduced federal legislation to protect trans rights. I believe she has introduced it before, however, so I don't know that "vote" and "call your reps" is enough. She is also my rep as you know. I had no idea that she had a trans child. We need more of her in Congress. To the OP, I too feel like we're just spiraling downward, at an increasing speed. Every time I think it just cannot get worse, it does. It is heartbreakingly frustrating.
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Post by Merge on Apr 6, 2023 22:55:52 GMT
Sorry, I thought of more: one thing we can do is stop electing moderate Democrats and nominate/elect those who will actually use their executive power to do something. Some of this could have been avoided if the current administration had had the balls to tighten the screws on Senate holdouts so they could codify abortion rights into law and pass meaningful voting rights legislation. Biden has been disappointingly weak in that regard. Forget candidates who say they want to bring the country together or work across the aisle. We are past that. I want a candidate who pledges to crush Dominionist GOP efforts by beating them at their own game.
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Post by MichyM on Apr 6, 2023 22:58:32 GMT
It seems to me we need a mechanism for response, a way to say, "That's not true" when republicans float their nonsense. It seems like MTG and Boebert say something unfounded and it fritters across the airways, unobstructed. A certain slice of society is going to believe whatever is coughed up in front of them, especially if there is no one saying, "That's not true" or "Provide proof" or "Where is the citation for this information?" I get that time spent challenging false statements of energy that should be used for making positive policy changes, but damn, unchallenged statements become the "accepted truth" pretty darn fast. It could be someone's entire job, responding to republican falsehoods and pointing out inconsistencies. Better yet, let's make it two people's jobs: one from each side of the aisle. I was so proud of KING5 for turning off trumps speech on Tuesday night (he came on during our 5pm newscast) after about 2 minutes. It was clear he was just going to spout out and out lies, and they had had enough. His BS should not be promoted on mainstream media. I hope other local news stations (throughout the country) did the same.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Apr 6, 2023 23:05:18 GMT
Vote, vote and vote some more. Encourage your local officials to put in safeguards on the state level if the federal is still f'd up. Respect those around you. I don't disagree that it might get worse, but you look at young people today - these people are aging dinosaurs out of step with the world. I do think it will get better - I just wish it would happen sooner.
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Post by aj2hall on Apr 6, 2023 23:06:09 GMT
Elections matter at every level including local town elections, school boards etc. What is happening in Tennessee and Kansas is really discouraging. There is a little hope that Wisconsin elected a Democratic judge who might help overturn the extreme Republican gerrymandered districts. The students protesting in Tennesseee is encouraging, too. And the Biden Administration is considering a rule change under title 9 forbidding outright bans on transgender athletes. It's not perfect and does not protect students at every level, but it's certainly an improvement over the bans passed in 20 plus states. www.nytimes.com/2023/04/06/us/transgender-athletes-title-ix-biden-adminstration.htmlThe Biden administration proposed a rule change on Thursday that would forbid schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes from teams that are consistent with their gender identities, but offered flexibility for “fairness” and other exceptions that are likely to apply at the highest levels of competition.
Weighing in on the highly charged debate about transgender athletes and school sports, the Biden administration’s proposal would make “categorically” banning all transgender students from teams that are consistent with their gender identities a violation of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding.
But it would also allow K-12 schools and universities to limit the participation of transgender students when including them could undermine “fairness in competition” or potentially lead to sports-related injuries.
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,685
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Apr 6, 2023 23:12:27 GMT
It seems to me we need a mechanism for response, a way to say, "That's not true" when republicans float their nonsense. It seems like MTG and Boebert say something unfounded and it fritters across the airways, unobstructed. A certain slice of society is going to believe whatever is coughed up in front of them, especially if there is no one saying, "That's not true" or "Provide proof" or "Where is the citation for this information?" I get that time spent challenging false statements of energy that should be used for making positive policy changes, but damn, unchallenged statements become the "accepted truth" pretty darn fast. It could be someone's entire job, responding to republican falsehoods and pointing out inconsistencies. Better yet, let's make it two people's jobs: one from each side of the aisle. I was so proud of KING5 for turning off trumps speech on Tuesday night (he came on during our 5pm newscast) after about 2 minutes. It was clear he was just going to spout out and out lies, and they had had enough. His BS should not be promoted on mainstream media. I hope other local news stations (throughout the country) did the same. YES! This needs to happen with greater frequency. And it can, since it seems he's just recycling the same old tired rants and untrue claims.
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pantsonfire
Pearl Clutcher
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 4,754
Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Apr 6, 2023 23:25:14 GMT
It’s very simple, STOP VOTING FOR REPUBLICANS! And those moderate Democrats or persons who all of a sudden become a Democrat and then once voted in, switch back to Republican.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 7, 2023 2:24:36 GMT
But what can be done about those states that are so horrifically gerrymandered that there isn’t a way for their elections to ever be fair? People can vote all day long but if the districts are dissected in such a way that certain people’s votes are minimized, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good. It’s so depressing.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Apr 7, 2023 2:40:00 GMT
I've been wondering this as well. What I notice particularly at the local level is that Democrats are always on the defense. The Republican groups come up with their next complaint/area to focus on and then people have to try to refute what they are saying. It is often so illogical or ridiculous that many people blow it off because how could people actually think that? Kind of like when the talk about CRT first started. Democrats responded with the logical response that CRT isn't taught in K-12 schools, end of story. But in reality the Republicans have changed the definition of CRT to suit their agenda. They are very good at getting their people to fall in line with the rhetoric and they don't second guess what they are told. Republicans are very good at stoking fear in people and sticking to their message. It is harder to do that when you are the party that is trying to counter that and have to wait to see what they do next.
I feel like state legislatures are also getting more brazen lately. Not only with the laws that they are proposing or putting into place, but their actions meant to stifle Democrats. Last night I was on Tik Tok and saw several posts from people regarding actions being taken in their states. I think it was North Carolina that put into place a rule that Democrats had to have 15 signatures on a green piece of paper in order to bring a bill forward. The rep said that he had several times where someone said they would be the 15th if they got the other signatures needed first. What kind of crap is that? I think it was in Arizona where someone who just won their election as a Democrat has now stated that they are going to switch to Republican. Again...what kind of crap is that? (I could also be wrong on the states because it was late when I watched those videos).
We do need to continue to vote for Democrats, and urge others to do the same. But we also need to figure out how to get people to see what the Republican party is actually doing and what is happening to our democracy. I hope that in the next election enough people will wake up and let these people know that their time is up. But I fear for what damage they will continue to do until then.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Apr 7, 2023 2:41:41 GMT
But what can be done about those states that are so horrifically gerrymandered that there isn’t a way for their elections to ever be fair? People can vote all day long but if the districts are dissected in such a way that certain people’s votes are minimized, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good. It’s so depressing. You have to get people to realize that voting for Republicans isn't working for them. Gerrymandering makes it much more difficult, but nobody's vote is guaranteed to be for one party or the other.
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Post by 950nancy on Apr 7, 2023 3:13:34 GMT
I think it is going to take a movement of people who are generally nonvoters or people who don't often vote to step up and say enough. I saw on some show today that a huge influx of college voters made a difference this last Tuesday.
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Post by Merge on Apr 7, 2023 3:21:16 GMT
But what can be done about those states that are so horrifically gerrymandered that there isn’t a way for their elections to ever be fair? People can vote all day long but if the districts are dissected in such a way that certain people’s votes are minimized, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good. It’s so depressing. Federal voting rights legislation that requires states to use an independent commission to draw district maps would be a start. Having the ruling party draw the maps is asinine.
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Post by aj2hall on Apr 7, 2023 4:14:49 GMT
But what can be done about those states that are so horrifically gerrymandered that there isn’t a way for their elections to ever be fair? People can vote all day long but if the districts are dissected in such a way that certain people’s votes are minimized, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good. It’s so depressing. Federal voting rights legislation that requires states to use an independent commission to draw district maps would be a start. Having the ruling party draw the maps is asinine. A very few states have started to do this. In most states, I think it would require a ballot measure to change redistricting. Not surprisingly, Republicans are trying to make it harder to have ballot measures. heathercoxrichardson.substack.comMeanwhile, Republican-dominated states are so determined to ignore the majority they are also trying to make it harder for voters to challenge state laws through ballot initiatives. Alice MIranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly of Politico recently wrote about how, after voters in a number of states overrode abortion bans through ballot initiatives, legislatures in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Oklahoma are now debating ways to make it harder for voters to get measures on the ballot, sometimes even specifying that abortion-related measures are not eligible for ballot challenges.
And yet, in the face of the open attempt of a minority to seize control, replacing our democracy with Christian nationalism, the majority is reasserting its power. In Michigan, after an independent redistricting commission redrew maps to end the same sort of gerrymandering that is currently in place in Wisconsin and Tennessee, Democrats in 2022 won a slim majority to control the state government. And today, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill revoking a 1931 law that criminalized abortion without exception for rape or incest.
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Post by aj2hall on Apr 7, 2023 4:29:33 GMT
I think it is going to take a movement of people who are generally nonvoters or people who don't often vote to step up and say enough. I saw on some show today that a huge influx of college voters made a difference this last Tuesday. I think it was a combination of things. The Democrats launched a massive get out the vote campaign. College kids voted. And abortion motivated Democratic voters. And maybe some people just had enough of the Republican party in Wisconsin. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/04/05/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-democrat/Democratic state party chairman Ben Wikler, who mounted a mammoth turn-out-the-vote operation, told me Tuesday, “The GOP machine thought they had broken Wisconsin’s democracy enough that they could rip away fundamental rights from half the population and never suffer the consequences. Tonight, an enraged electorate proved them wrong. In the state that tips the country, Dobbs, the crowning achievement of the far right, became its undoing.”
From the same opinion, this is encouraging. I hope she's right. Elected judges around the country should perk up: If they want to hijack democracy by acting like MAGA legislators in robes, they’ll find themselves out of office. And the warning to Republicans could not be more blunt: If you keep pushing right-wing judges widely out of step with the 21st-century United States to trample on cherished civil rights, voters will boot you out, up and down the ballot. Republicans have every right to panic that Dobbs might usher in a new era of Democratic dominance in critical swing states.
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 7, 2023 6:14:41 GMT
voting matters... every time, everyone who can vote needs to vote. donate or send texts, keep up what is happening.. raise kids who vote. This. An alarming number of Americans don’t bother to vote. I don’t understand it.
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 7, 2023 6:26:32 GMT
I've been wondering this as well. What I notice particularly at the local level is that Democrats are always on the defense. The Republican groups come up with their next complaint/area to focus on and then people have to try to refute what they are saying. It is often so illogical or ridiculous that many people blow it off because how could people actually think that? Kind of like when the talk about CRT first started. Democrats responded with the logical response that CRT isn't taught in K-12 schools, end of story. But in reality the Republicans have changed the definition of CRT to suit their agenda. They are very good at getting their people to fall in line with the rhetoric and they don't second guess what they are told. Republicans are very good at stoking fear in people and sticking to their message. It is harder to do that when you are the party that is trying to counter that and have to wait to see what they do next. I feel like state legislatures are also getting more brazen lately. Not only with the laws that they are proposing or putting into place, but their actions meant to stifle Democrats. Last night I was on Tik Tok and saw several posts from people regarding actions being taken in their states. I think it was North Carolina that put into place a rule that Democrats had to have 15 signatures on a green piece of paper in order to bring a bill forward. The rep said that he had several times where someone said they would be the 15th if they got the other signatures needed first. What kind of crap is that? I think it was in Arizona where someone who just won their election as a Democrat has now stated that they are going to switch to Republican. Again...what kind of crap is that? (I could also be wrong on the states because it was late when I watched those videos). We do need to continue to vote for Democrats, and urge others to do the same. But we also need to figure out how to get people to see what the Republican party is actually doing and what is happening to our democracy. I hope that in the next election enough people will wake up and let these people know that their time is up. But I fear for what damage they will continue to do until then. They are absolutely getting more brazen. A lot of R politicians realize that their ideas are unpopular. So they are trying very hard to make it harder for voters to boot them out of office. A lot of young people seem to have realized that if they don’t vote, they are going to end up living in the 1950s. They are right. What happened in Tennessee was terrible, obviously, but it has given voters a very clear picture of who Republicans are.
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 7, 2023 6:51:25 GMT
Here’s an example of GOP reactions to an election loss. For those who don’t know, Dems just won a bitterly fought state SC seat in Wisconsin this week. Here is former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker analyzing that loss, and his reaction to it.
He is President of this foundation. I googled it, and the foundation is a cofounder of CPAC. 👀👀
So Scott thinks that young people can be turned around. Read the thread; it’s pretty funny.
Lol. The charisma is over the top.
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Post by aj2hall on Apr 7, 2023 10:27:01 GMT
Really great statement from one of the Tennessee Representatives who was undemocratically ousted. heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-6-2023?r=1f0orz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=emailBefore he left the chamber, Representative Justin Pearson told his suddenly former colleagues how he saw it. “You are seeking to expel District 86’s representation from this house, in a country that was built on a protest. IN A COUNTRY THAT WAS BUILT ON A PROTEST. You who celebrate July 4, 1776, pop fireworks and eat hotdogs. You say to protest is wrong because you spoke out of turn, because you spoke up for people who are marginalized. You spoke up for children who won’t ever be able to speak again; you spoke up for parents who don’t want to live in fear; you spoke up for Larry Thorn, who was murdered by gun violence; you spoke up for people that we don’t want to care about. In a country built on people who speak out of turn, who spoke out of turn, who fought out of turn to build a nation. “I come from a long line of people who have resisted.”
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peppermintpatty
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1345
Posts: 3,838
Jun 26, 2014 17:47:08 GMT
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Post by peppermintpatty on Apr 7, 2023 12:10:26 GMT
Sorry, I thought of more: one thing we can do is stop electing moderate Democrats and nominate/elect those who will actually use their executive power to do something. Some of this could have been avoided if the current administration had had the balls to tighten the screws on Senate holdouts so they could codify abortion rights into law and pass meaningful voting rights legislation. Biden has been disappointingly weak in that regard. Forget candidates who say they want to bring the country together or work across the aisle. We are past that. I want a candidate who pledges to crush Dominionist GOP efforts by beating them at their own game. AMEN!!!!!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 7, 2023 14:51:50 GMT
But what can be done about those states that are so horrifically gerrymandered that there isn’t a way for their elections to ever be fair? People can vote all day long but if the districts are dissected in such a way that certain people’s votes are minimized, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good. It’s so depressing. Federal voting rights legislation that requires states to use an independent commission to draw district maps would be a start. Having the ruling party draw the maps is asinine. But do you really think any of the current R’s would vote for that? I don’t. They’ve been plotting with the Federalist Society for decades to get where we are. There’s no way they would turn back now.
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Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,643
Location: Kansas City -ish
Jun 27, 2014 2:38:58 GMT
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Post by Anita on Apr 7, 2023 21:43:55 GMT
I fear it will take violence. It seems to be headed in that direction.
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Post by Merge on Apr 8, 2023 4:42:50 GMT
Federal voting rights legislation that requires states to use an independent commission to draw district maps would be a start. Having the ruling party draw the maps is asinine. But do you really think any of the current R’s would vote for that? I don’t. They’ve been plotting with the Federalist Society for decades to get where we are. There’s no way they would turn back now. No, we had our chance before they flipped the house. The GOP bought Manchin and Sinema and Biden and the Democrats didn’t seem able or willing to buy or force them back, so that opportunity was lost.
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nursema
Full Member
Posts: 352
Mar 1, 2022 10:14:32 GMT
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Post by nursema on Apr 8, 2023 5:11:54 GMT
In addition to doing everything we possibly can to increase voter turnout, we should be organizing, hitting the streets and raising hell in every state - regularly.
Look at the response in Tennessee. Granted, that was a result of large scale current events, but the bigger picture is a current event, as well - and we have been far too complacent for too long. We should be marching like we were when Trump was elected. I feel like anything less will be the equivalent of our sitting back and allowing these evil, greedy, corrupt sociopaths to further hijack our government and lock it down for good. An authoritarian government is right around the corner, and we have no choice but to fight it.
It will take a massive, multigenerational movement to rise up and put an end to this, or all of us will have NO voice in the future.
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