Today’s post focuses on the national election, with a scathing commentary from a long-time GOP leader, followed by analysis of the kind of Trump stunts we should encounter soon & lastly we look at Swing Left as a tool for you to play a role in this election.
At the bottom of this post we are sharing a two-minute video from MSNBC’s Chris Hayes in which he calls for Trump to resign. Taken together, this post is designed to be shared with others, both friends within and outside NM. The game is on, folks and it is time to role up our sleeves and get active. Four more years of this tyrant is simply unacceptable.
Before we get started, a notice that EarthCare and allies are hosting a safe rally and march at the NM State Capitol. Joining EarthCare will be allies Walk The Talk, YUCCA, Red Nation, DSA, Santa Fe While Black.
The focus of today’s event is to show solidarity against white supremacist violence like the horrific hate crime committed against India Palace, call for accountability and justice, and continue the momentum to transition from the fundamentally flawed and racist institution of policing to true systems of public safety. It’s happening at 5:30 pm.
The Most Important Election In US History: All Hands On Deck
This is an unprecedented presidential election. The future of our country and the lives of perhaps millions of Americans are literally hanging in the balance. While the polls look promising in key states, as this article lays out, President Trump is unbothered by any semblance of moral compass, driven by an almost pathological quest for approval, and supported by a complicit GOP and a criminally negligent Department of Justice. In “This is the most succinct — and brutal — Republican rejection of Donald Trump that you will ever read,” CNN’s The Point offers the most scathing commentary on the Trump presidency I’ve read. It comes from Steve Schmidt, a GOP leader who has been highly involved as a GOP leader for decades. I don’t usually quote so extensively, but this has to be read in its entirety, three scathing paragraphs that precisely capture what most of us feel right now:
“Donald Trump has been the worst president this country has ever had. And I don’t say that hyperbolically. He is. But he is a consequential president. And he has brought this country in three short years to a place of weakness that is simply unimaginable if you were pondering where we are today from the day where Barack Obama left office. And there were a lot of us on that day who were deeply skeptical and very worried about what a Trump presidency would be. But this is a moment of unparalleled national humiliation, of weakness.
When you listen to the President, these are the musings of an imbecile. An idiot. And I don’t use those words to name call. I use them because they are the precise words of the English language to describe his behavior. His comportment. His actions. We’ve never seen a level of incompetence, a level of ineptitude so staggering on a daily basis by anybody in the history of the country whose ever been charged with substantial responsibilities.
It’s just astonishing that this man is president of the United States. The man, the con man, from New York City. Many bankruptcies, failed businesses, a reality show, that branded him as something that he never was. A successful businessman. Well, he’s the President of the United States now, and the man who said he would make the country great again. And he’s brought death, suffering, and economic collapse on truly an epic scale. And let’s be clear. This isn’t happening in every country around the world. This place. Our place. Our home. Our country. The United States. We are the epicenter. We are the place where you’re the most likely to die from this disease. We’re the ones with the most shattered economy. And we are because of the fool that sits in the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk.”
CNN The Point: “This is the most succinct — and brutal — Republican rejection of Donald Trump that you will ever read”
One would think that with this kind of commentary coming from GOP leadership, that the polling data below would only be a harbinger of a continuing slide in the polls and a landslide defeat in November. But while the polls below suggest a promising outcome in November, remember 2016 when polls pointed to a near certain Clinton win or even a landslide. See polls below.
In this context, it might be possible for too many of us to become overconfident and take the summer off or focus exclusively on NM races . But as described in “Trump bruised as polls favour Biden – but experts warn of risk of dirty tricks” published last night by The Guardian, it is easy to envision any number of stunts Trump could unearth to undermine the election or assault the character and capacity of Joe Biden. The article points to how we as the economy and COVID continue to cripple the nation, Trump will begin to unravel and in desperation launch any number of developments like:
- Suppressing the Vote. The GOP is already spending $10 M to suppress voting and to oppose efforts to allow mail-in ballots;
- Undermining the Validity of the Election. Trump has already gone on binge tweeting about how millions of ballots will be forged, completed by foreign powers or leftist groups bent on his demise;
- Unearthing Fake News Attacks on Biden. Expect the DOJ to discover new evidence of Hunter Biden crimes with his father complicit in these fabricated charges;
- Trump Initiated Crises. Imagine the number of national crises that Trump could conjure to justify postponing the election or denying the results.
In any other decade, any of the above would be unthinkable. Today, it is not just thinkable, but much of it is either already occurring or are likely to unfold soon. But readers of this post don’t generally need more evidence that Trump is a bad president, so why devote a few hundred words to offering more evidence of the evil nature of this administration and the GOP that supports it?
The answer is simple: With so much at stake, it is imperative that we not become complacent. I have fielded all too many comments like this: “I just can’t vote for Biden.” followed by principled reasons for not voting for him. Other emails from readers indicate “I’ll hold my nose and vote for him, but I’m not gonna do a thing to support him.”
Let’s be very clear:
This is NOT the time for principles, this is the time to save our lives and our future. And Anyone But Trump must motivate us not just to vote, but to actively support Biden’s campaign.
Retake Has a Plan
Retake is a NM focused organization with relationships throughout the state that can be used to support progressive NM candidates. More on that in a future post. But, we do not have that kind of influence or base outside NM borders. Yet, since it is likely Biden will defeat Trump handily in NM, we must find ways for all of us to weigh in on this momentous national election. Fortunately, Swing Left has developed a platform that makes it easy for all of you to play meaningful roles in this election.
With Swing Left, individuals are offered tools to advocate in what Swing Left calls “Super States.” Swing Left overlaid dozens of campaign maps to identify the states in which focused efforts could yield important results in the White House, Senate and some key House campaigns (see map below). Swing Left offers an array of tools for organizing in other states from your living room couch. Click here to explore the tools and supports offered by Swing Left.
Fortunately, there is a New Mexico chapter that facilitates organizing New Mexicans around these Swing Left strategies. You can join that group by clicking here and then you will get periodic emails informing you of various opportunities to become active in a state of your choice.
In addition, every single one of us has relationships with family, former roommates, former neighbors and others who live in one of the states above. In addition to joining up with Swing Left, I’d suggest sharing this post with them and then following it up with a call. We need to catalyze and activate as many people as we can in these Super States. The same Swing Left tools available to those outside the Super States can be deployed by those within them.
Please examine the Super State list and start sharing this post with friends in those states. Then click on the Swing Left link above and get started. Retake will be offering more encouragement and support going forward, along with analysis of some key Senate races.
This is not the time to stand on the sidelines. There is too much at stake and only four months between now and November. Let’s do this!.
Chris Hayes Calls For Trump To Resign
In solidarity & hope,
Paul & Roxanne
Categories: Uncategorized
I remember when you were focused on beating Biden. Glad you’ve changed your mind.
While I appreciate what Steve Schmidt is saying, There is not a bigger Trump hater in the so-called remnants of the Republican party. He is definitely an outlier. I find him to be funny and outrageous.
I have the argument between principles and national survival with myself almost daily. I viscerally loath Biden for not being anything compared to Bernie and for allowing himself to be made an insurmountable obstacle to Bernie’s campaign—and for probably thinking he did it all himself. But the man who should lead this country is now leading by working with Biden to bring him closer to what we need. So if Bernie can set that kind of example, it’s my job to follow as best I can. Maybe eventually I can stop gnashing my teeth, but I’m still following Bernie.