Call to Action, plus another subtle shift in GOTV strategy that is going viral (over 500 have acted) plus News In Briefs on PNM, the GOP attack on the integrity of the two party system & why many are voting NO on the Dem Party platform.
We share all of last week’s posts, including one from Monday that was a reprise of the previous week and so includes the two-part “meltdown” series. At the bottom of today’s post, we also, share a powerful testimonial from an Alabama nurse. It is a very short piece that helps you understand and feel what health professionals working in COVID clinics face EVERY SINGLE 12-HOUR DAY OF THEIR LIVES. Must read.
Earth Care Parent Leaders Need Laptops
We wrote on Saturday that one of our most important allies, Earth Care, needed donations to support their implementation of a nationally recognized, 2 generation leadership program which focuses on enhancing early childhood education, increasing parent engagement in the civic life of Santa Fe, and expanding their options for employment and continuing education. Abriendo Puertas-Opening Doors, was recognized by the Obama White House as one of the best bilingual/bicultural, 2 gen programs directed at Latino families. Earth Care will first train 14 parent leaders, mostly young moms, who will then be ready to share what they have learned with their peers starting next month. One problem: two of the parents do not have laptops which are needed to participate remotely. So, if have recently upgraded and have a laptop that you do not use anymore, give Miguel Acosta a call and he’ll arrange for it to be picked up. 505-800-8808
News In Brief: Some very good briefs today, with the first an excellent and brief description of how important having at least two legitimate parties are to democracy, as Heather Cox Richardson examine the first peaceful transition in 1800 and comments on the situation in the US. If you missed it, Donald Trump retweeted a comment that we should “let Democratic cities rot.” The GOP no longer just disagrees on policy, they are willing to allow their Democratic managed cities rot. It will be interesting to see if GOP leadership shows any concerns about this rhetoric. The second piece explains why Rep. Khanna is voting no on the DP platform, along with many other progressive Dems. Finally, I never understood “de-coupling” and how pernicious and exploitative it is. NEE does great job of laying out exactly what is at stake from yet another devious PNM effort.
- From Letters from an American: “August 15: Heather Cox Richardson”
- From Common Dreams: “Why I am voting no on the Democratic Party platform” by Ro Khanna
- From New Energy Economy: “PNM applies to decouple sales and revenue, but their proposal has some flaws”
GOTV Update: Let’s Do This!!!!!
Well over 500 folks have gone to the GOTV page to take action, but we have 2700 folks receiving this post and the GOTV page has appeared on dozens of Facebook pages. So, those of you who have not, as yet, taken the time to take action, now is the time. We want to get to 1000 by midweek and then the strategy will shift to writing back to those folks on your lists to whom you’ve already written once and remind them to take action themselves. The power of this strategy is entirely dependent upon others forwarding the strategy to dozens of their friends.
We have also revised our GOTV page again, as more and more input is offered and as it is becoming clearer by the moment that procedures will vary greatly state-by-state and day by day. Hence the critical importance of checking in with your state Secretary of State and/or your County Clerk to verify procedures. But the power of the GOTV strategy is NOT that the strategy for ensuring your vote is counted is 100% correct (it can’t be as quickly as things change), but rather the chain-letter approach to reaching out to thousands who are then sensitized to the need to check in with their state SOS/county clerk and make a plan to get their ballot in as early and safely as possible.
Click here to access our update GOTV strategy page.
Petition Postal Service Board of Governors to Remove DeJoy
Last week, we offered several commentaries on the dismantling of the postal service. Until Saturday, I had felt like regardless of how bad this is, we had zero leverage to express our outrage or change the course of policy at the USPS… until I received word of a petition to the US Postal Services Board of Governors who have the power to remove DeJoy. I am usually not a huge promoter of petitions because they so rarely have an impact. But in this instance the stakes are so high and signing the petition is such an easy lift, that I am encouraging you to click below and sign and then share this email with friends.
Click the link to sign the petition and then forward this post to five friends and ask them to do the same. OVER 850k PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED SO FAR.
A Week in Review
Reflections on COVID Psychological Impacts
& NM State Water Policy
Monday, August 10. We are republishing last Monday’s post because two of the pieces featured that week generated so much discussion. Those two posts began by describing my personal meltdown, but quickly moved to a discussion of just how much COVID is crushing the hopes and plans of those folks in their 20s and 30s, people just starting relationships, careers and families and now having to do so with a complex we web of challenges from travel constraints, to income loss and fear of COVID.
Click here to read the full post.
How We Went Wrong & How We Get It Right
Tuesday, August 11. In this post we chronicled the Democratic Party’s slide from being girded by New Deal values to one that is infused with neoliberal compromises, a party willing to negotiate with libertarians & profiteers, while turning their back on unions, the working class & the poor. The post was entirely devoted to an Atlantic piece, “College-Educated Professionals Are Capitalism’s Useful Idiots” forwarded to me by Eduardo Krasilovsky. The Atlantic piece does an outstanding job of walking us through the last 90 years from the dawn of the New Deal to the advent of the Raw Deal, where we sit now.
Click here to read the full post.
To Steal Election, Trump Continues Onslaught on Postal Service. Retake Has a Plan to Counter This.
MUST READ CALL TO ACTION!
Thursday, August 13. This post has gone somewhat viral, as it announced a GOTV strategy that has resonated with hundreds of readers. The ultimate impact of the strategy will depend upon how well the chain letter strategy evolves and how many of those people that Retake supporters have contacted actually then send the strategy to dozens of their friends. We’ll keep you posted. But this post is worth reading for other reasons, as it laid out the degree to which Trump is undermining the US Postal Service and the potential impact on the election and another feature on signs of radical change and important leftist election wins in Europe and here at home. This is an uplifting post with an action any of you can do easily.
Click here to read the full post.
Trump Roles Back Methane Rules As Permian Frackers Flare Without Restraint Plus an Update on Our GOTV Strategy
Saturday, August 15. We may be on to something with our GOTV strategy as it is getting lots of attention. We’ve revised it to focus more on voting in person with early voting, as long as it can be done safely. All but 9 states allow early in-person voting, often in secured drop boxes which can be accessed quite safely. We also report more on Trump’s dismantling the postal service.
This piece also had News-in-Briefs on reversing deforestation and the degree to which Permian Basin frackers are releasing methane without any effort to curb the practice. So, in this post, we tried to include some focus on the climate crisis.
Click here to review this post.
Facebook Post From an Alabama Nurse
Have you ever physically worked a 12+ hour shift in a Covid Unit/Floor?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever tried to get a DNR order over the phone on a patient that you feel in your gut will code soon?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever been begged by a patients wife to talk to him over the phone and be asked “How do I tell my husband how much I love him in 30 seconds? It could be the last time he hears it.”No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever hit a Code Blue button?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever done chest compressions in a Covid Positive patients room? Broke ribs? Yelled for EPI?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever had a time of death called to then remove your PPE and your fingers be pruned from sweat as if you had been in a pool for 3 hours?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever told a patients wife that her husband has passed OVER THE PHONE and she cannot come see his body? Have you ever had the sound of someone screaming burned into your mind?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever placed a patients body in a body bag? Confirmed the patients identity and place a toe tag on their toe? Called a funeral home to pick the patients body up?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever held the hand of a complete stranger as they take their last breath? Alone?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Do you know the difference between intubate and incubate?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid
Have you ever left the hospital and all those traumatic events play through your head while you think of what you could have done different? What if you had done something earlier?No? Then you don’t get an opinion on Covid.
Have you ever lost a loved one to Covid? Unable to see them? Hold their hand? Look in their eyes one last time?No? Then you will never understand this awful time we are all living in.PERIOD. END OF STORY.
We are tired. We are stressed. We are depressed. This has been the worst months of my life and most definitely my career.
Facebook should be where we see nothing but uplifting encouragement from our community. But here we are.Pray for us. Pray so hard because I don’t know how much more any of us can take.
Edited to add: This post is not political. This post is purely a daily occurance for myself, my coworkers and so many nurses across our country. This post is not to say that my fellow medical professionals (paramedics, emts, fireman, police, etc) are any less tired or distraught. I can’t speak for them because I am a nurse.
Also edited to add: This is a post simply made out of hurt and frustration at so many that believe this virus is a hoax or a conspiracy theory. This is a real life explanation of what our new “normal” has become. It’s so disheartening to go to work and do what we have to do to these patients AND their family members. Covid is breaking so many people’s hearts and unfortunately, as nurses, we are seeing it first hand. As nurses our careers were already physically, mentally and emotionally demanding prior to Covid. Today, it’s times ten. Emotionally draining doesn’t even begin to describe it. But we still press on because these patients NEED someone to care for them.
Please, please, please wear your mask and social distance. I pray that we will see a light at the end of the tunnel soon. Maybe then we will get back to a normal life here in Alabama and all of America.
In solidarity & hope,
Paul & Roxanne
Categories: Election, Political Reform & National Politics
We sent the GOTV to 85 friends and family members. Several others have reported sending it in response to our email – one person to 75 friends & family members. This is a really important way to reach a lot of people. Bravo!