We offer links to all of this week’s posts, an update on where we stand in the election, tools for watching tomorrow night and a new Ted Talk from Valarie Kaur that is simply overwhelming. One more day to push & then maybe we can breathe.
Gulp. There is mounting evidence that Trump plans some kind of unprecedented usurpation of democracy by declaring victory on Tuesday night and heading to the courts. And his white supremacist supporters are beginning to flex their muscles across the country with frightening displays of racist force.
Part of Trump’s strategy is clearly to use the courts to stall the count and steal the election. But while the GOP has spent four years furiously approving federal judges, it is hard to understand how a process that has been followed since the nation’s inception can be abrogated now. The Constitution clearly delineates the process through which votes are certified and those processes are being employed scrupulously now. But Trump clearly has something dramatic planned, as he has ordered a non-scalable fence constructed around the White House today. And his comments last night do not sound like someone planning to concede.
““I think it’s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after an election. I think it’s a terrible thing when states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over.” He added: “I think it’s terrible that we can’t know the results of an election the night of the election. … We’re going to go in the night of, as soon as that election’s over, we’re going in with our lawyers.”
Donald Trump
As usual the facts don’t support Trump’s claims, as the “terrible thing” Trump bemoans has been utilized forever. And the good news, polls continue to show small to modest leads in most all swing states. We will just have to pray for an irrefutable landslide evident early and then wait for whatever else Trump may have planned.
But rather than spending today and tomorrow pacing and fretting, there are three NM races that are deadlocked and could be decided by a few dozen votes. Please: We will have all of these fine candidates on our zoominar Thursday night and we want to have them celebrating victories. I am told their wins will depend upon turnout, so CALL ON!!!
- Neomi Martinez Parra in her Senate District 35 race. This is by far our greatest priority as polling shows her narrowly trailing: neomi4nmsenate.com
- Claudia Risner in her race against Greg Schmedes. This race is also neck and neck and a last-minute push could defeat a truly heinous legislator. Schmedes is the bane of anything related to women’s rights, gun safety, abortion rights, and health security, so if those things matter to you, this is a chance to remove a truly bad legislator. Click here.
- Pam Cordova in her race in Senate District 30. I’m told she needs $500 to complete funding for radio ads. Roxanne and I got her part way there, but she will need $300 to reach her goal. pamcordovaforsenate.com
Thursday, Nov 5, 6:30-8pm Election Zoom De-Brief, with Five New NM State Senators: Neomi Martinez Parra, Harold Pope, Pam Cordova, Carrie Hamblen, Siah Correa Hemphill, Claudia Risner with Eric Griego and Neri Holguin, campaign manager extraordinaire, joining the conversation. Hopefully all five of these candidates will have won their races and will be readying for their first legislative session. They will be key factors in decriminalizing abortion, passing the Health Security Act, putting NM on a path to having a state public bank, and putting the Green Amendment on the ballot. You can meet them all and ask questions about their priorities and positions. Find out what will be possible with a fixed NM State Senate! Note the addition of Claudia Risner to the lineup.
News In Briefs: Your Election Results Viewing Tools
- From 270.org: “2020 Poll Closing Times” Just print it out and you’ve got all the times when each state’s polls close, the 3 pager also includes how many electoral votes, Senate and Governor races will be reported at that time.
- From 270.org: Interactive Electoral Map: Fun tool, I’ve used a bunch to project possible outcomes. You can click on any state and by doing so change it from different shades of blue or red and then totals change automatically. So as CNN declares Florida for Biden at 10:30 pm, you can flip it from grey (toss-up) to Blue and go to bed, cuz game over….except for the chaos (resources below for that).
- From NM Secretary of State: “2020 Election Returns” If you want to follow specific NM state races or Amendment 1, you can click here to get up to the minute results.
- From NPR: “The 13 Races That Will Determine the Senate Majority”.. This is a great article to print out for viewing election night resullts as it outlines the key races at your fingertips. It is looking very promising for retaking the US Senate.
News In Briefs: For Your Coup Resisting Efforts
- From The Atlantic: “Protests Won’t Be Enough To Stop a Coup: Resistence requires a lot more strategy” Interesting piece outlining the most effective strategies to resist a coup.
- From Working Families Party: “Make It Count: Post Election Updates & Action Steps.” On Wednesday at 6pm MT, WFP is planning an online event to brief those on the call as to what action(s) are being organized nationwide. When I signed up there were over a half-million folks signed up, so this may be a good resource.
A Look Back at a Week
We May Never Forget
Six posts this week and every one of them is worth a look, for the reasons shared in the summaries below. But if you missed the posts on either Wednesday or Friday, I’d highly recommend your taking those in, as on Wednesday we focused on the Obelisk, restorative justice and healing that divide and then on Friday, we focused on the root causes of America’s fear of socialism.
Update on Amendment 1 & Other Election News,
Plus Suggestion to Keep You Sane
Monday, October 26. With Covid soaring, winter looming, and the election next week, many of us are experience serious anxiety. We offer links to last week’s posts,news on how governor-appointed Utility Commissioners are prone to cronyism & advice on managing the stress. Most importantly, this post includes a link to the post we did the week of the 19th-25th on the reasons 40% of America supports Trump. This is a very worthwhile piece to review now and in the future.
Click here to read the full post.
Important Election Update:
ONE ONE WEEK ONE DAY TO GO!!!
Tuesday, October 27. Very brief post focused on recent shifts in the NM State legislative races and we offer an update on the most recent national election polling. We have one week: This post has not been updated to reflect even more recent shifts in polling, so a better place to go for the most current news is the top of this page. But what is still current: TIME FOR A HIGHER GEAR. LET’S DO THIS!!!!
IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN NM LEGISLATIVE RACES.
Click here to read the full post.
Using Restorative Justice to Address the Obelisk
Could Have National Implications
Wednesday, Oct. 28. We return to the task of healing our country’s gaping divisions and lay out a possible strategy to do so. We turn the post over to Jeff Holbrook who outlines how relying on Restorative Justice principles may be our best hope. The post also critiques the Santa Fe Mayor’s response and offers specific suggestions about the proposed reconciliaition process and the composition of the CHART Commission. We include a Call To Action
Click here to read the full post.
Supreme Court Poised to Undo Election Results Nov 3.
Call to Action
Thursday, October 29. The Supreme Court could invalidate all votes counted after Nov 3 even if this hands the election to Trump & despite a clear Biden win. A SCOTUS ruling on Wednesday gave hints of what may come and then stunningly, Thursday two more decisions that gave us some hope. Between now & Nov 3, all we can do is GOTV & ensure a Nov 3 win. But a nationwide Nov 4 action is being planned and we shared info about how you can get involved and readied.
Click here to read the full post.
Why Americans Misunderstand & Fear Socialism…
Very Interesting Thinking from Heather Cox Richardson
Friday, October 30. I drew primarily from two sources today: HCR’s incredible piece on the origins of US fear of socialism, and a piece from The Week describing how culture, parenting, and pschology shape and limit political perspectives. In many ways, this is the follow up to our post on how we can heal as it points to how the right has come to view any kind of social safety net or progressive policy as a threat, creeping socialism. If we are to heal, we must shift the narrative so that a far greater proportion of Americans understand that progressive policy and democratic socialism are actually good things, but are cast as bad simply to preserve the oligarchy and deter America from getting what it deserves: justice. Please read and share.
Click here to read this important post
A Message of Hope, Election Predictions &
A Plan for Readiness if a Coup Is Tried
Sunday, Nov. 1. We offered a message of hope with thoughts from Heather Cox Richardson and then some predictions for Tuesday, including our best case, worst case scenarios and one we think may just be what happens. Even in the worst possible scenario we see Biden winning, but then lurking in the back of everyone’s mind: 2016. But the theme of the post was that we are gonna get this done. We also offer predictions on some close NM races where there is more to get done to make that prediction come true. Finally, we included a NM plan for resisting a possible coup effort. Read on!!!!
And Because I Know We All Need This. The Most Inspiring Speech I’ve Ever Heard, Given on Feb 8, 2017, the Beginning of the Darkest Period of Our Lives. We’ve Been Pushing Ever Since. Now It Is Time to Give Birth.
So worth your time.
I have never watched Kaur’s Ted Talk that follows this inspiring six minute speech. Roxanne and I did so, last night and it is a truly powerful message and so appropriate for a nation that must find the capacity to heal and forgive. We very highly recommend that you stay with this Youtube video and watch Kaur’s speech (which I’ve posted a dozen times) because the Ted Talk is still more moving.
Extraordinary Interview with CBS President, discussing what happened at the infamous 60 Minute Trump Interview
In solidarity and hope,
Paul
Categories: Election, Political Reform & National Politics
We have already seen a demonstration of how POTUS45 will steal the election. Remember Bill Barr’s shape-shifting summary of the Mueller Report? Barr spun the story to say its opposite. On election night Fox News will do the same, declare POTUS45 the victor, thus inciting his cult to violence and defiance. In December the incumbent will begin campaigning for his third term.
The Working Families Party link doesn’t work. Can you try to fix it?
Wednesday at 6pm MT, WFP
ttps://www.mobilize.us/thefrontline/event/359088/?referring_vol=662502&rname=JD&share_context=event_details&share_medium=mailto
Thank you for these videos to nurture our search for facts and the need for a spiritual rising. Perfect.