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Jan 30
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Demanon's avatar

And think about how they can use the fact people will be distracted to unleash more of their awful plans assuming (probably rightly) that people will not push back as much.

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Jan 29
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Ted Murphy's avatar

I think we're right to oppose. Too dangerous to give Trump a chance at re-election. Obama may not be interested and doesn't seem as politically potent as he once was. I'd rather see new leadership to run against whoever emerges from a post-Trump power struggle (or a "stealth" Trump 3.0 scenario, e.g., they nominate Don Jr but the plan is to make Don "chief of staff" or something similar so that he can be de facto president). .

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Thomas's avatar

Congratulations to Josh Weil -- the Democrat who just won the primary for Florida's 6th congressional district. Josh is 40 and a public school teacher. Much of his teaching career has been dedicated to at-risk youth. Math and science. Kind of recalls another recent candidate who started out as a teacher and later won in a solid red district in Minnesota.

His opponent will be a handpicked Felon Trump candidate, Randy Fine. A quote: "The [Almighty] saved Donald J. Trump so he could save the world." Uh-huh. Mr. Fine spent much of his career running casinos.

I'm kind of liking these odds.

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Hanna's avatar

Go Josh! It’s a +11 R district but he’s an inspiration and the other guy is revolting.

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Thomas's avatar

"It’s a +11 R district..." Those words brought back an old George Jessel story he used to tell about applying for a job as a lumberjack.

Manager: "prior work experience?"

Jessel: "Sahara."

Manager: "The Sahara's a desert"

Jessel: "Is now."

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Chris Dwyer's avatar

There is a special election March 25th on which rests the Democratic 1-seat majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (candidates TBD soon).

https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2025-01-27/parties-race-to-choose-special-election-nominees-for-gergelys-35th-house-district

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Michael G Baer's avatar

Simon we are ready to go to work on these types of races if you give us the go. The Spanberger race is November, but there is alot we can do in these special elections, state races and House races this spring and summer. They are smaller so our impact can be greater. I'm sensing Hopium is itching to get into it. It only takes 2 or 3 flips to give the gavel to Jeffries. We need to hold or flip these narrow state majorities, and we can be a boost... so turn us loose.

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Laura Westbrook's avatar

😂😂😅🤪”it is now!”

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Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

Everything has changed since January 20: the proposal for massive tariffs which will cause major spikes in inflation, ending birthright citizenship,the cruel and unjustified deportations including of women and children, and the unconstitutional impoundments scheme. I’ve already set up recurring monthly donations for Josh Weil. I hope he has a postcards to voters.org list up asap.

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Thomas's avatar

And he's down there right now -- playing golf. All GOP House members are down there too -- at Doral -- eating hamburger patties with "his" name branded on each one.

Meanwhile, I heard the story of a Miami man whose wife of nearly 11 years -- their anniversary is coming up, and she's waiting on her final citizenship papers -- was apprehended by ICE and -- from what I understand -- immediately deported to Venezuela.

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Veronica's avatar

This poor man needs to immediately file a lawsuit. This is a travesty!

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Pamsy's avatar

The more these horrifically cruel stories get airtime, the better. These need to get out on every newsfeed possible. How can that be done?

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Vickie Berry's avatar

I just clicked on your link and my browser says it’s an unsecured site.

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Barbara Greer's avatar

What are you liking about these odds? It's a shoe-in for the Republican, no matter how despicable.

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Susan Windmiller's avatar

This is great. I think Gay Valimont running as Democrat to fill Matt Gaetz's seat has a terrific chance! She was the former statewide director for Moms Demand Action and is no stranger to organizing. Hope they both have a great campaign and we all support them.

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Exregulator's avatar

Thank you as always, Simon. I am redirecting some of my contributions to the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Do you have recommendations for support of Democratic candidates in open seats? I would appreciate your input.

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Cindy Wiggins's avatar

To any Republicans who are appalled at and opposed to what Trump is doing: when you call your local, state and federal representatives, include in your message that you are going to change your political affiliation to Independent or Democrat and that you are cancelling all political donations you may make on a regular basis.

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Laura Westbrook's avatar

@Cindy Wiggins - yes! All Republicans who oppose Trump behavior need to stand up now and help their elected officials to be brave.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

The letter writing is contagious. I'm sending samples of my letters to friends. They are now writing their letters, and sending their samples to their friends. It's going exponential, and We're getting heard. I feel it, for the first time in a long time.

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Kathy Sims's avatar

Any chance you could share your sample letter?

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Veronica's avatar

See Chop Wood, Carry Water, Jessica Craven on Substack. She has all that published for free

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Veronica's avatar

Could you provide us with the link?

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Beth Kephart's avatar

I have been writing very personal letters that change each day to Fetterman and McCormick. They speak to the issue of the moment and the nominees and the legacy they are leaving behind. The things they are putting at risk in their individual and particular ways.

But I also send notes like this to Jeffries:

We believe in you. But your tweet about all this Trumpian ruin now being in God's hands sent this huge army of willing Democrats into a tailspin. We've been out here writing letters, making calls, raising money, learning the issues, and waiting to see some leadership on the Hill. We need to believe that you who have the actual power are fighting just as hard and loud as we are out here. There's talk of needing a third party to locate stronger leaders. I don't want that. I want a unified, loud, ferocious Democratic party willing to talk about more than the price of eggs. I know you took some important steps yesterday. PLEASE keep doing more. And more. We have felt most of our elected officials — except AOC and Elizabeth Warren and a handful of others — to be sleepwalking our country toward its end. We need you. We need you to show the world who Real America is, and what we stand for. You have us behind you. Show us what to do.

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

Perfect!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

You should see my notes to Thune. That smug ….. 😊

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Susan Dieterlen's avatar

Love this letter! Please keep it up!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

And did you see!! We just won! Trump has rescinded his stupid order freezing all those federal funds!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Also because we are all so happy that our letters worked, I'll share one I sent (by regular mail) to Thune and Johnson last week. I KNOW IT IS SO OVER THE TOP. But Good God. I had to write (and send) it. If my mother could see me now:

Dear Senate Majority Leader Thune and House Majority Leader Johnson:

Everything Trump does now you own. You are the White Christian Nationalists who cannot sit still in church. You are the hustlers and shafters, having long lost your moral way. You are the wreckers of this planet, giddy promoters of toxins, destroyers of democracy, smudgers of science and reason, deniers of health care, strippers of insurance, and assurance, not to mention compassion and care. You are the party of Rapists, Cheats, Conspiracy Theorists, Nazi Salutes, and Backroom Deals. You are the incompetents and the heartless, who destroy the lives of innocent people for the seeming fun of it. Because you can. Because Trump told you to. Because you had no one else, apparently, to listen to.

You have winked. You have smiled. You have thrilled to your power, dressed up in your suits, shined your hair, and now every single innumerable terrible thing that is about to happen in this country is your legacy. You can’t distance yourself from it. You invited it, paid for it, begged for it, sold your souls for it.

And so here we are. Betrayed by your greed and your lust for power, your inability to sort a clown from a clown, your shocking inability to see beyond tomorrow, your unwillingness to keep any promise except to the billionaires who float your yachts, imagined or otherwise.

And here you are. Among the first in line for scorn and disbelief for the history books, if there will be history books, if you will allow anyone to write them. Here you are.

How will your grandchildren defend you?

Signed,


America

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Kathy P's avatar

Awesome!

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Tim Wegener's avatar

After a day of being angry yesterday, I hit the phones this morning. I called both of my senators offices in D.C. and it took about 5 minutes. I encouraged both of them to do the following:

1. No not approve any more Trump nominees

2. No not give unanimous consent for anything

3. Vote no on every cloture motion

4. Frequently request quoroum calls

This is not business as usual. We are in a constitutional crisis and our senators need to hear from us that we want them to respond accordingly. These are dark times, but damn it, only the light eliminates darkness and we are the light.

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Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Sen. Booker's mailbox has been full since last night and they are unable to keep up with the call volume. NJ is bringing it! And we have been on Sen. Kim's case since his yes vote on Noem. Don't think he'll be doing that again. Thanks so much for all you do!

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Tim Wegener's avatar

I love hearing that the mailbox is full! Thanks for everything you are doing too!

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Veronica's avatar

Same with Senator Cornyn's mailbox! I wonder if it was just my numerous messages or if others have been calling him, too.

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Tim Wegener's avatar

Way to go!

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Madam Geoffrin's avatar

When I got Booker’s message that his VM Box was full, I walked over to my laptop and fired off an email. Undeterred!!

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Tim Wegener's avatar

Love it!

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Susan Dieterlen's avatar

Love this! Stealing it for my calls to Michigan's senators (Peters and Slotkin)

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Tim Wegener's avatar

Absolutely!

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bjn's avatar

Does emailing (using their forms on their websites) work the same as calling?

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Tim Wegener's avatar

I think that calling is more effective than the webforms.

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Elizabeth T.'s avatar

I have heard that calling is much more effective. Bots can email, but they don't call.

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Vickie Berry's avatar

Thank you.

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bjn's avatar

Does contacting Senators and Representatives who dont represent you have impact? Ex. Dem Senators who voted for the deportation bill (Gallego and Ossify)

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Tim Wegener's avatar

I don't think it has an impact unless you are a constituent. If you are out of state, they can just ignore you.

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Vickie Berry's avatar

Yes. The all represent WE THE PEOPLE. This is our government and please have your voice heard.

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Deborah Potter's avatar

Senate.gov says this: "All questions and comments regarding public policy issues, legislation, or requests for personal assistance should be directed to the senators from your state. Please be aware that as a matter of professional courtesy, many senators will acknowledge, but not respond to, a message from another senator's constituent."

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Ali Schwarz's avatar

There is also the option of grabbing an address in their state from Zillow and providing that when you call or email, so that they believe you are a constituent.

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Leon Rubis's avatar

I do this all the time. I'm a Virginian and just emailed Sen. Tillis in N.C.

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Ali Schwarz's avatar

Me too. I am a Californian, so my Senators are already fighting pretty hard, though I do email them as well.

I have been emailing Tillis, Thune, Collins, Murkowski, Young, Curtis and McConnell. on just about everything. I keep a list of addresses for each senator that I consistently use, and then write my email, and cut and past it into each. It sounds like calling is more effective, so I am starting to do that as well. Keep up the good work!

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Bobbie R's avatar

Tim, thank you for this. This morning I called both my senators and got their voicemail and both vms were full. So I used Resistbot to send an email with your message. I also used Resistbot to post it as a campaign for others to be able to sign and send. Text SIGN POPEUF to 50409.

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Tim Wegener's avatar

That is great work! I love it!

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ArcticStones's avatar

HOPIUM SHOULD INVEST IN ALL UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTIONS!

Last night’s big wins in special state-level elections were really encouraging. They are valuable new data points indicating MAGA’s already-lagging support.

We need to build on these wins and mount serious efforts to support our Democratic candidates in the upcoming Congressional special elections! Yes, the odds are against us. Yes, I realize the Democratic candidate in e.g. FL-01 has a snowball’s chance in Pensacola’s chance of winning in Matt Gaetz’s old district.

Nevertheless, imho, it would be irresponsible for us not to invest in these elections. However, we need to be very clear-eyed about these being longshots.

THE REWARDS for Democratic wins are so huge! If we win any of three special elections, we seriously weaken Speaker Mike Johnson and his fractured GOP caucus. We would greatly increase Hakeem Jeffries leverage in the House and slow down Trump’s Project 2025.

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kitkatmia's avatar

agreed. perhaps the new dnc chair will also see this as an opportunity, even with a loss.

if all dem grassroots orgs target these races, maybe we could even win, with concerted effort. i agree, the house is the key. so the sooner the better. it gives us a fighting chance. we could all focus like a laser on what 3-4 special elections? and take over the house NOW?

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MaryCFM's avatar

New dnc chair might agree and focus on them.

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Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

At 10 am, replying to Thomas above I wrote this : “Everything has changed since January 20: the proposal for massive tariffs which will cause major spikes in inflation, ending birthright citizenship, the cruel and unjustified deportations including of women and children, and the unconstitutional impoundments scheme. I’ve already set up recurring monthly donations for Josh Weil. I hope he has a postcards to voters.org list up asap.”

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Thomas's avatar

"has a snowball’s chance in Pensacola"

Pensacola and the panhandle got nearly 10" of snow last week. Plenty of snowballs at the beach.

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ArcticStones's avatar

Wow, a sign for our political times!

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

What about Elise Stefanik's seat? I live in upstate NY though far from that area. I'm surrounded by Republicans but they really are more of the mind your own business type than the Christofascist type.

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ArcticStones's avatar

Yes! Imho we should invest also in NY-21.

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wendy moluf's avatar

Is the candidate the one who’s farmer? We need a good candidate for the district before investing $ imo. Btw, a farmer night be perfect - it’s pretty rural there, and I personally know a “regular” Republican (non-MAGA) who owns a huge dairy farm in upstate NY. At the very least, he’s quite worried about how the deportations will affect his needed workforce.

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MaryCFM's avatar

I know the area too, and agree with you. Many are Rs like my family, for generations. Party of Lincoln and the Union. They just stayed R because everyone else did. I left and became a Democrat. NOT and independent.

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Elizabeth T.'s avatar

I agree! One of the reasons Anderson Clayton has been so successful in NC is because she has a strategy of working in all 100 counties. How will Democrats ever win GOP areas if we give them up as unwinnable?

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

The campaign message I dream of seeing:

Candidate: I will fight Trump, Project 2025 and all the enablers and reduce them to rubble. Vote for me!

Voter: Hell yeah! You got my vote. How are you going to do it?

Candidate: By any means necessary. I'll shove a carton of eggs down their throat on the floor of Congress if I need to. Whatever it takes.

Voter: How can I volunteer/donate?

------------------------------

I know this is over the top but it illustrates how I feel. I know others share my fury.

Update: I just called my Senators Chuck and Kirsten and told them to fight and obstruct Trump's power grab, Project 2025 and the awful nominees and how desperately we need this. I said we need the Winston Churchill energy, not the Neville Chamberlain energy. Got a live person w/Schumer and left a VM w/Kirsten (I love Kirsten)

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Thomas's avatar

Hey Lyn, you may be interested in the work being done by MRFF -- the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Keeping Christian nationalism at bay in our military. They've been at it for twenty years now. Terrific group.

They often get involved in seemingly trivial stuff like keeping Christmas wreaths off the graves of the fallen who have identified as Jews and Muslims. And, oh, the hate mail they get.

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

That's Mikey Weinstein"s group?

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Thomas's avatar

Yes it is...

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

Yeah, I remember when he started it. Good reminder to follow it more closely.

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Thomas's avatar

Mikey just released an "emergency" message in the past few hours -- which he seldom does.

"MRFF Is Here to Help Service Members Facing Illegal Military Orders!"

https://youtu.be/Se39AKEqSCA?si=DOEwKYGTMp8RlVSu

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Lyn Gerry's avatar

Super important message. I reposted it to Blusky. This sort of thing has so much been on my mind.

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George Santangelo's avatar

Keep on Truckin’

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings…

Dems keep on winning

https://open.substack.com/pub/simonwdc/p/the-fight-against-trump-is-now-a?r=7muvc&utm_medium=ios

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Lorraine Tilbury's avatar

I used the 5 calls app to call my NC representatives and ask them to oppose the R Kennedy Jr nomination and the federal funding freeze. Also took about 5 minutes.

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Chris Dwyer's avatar

Here's a link for those interested:

https://5calls.org/

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Lorraine Tilbury's avatar

Thanks for sharing the link! I just found the app on my app store, I'd used during the previous 2016-2020 period...

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Just Sayin''s avatar

My congressional district, both senators, governor, state legislature are all blue and yet we experience the same chaos from the feds as everyone else. We flipped Houe district 5 and the losing incumbent was rewarded with a cabinet level secretarial appointment. It makes me physically nauseated.

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Patricia Davis's avatar

I will go back to see interviews. I can not register from my iPad, haven’t been able for quite sometime /don’t have a cell /smart phone /computer. I watch the recordings , is sufficient. TY.

Last night , friend working an upper level grant position for foster kids called in a panic, their Medicid funds are frozen by our Governor Morrisey . I did not vote for him, nor our Senator elect Justice . My first question Simon/anyone is should I bother calling Morrisey or Capito both sycophants and complicits in the fast unfolding constitutional crisis debacle?

I am on Bluesky …wvrosie

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Pamsy's avatar

Yes, call them, and so should your friends and their friends’ friends.

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George Santangelo's avatar

When the MAGAs realize that Trump is a loser his hold will begin to unravel

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Laura Westbrook's avatar

It might be interesting to know if we got our recent winners with less money than the opposition.

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Pamsy's avatar

And how we got them?

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Alexandra R.'s avatar

Yes! I’m fighting - hard. Making the calls, encouraging others. But sometimes it feels like we have to fight our own party. What’s with Dems voting for cabinet nominees ?? For Noem: Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia

Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey

Senator Gary Peters of Michigan

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire

Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan More than this for Radcliffe, Dufy. And now these new cabinet members are enacting trumps decrees. I don’t understand- it’s outrageous. Maga didn’t need help to elect them. Way too many Dem leaders are normalizing. You - and others voices we trust - call for us and our leaders to categorically oppose everything extremist , maga, project 2025. Why are our leaders doing otherwise?

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wendy moluf's avatar

I told an assistant in Senator Kim’s office this week that I was very disappointed in his vote for Noem. I noticed that he voted “no” on Bessent for Treasury, but darned if Senator Booker didn’t vote “yes” on that one! They don’t seem to have gotten the memo yet, but I watched the Dems press conference on PBS last night, and they put forth a strong message about the illegal freeze, including a forceful one from Andy Kim. This may be a wake-up moment for them. I hope so.

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Chris Dwyer's avatar

Sen. Kim voted against Sean Duffy so you/the freeze may have had an impact.

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RP2112's avatar

It's all the more infuriating, because Biden withdrew Neera Tanden, who was one of the most accomplished and qualified people for that position, from her OMB nomination, just because R's (and one D) said that she tweeted mean things to them. I understand that R's had the majority, so there was little Biden could do, but it just shows that Dems keep treating R's as good faith governing partners, but R's treat Dems like doormats (and sadly enough, they're being proven right at this moment).

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Chris Dwyer's avatar

Duffy goes after Biden car efficiency rule

by Rachel Frazin - 01/29/25 10:29 AM ET

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5112897-duffy-transportation-biden-fuel-efficiency-rule-epa-trump-ev/

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Pamsy's avatar

They love a good polluter.

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Pamsy's avatar

It’s sickening. They don’t get it either. I wonder if they saw Noem dressed up in swat attire while rounding up people to deport. They should be shamed.

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