180 Comments
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Louise Yanuck's avatar

While it's wonderful to see elected Democrats actually taking off the gloves and speaking out more forcefully, I would recommend that we start paying more attention to, and sharing the great work, of the Democratic women in the House and Senate when they are in Committee Hearings. Jasmine Crockett, Elizabeth Warren, Elissa Slotkin, Patty Murray, Amu Klobuchar, Katherine Clarke (Democratic Whip in the HOR), Tammy Duckworth, Maisie Hirono, AOC, Melanie Stansbury, Madeline Dean... just to name a few.

Charles's avatar

My hat is off to these women. Their willingness to stand up, speak out and be counted is an inspiration for all of us. Keep at it ladies, you're driving the Dumper and his crew of sycophants nuts! In the case of the Republican President, it does'nt take much!

Susan Stone's avatar

My representative, Veronica Escobar, also deserves mention. She's not outspoken like Jasmine Crockett, but she works hard for our community.

Hiro's avatar

"Democratic voters and activists should be proud to see their elected leaders turn the tables on MAGA autocrats. That is how to fight back—and how to mobilize voters nationwide." I am delighted to see that the Contrarians are serving as a coach of DEMs in fighting for democracy. This is an invaluable role. Thank you Jen and the rest.

Purobi Phillips's avatar

No Amy Klobucher. She just voted to gut funding for a bunch of Blue states' law enforcement where it did not include her own state. I did not forget her Medicare cutting votes from Bush era either.

Erica Bersin, BCPA's avatar

Many of them got us here voting for Trump's nominees, including Tammy Duckworth who voted for Doug Collins to lead the VA knowing he was going to gut the agency and harm her colleagues. But I guess why should she care, she has great government healthcare. https://justfacts.votesmart.org

Anca Vlasopolos's avatar

Thank you for cheering me up, Ms. Rubin. I've been following Democrats' actions in Congress and in the states, and I thank my lucky stars that I live in blue MA, where we're somewhat protected from the evil and cretinous policies of the felon-in-chief, and where my Senators and Representative are doing us proud.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Yes, some get complacent living in a blue state like we do but this fight is for all Americans.

Anca Vlasopolos's avatar

Even in MA we cannot get complicit when the premier universities, research centers, hospitals, and the environment are under assault by the Nazi regime.

Susan Stone's avatar

I love where I live in Texas, but hate the current government. I am grateful that my city is blue and our congressional representative works hard to support our community. If that awful map were to pass, we stand to lose a lot, especially since the vast majority of our population is Hispanic and we are a majority low income city. We need the good representation we have.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Donate to the Dems expenses if you can!

Susan Stone's avatar

Do you know the best way to do that? I would definitely consider it a good investment.

Erica Bersin, BCPA's avatar

This is the best org to donate https://statesproject.org the money goes a LONG way! I'm part of a giving circle through Markers for Democracy. I stopped giving nationally decades ago, because they have more cash than they know what to do with.

Susan Stone's avatar

Erica, after writing my reply to you, I learned that there is an injunction against Beto's fundraising, so I went to your link and contributed. The future came much sooner than I thought!

Susan Stone's avatar

Thank you, Erica. I donated through Beto, but will save your link for the future.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

The link didn’t copy, I’m gonna try it again.

https://riggedredistricting.com/

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

I donated to the one below, open the link and at the bottom you’ll find a donation button. There are other others, including one started by Beto O’Rourke. But this one I used and it seemed to be easy to do. They need lots of money so we all need to step up big.

Susan Stone's avatar

I finally found Powered By People, and donated. Beto's site was easier for me, and it took my donation.

Susan Stone's avatar

Pam, I tried your link, and kept getting error messages, even after I corrected the CVC code for my card. I will try to find Beto's site, since I know him. Thanks for providing the link, even if they didn't like me (I did try 4 times to donate).

Arkansas Blue's avatar

You are very lucky and I envy you.

Anca Vlasopolos's avatar

Let's work to make Arkansas bluer!

Arkansas Blue's avatar

Yes! Please help support Hallie Shoffner in her run against Tom Cotton for his senate seat in the 2026 election.

More potential good news from Arkansas: it seems very likely that the very intelligent and personable Chris Jones will run against the OF poodle French Hill in the highly gerrymandered AR District 2.

Anca Vlasopolos's avatar

Thank you for sending specific information about actions to take to protect democracy in AK!

Arkansas Blue's avatar

Thank you for your support. Please note that AK is Alaska and Arkansas is AR. I don't think Alaska will ever elect even one Democrat, where Democrats have a better chance in Arkansas, I think and hope.

Cotton is one of the worst senators of all and not really liked all that much in Arkansas, especially after voting against support for farmers not once, but twice. And Huckabee daughter Sanders even more of an OF toadie and is doing a lot to make herself disliked, beside lying.

Anca Vlasopolos's avatar

I'm very sorry. I should stick with the whole name instead of the zipcode abbreviation.:) Huckabee Sanders signed the bill allowing for child labor. I can't forgive her that, as well as her toadying, which has still gotten her nothing from drumpf.

Anne Pierce's avatar

Unfortunately, Trump is probably happy about the noise, because it distracts from Epstein, including the highly questionable meeting with Maxwell by a DoJ person without the original prosecutor - which was followed by transferring her to a really low-security prison in Texas.

It's Come To This's avatar

Everything he's doing right now is meant to get us to stop talking about Jeffrey Epstein.

This is an amazing moment in American politics (and there have been many recently). The "Epstein List" is a figment of fright-wing imagination that Trump picked up and spread like napalm to get him elected because his base was just that crazy. It never occurred to him it would boomerang back in his face. It's the mark of a pure cult that has dished shit out all its life suddenly being forced to eat it. His base is revolting, and he is terrified and desperate. It all looks very strong right now, but it's being held up by a thread -- and his chief wormtongues like Ken Paxton know it. I wonder how much longer it can last.

Nay's avatar

It didn’t occur to him because he is as arrogant as he is stupid. Or maybe the other way around.

Bob Park's avatar

"His base is revolting . . ."

Exactly. Repugnant, too. Deplorable, as well.

TheGoldenMean's avatar

Exactly - so I live in a Texas district that’s up for gerrymandering that this 34 count felon orange turd and complicit hotwheels Gov have proposed.

EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN TRUMP EPSTEIN EPSTEIN TRUMP EPSTEIN EPSTEIN TRUMP EPSTEIN MAXWELL EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN

KEEP SAYING HIS NAME EPSTEIN

TILL THESE FUCKERS ARE HISTORY

Susan Stone's avatar

And keep saying MAXWELL, TRUMP, MAXWELL, MAXWELL. As a woman (who also lives in a district that will lose a democratic rep) I am absolutely horrified by people like Maxwell. I am not capable of understanding why a woman would harm other women for the sake of a sick man like Epstein.

Robert Lastick's avatar

Our country, Susan, is sick.

Very sick.

Just think for a second what we are discussing here Susan.… . . . . .

Is not what we are thinking they did (and admitted they did) TOTALLY sick in your book????

Well . . . ., in my book it goes beyond sickness. These people in my opinion are not just sick.

They are inhuman. They are animals feasting on others.

And America is in the thick of it. How sick is that???

Susan Stone's avatar

The answer to your question, IMO, is very, very sick. I've lived through many years of child abuse, sexual and other, so I am horrified by any abuse of young girls (and young boys, because it happens to them, too). I agree they are not human, but they are also not like the vast majority of animals. Real predators hunt and kill when they are hungry, and only to satisfy hunger when their stomach is empty. Epstein, drumpf and Maxwell are a totally different kind of predator. In the therapy process I went through I came to understand why some people become pedophiles. But that doesn't make anything they do right. I am grateful that I was smart enough to get help and stick with the help, do the work, until I came out the other side.

Robert Lastick's avatar

Good Morning Susan;

You are, once again, quite right. Epstein, America's answer to Agent Orange, and Maxwell ARE a totally different kind of predator, unique to human beings. In my opinion this form of predation has its roots in their unquenchable thirst for power and status. Many times I see the source of this predation in that which makes power and status possible, money (wealth). But there are other sources and politics is a perfect example. Some politicians become sick when they find out how much power and status they accrue from being put into office, and, as with most illnesses, one illness leads to others (like becommining pedophiles.

And, here is the surprising thing to me. Mankind has been afflicted with this uncontrollable need (in some but not all) to have the power to control others grow rancid for as long as mankind has existed. We have been (and still are) TOTALLY unable to find a cure for those who become so diseased.

Susan Stone's avatar

Hi Robert, your comment is very interesting. I really appreciate your categorizing predators like Epstein and Maxwell as being of the human kind. I agree with what you said, except for one thing: I don't think that pedophiles result from the quest for power. IMO, based on my life experience is that they are born of having been sexually abused and repressing their memories of the abuse. When I think back to my childhood, though I may have to agree with you at least partly on that. That's because my father (who I'm sure was abused) offered me to a lot of his friends, who were fine with using me for sexual gratification. I don't know anything about those men, other than that they obviously had no problem with exerting power over a little girl (less than 10 years old). Thank you for opening me up to other possibilities.

I want to add that if we as a society were willing to listen to and believe children when they say they are being abused, and become willing to help those children, it might be the start of a cure, at least for pedophilia. The biggest problem with sexual abuse of any sort is that it stays hidden. With children it's because they are threatened by their abuser(s), and there isn't much in the way of help for them. With adult rape victims, there is an attitude prevalent that says the woman did something to invite the rape, seeing it is a sexual crime rather than one committed out of anger.

TheGoldenMean's avatar

Susan yet here we are!

Susan Stone's avatar

Unfortunately true.

Steve 218's avatar

The mainstream media is still paying far more attention to Epstein and Maxwell, though the departure of the Texas Democratic representatives is getting some attention too. Trump's removal of the Bureau of Labor statistics is still getting plenty of play, as is his bellowing about the "rigged" figures. He also still has the subpoena of the Epstein files by Republicans in the House hounding him too.

Anne Pierce's avatar

Hard to keep up with all the scandals of this Administration.

Steve 218's avatar

They're like a city bus route - there's always another one coming soon.

Alex P.'s avatar

I think the media can walk and chew gum at the same time in this instance.

Cherae Stone's avatar

I was taking the same thing. Who says EVERY outlet has only one thought trac at a time?

Marilyn's avatar

Hopefully the Dems can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Swbv's avatar
Aug 6Edited

Mike Johnson. He provides a master class in hypocrisy. It wasn't so long ago that he stood in front of the public and announced that the bible was the most important book in the world to him. He was oh so self righteous. But then, the past couple of years as a loyal lieutenant of Trump, he got his priorities re-arranged. Though the examples are too numerous to list right here, his latest efforts to protect the child molester Jeffrey Epstein and his friends really speaks volumes: JR...."<the potential> release of the Jeffrey Epstein files in turn forced Speaker Mike Johnson to scurry out the doors early to the August recess."

He wears that sincere and humble mask like a champion prevaricator.

Nancy Karam's avatar

Johnson's face, when seen in any interview, always reminds me of the Devil's evil sneer. His mouth may be smiling but his eyes ooze evil with every blink.

patricia's avatar

it's that "I'm saved and you aren't" evangel smug

I hope I die the same time as he does so I can watch him try to explain all this shit to St. Peter !

Nancy Karam's avatar

OMG! My thoughts, exactly!!

patricia's avatar

the devil takes many forms on earth...mike is just one of them

L B Rose's avatar

I hope that some day they do a documentary on Little Mikey to show what complete self-debasement looks like. He has no thoughts or ideas of his own and must seek his Owner's approval before he opens his mouth. It's all very embarrassing for someone who probably once had a grain of self-respect. Is this actually an example of White Slavery?

TFMeehan's avatar

Look back at Mikey's history. This is really not new for him.

I'm agnostic but was raised Catholic. My dad was a deacon and my mom was an instructor of DREs in the south suburbs of Chicago and the "Chicago Catholic Woman of the Year" in 1988. They were both liberal but still active in the church.

This is a long story just to say that I am fairly familiar with the life and teachings of Jesus and according to what we know about him, these so-called "Christians" would appall and enrage him.

Heck, Mikey actually made his teenage son his "porn" buddy. How depraved is that?

These people have zero integrity, zero morals and zero shame and they are aiding and abetting a man even worse themselves. At the very least it's time for them to stop hiding behind the "Christian" label and acknowledge who they really are.

Oldandintheway's avatar

Another big pressure issue that the Republicans are trying desperately to run from is that we have a pedophile as president, and that they are all protecting and enabling him. A pedophile, by definition, has no boundaries, no control of himself, and no concern about the damage he does to anyone.

Susan Stone's avatar

Thank you for saying that out loud. I agree with you.

Susie H's avatar

Proud to stand for Texas Dems who are leading by demonstrating clarity of purpose with the bold move of breaking quorum. You can, too! Right here: https://www.mobilize.us/texasdemocrats/

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

https://riggedredistricting.com/

And donate, $500 a day penalties they are incurring, each!

Stacy1946's avatar

Excellent piece, Ms. Rubin. In fairness to the Dems, they haven't had a meaningful opportunity to fight back until Trump began this Texas uprising. Also, I would add Sen. Chris Murphy's name to the honor roll of Dems who have been hitting back at Trump from day one.

Bonnie Lane's avatar

Yes Stacy and also the sad fact that the media fails to cover all of the Democratic senators and congress people fighting against trump cult policies. Also including Senators Whitehouse, Kelly, Schiff. Saunders, and in congress AOC, Crockett Swalwell and many others.

Chris Dortch's avatar

In their own way, the Texas House Democrats and our Democratic governors around the country are the latter-day protectors of democracy, just like the millions who gave their lives protecting it in wars across the globe. I'm so proud of them and grateful to be their fellow American. What the Republicans are doing is essentially treason, a violation of their oaths of office. They are bending over and letting a career f-up (there's plenty of evidence to back that up) like Trump trying to undermine our democracy. I've got news for him. Much smarter and more competent (but no less evil) people have tried that in the past and got face-planted. The same will happen to that fool. But as Jen wrote here, the Democrats have to slip on the metaphorical brass knuckles and be ready to rumble. This is no time for passivity or adherence to decorum.

Ann Dalton's avatar

Encouraging news at last!

Daniel Solomon's avatar

Need to register voters and get them to the polls. https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/update-voter-registration.html

Analysis: It's harder to vote in Texas than in any other state. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2024/2024/11/07/505302/texas-voter-turnout-falls-in-2024-election-despite-record-registration-numbers/

Google: In the period since 2021, over one million people have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas, with approximately 500,000 of those being from the "suspense list" due to potential address changes. While this represents a large number of potentially unregistered voters, it's important to remember that being on the suspense list doesn't automatically mean a person can't vote, although it does require them to take extra steps to update their registration or verify their address.

Texas demographics: Hispanic or Latino: 40.2%

White (Non-Hispanic): 39.8%

Black or African American: 13%

Asian: 6%

Other races and mixed-race individuals: Make up the remaining percentage.

Ivan Tufaart's avatar

Maybe after years of being asleep at the switch, the Democratic Party as a whole has learned a lesson:

YOU DON'T SEND LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY OUT TO DO BATTLE AGAINST BLUTO.

Enough of this "nice guy who follows rules" approach. In this climate all that does is get you marked as a CHUMP.

If you want to defeat a street fighter-- someone who fights dirty-- you need to enlist an even better street fighter-- someone who fights even dirtier.

It's a shame it's come to this but it's time to fight fire with fire.

Karen's avatar

Schumer should step aside—he’s not an asset and this would be the perfect time to do so. The Democrats keep canceling those who best benefit them—AOC, David Hogg, Crockett—the younger politicians whose ideas are more progressive, yes, but are also more pro The People at this point in history when the GOP have just about dissolved We, the People for The Rich. Aggressive moves are what it will take to stop the Fascist Movement and the dissolution of freedom of any sort in America. We need representation with Grit and a Spine to haul America out of this horrid abyss. We also need politicians who enter rural America—Chicago isn’t rural—and actually talk and listen to the needs of rural people who are registered to vote and either don’t vote or became MAGA because they were hoaxed into feeling recognized but weren’t. Hooray for the Texas Dems for taking a stance. How about the rest of America?

patricia's avatar

ah yes, the rest of america......

Steven Branch's avatar

At long last, the Dems have figured out that the only way to beat the MAGAt/Drumpf liars and cheaters is to beat them at their own game. Those Dem Texans are brave soldiers in the fight against tyranny. Kudos to J.B. Pritzker and Kathy Hochul for giving the Texas refugees protection and sanctuary from their lunatic governor and Drumpf sycophant Greg Abbott. It is a brilliant strategy for IL, NY and CA to redraw their maps to increase Dem seats in the House. The only way to beat bullies is to bloody their noses. Gloves off!

Jean Clegg's avatar

Good to recognize another fighter in the battle Representative Jasmine Crockett. She has been a vocal and frequent dissenter in this fight and is a Representative from Tx!!! Her willingness to call the truth out is epic abd articulate.

FVera's avatar

Texas Our Texas! I’m so proud of our Texas Democrats. Governor Ann Richards would be proud as well. ✊🏻

Ivan Tufaart's avatar

May she rest in peace.

Come to think of it, I'm sure she would never rest in peace! She's too strong for that.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

And let us not forget Shirley Chisholm!

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Yes, and Molly Ivins too!

FVera's avatar

And Barbara Jordan. The mighty Texan female triumvirate!!

Lori T.'s avatar

True, everyone is starting to figure it out.

Cheating only way to win, that’s been the Trump way. As his first grade teacher would have done, dunce cap in corner, and plenty of corners and traffic cones for your corrupt incompetent buddies in crime

Thnks for coverage Jen and Contrarians, and we will give our congressional folksa Thnks but don’t sit down yet call, email