Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg dies Sept 18. 2020. A leader of women’s eqality. L’Shana Tova; Save the World.
Mitch McConnell says he will push forward the Trump nominee to replace her.
Please put all your effort into the November Election to save ourselves.
Operation Grant for Ohio: We are Republicans, conservatives, or former Trump-voters who put country before party. It’s OK to change your mind, Ohio. We Did…
Operation named after Ohio-born President Ulysses S. Grant, who this group credits for unifying the country after the Civil War.
Among Operation Grant’s supporters is former Shelby County GOP chair Christopher Gibbs. He argues Trump has hurt farmers considerably with failed trade policies then made them wards of the government through federal aid packages.
“With markets in tatters and prices below the cost of production, farmers had little choice but to grab hold of that money, say, ‘Thank you, sir,’ shut up and hunker down,” Gibbs says.
Major General Dennis Laich, also a Republican, says Trump doesn’t respect the troops who are fighting to keep the country safe from harm. Operation Grant already funded one attack ad featuring veterans criticizing Trump.
(excerpted from WOSU Public Media, Jo Ingles report 9-17-20)
Sept 12, 2020
Karen Leedahl, FL
posted in Facebook
Personally, I am not merely pro-birth, I am pro-life. That means care for mother and child pre birth, post birth, those who are wanted, those who are unwanted (I support adoption) or are treated as less than human because their parents were born “in the wrong place”…all the way to my strong disapproval of the death penalty. Pro-life is inclusive of all including the elderly and disabled and… ). As for abortion, I know of no one who believes that abortion should be used as birth control. I don’t even know of anyone who would want to be in a situation in which abortion is desirable. I believe late term abortions should only be considered when the life of the mother or child is either not viable or are in grave danger. I believe the well being of the mother is as important as the fetus but I don’t believe it’s about anyone’s rights. It’s about finding a way through an impossible situation that is tragic no matter how one looks at it. I can’t even imagine what a horrific decision one would need to make if a pregnancy is the result of incest or rape. I believe males should bear as much responsibility as females. I believe that the goal should be to prevent unwanted pregnancies through education and through available and affordable birth control. As a pastor I never once counseled anyone to seek an abortion, but I would walk alongside and offer loving care to one who had. Because we live in an imperfect world, I believe that abortion should be legal, safe and extremely rare. Personally, I am not merely pro-birth, I am pro-life. That means care for mother and child pre birth, post birth, those who are wanted, those who are unwanted (I support adoption) or are treated as less than human because their parents were born “in the wrong place”…all the way to my strong disapproval of the death penalty. Pro-life is inclusive of all including the elderly and disabled and… ). As for abortion, I know of no one who believes that abortion should be used as birth control. I don’t even know of anyone who would want to be in a situation in which abortion is desirable. I believe late term abortions should only be considered when the life of the mother or child is either not viable or are in grave danger. I believe the well being of the mother is as important as the fetus but I don’t believe it’s about anyone’s rights. It’s about finding a way through an impossible situation that is tragic no matter how one looks at it. I can’t even imagine what a horrific decision one would need to make if a pregnancy is the result of incest or rape. I believe males should bear as much responsibility as females. I believe that the goal should be to prevent unwanted pregnancies through education and through available and affordable birth control. As a pastor I never once counseled anyone to seek an abortion, but I would walk alongside and offer loving care to one who had. Because we live in an imperfect world, I believe that abortion should be legal, safe and extremely rare.
KCDP web master notes:
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rates per every 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 are as follows:
Reagan (1981-89): 24
H.W. Bush (1989-93): 24
Clinton (1993-2001): 16.2
W. Bush (2001-09): 16
Obama (2009-17): 12.5 (almost half of what it was under Reagan)
Sept 11, 2020
David Pepper, Chair Ohio Democratic Party (ODP)
Ohio Democrats take pride in always protecting voting rights. Several months ago, our close review of Ohio law made it clear to us that the Secretary of State was actually in violation of Ohio statute by rejecting electronic or online applications for absentee ballots (something many other states allow). So we went to court.
Late this afternoon, the court agreed with us, granting us a preliminary injunction to allow voters to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot electronically.
This is a big win for Ohio voters, providing a fast, easy and modern way for voters to request an absentee ballot. We are pleased the court agreed with our argument that not only does Ohio law permit voters to request absentee ballots electronically, but that the Secretary of State’s policy rejecting such applications violated Ohio law.
It looks like Secretary of State Frank LaRose (who for two years has claimed he supports online applications but, incorrectly, that Ohio did not allow them), will appeal the decision. Disappointing to say the least.
We will keep up this fight, and the others we are waging, to support Ohioans’ voter rights.
Keeping up the fight is part of the American tradition, something that is especially poignant today, the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The memory of that horrific day is seared into my mind, but I can’t forget the moments of hope and unity that came in the days that followed.
It’s impossible not to compare that moment with the crisis we’re facing now.
Vice President Joe Biden shared his thoughts on today’s commemoration:
“Now, as then, our heroes are ordinary people doing extraordinary things: nurses and doctors; delivery drivers and grocery clerks; public transit workers and educators; regular Americans thrust into courageous acts of sacrifice and service. Now, as then, we owe it to them to come together as a nation — so that Americans can once again do what we did so bravely nineteen years ago: turn from tragedy to purpose, rebuild our lives, and begin, in time, to heal.”
It is my deepest hope that America can truly come together as a nation, to fight the coronavirus threat, to deal with an unprecedented economic crisis and to push back against a rising tide of hatred and divisiveness.
This election is about the future of our nation. It is so important, and we must do everything we can to ensure maximum participation.
Knox County Democratic and Republican Party Chairs
Make a Joint Statement on Civility.
Meg Galipault and Thom Collier
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.” Those powerful words were spoken by our most revered president, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, in his first inaugural address. Lincoln was imploring the nation’s citizens to take the path of civility and not civil war. These words reverberate today.
In recent weeks, protests have devolved into violence, justice has been taken by vigilantism. The majority of Americans want neither. They don’t want to see black men killed by police and they don’t want riots to replace peaceful protest. But mean rhetoric can raise temperatures, lead to conflict, and have no outlet for resolution.
Meg Galipault, Chairperson of the Knox County Democratic Party and Thom Collier, Chairman of the Knox County Republican Party, came together to issue a joint statement to encourage civility during this presidential election season.
As representatives of our local parties, Democratic and Republican, we are urging our neighbors to conduct themselves with civility. We are not that different from one another: we shop together at Lannings, Kroger, and WalMart, we walk our dogs side-by-side at Wolf Run, we share ice cream, weed our gardens across the fence, watch sporting events together, and we all stand in line at the BMV.
Words and actions can separate us. Fortunately, they are just words right now. Words and actions can just as easily heal and unite us. The neighbor with the Biden sign or Trump sign is still your neighbor. We are fortunate to live in a country that is represented by different ideas, cultures, opinions, and visions. History has proven when we share ideas, we come up with solutions.
As we enter this presidential election season, we know emotions run high but we ask that you respect each other’s opinions. Have a conversation instead of an argument on social media. Find common ground. State your position without condemning others. We hope that other community leaders will join us in modeling civility, from public forums, to church sermons, to sports venues. Let’s show how Knox County can get along, despite political differences.
Don’t steal or damage political signs or property. “Don’t disrespect others. Freedom of speech belongs to all of us,” said Galipault.
Collier added, “The civility we show our neighbor reinforces the power of our argument.”
The two political party leaders agree that the best way to advocate your beliefs is through voting. It is your right, your responsibility, and a privilege we all enjoy. They encouraged community members to vote. Contact the Board of Elections at 740-393-6716 if you aren’t registered. Then, research the candidates, learn about their positions, and put your energy toward volunteering in the community instead of railing against those with opposing views.
Above all, be kind to each other. In the words of John F. Kennedy, “So let us begin anew…remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof…Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.”
Both parties have headquarters for the campaign season. The locations allow the community to gather information on candidates, pick up signs, and to sign up as volunteers. The Republican headquarters is located at 136 S Main St. and the Democratic headquarters is located at 9 E Vine St., both in Mount Vernon.
Sept 3, 2020
Farhad Manjoo: Opinion in New York Times
Selected portions, not in its entirety:
As an immigrant who escaped to America from apartheid-era South Africa, I feel that I’ve cultivated a sharper appreciation for political trouble. To me, the signs on the American horizon are flashing blood red.
Armed political skirmishes are erupting on the streets, and scholars are tracking a rise in violence and instability as the election draws near. Gun sales keep shattering records. Mercifully, I suppose, there’s a nationwide shortage of ammo. Then there is the pandemic, mass unemployment, natural disasters on every coast, intense racial and partisan polarization, and not a little bit of lockdown-induced collective stir craziness.
I watched [the Republican Convention] wall-to-wall, and it drove me to despair. In that four-night celebration of Trumpism, I caught a frightening glimpse of the ugly end of America, an authoritarian cult in full flower, and I am not keen to stick around much longer to see if my terrifying premonition pans out.
I want you to know that I am straining, here, to resist partisan squabbling. There was a lot for a lefty like myself to dislike about the Republican confab, but what shook me was not any particular policy goal but instead the convention’s Peronist aesthetics and the unembarrassed profligacy of lies.
The convention certainly intensified my worries about a Trump re-election. Unloosed from all checks, a two-term Trump would, I fear, usher in a reign by his clan for long into the future. (Trump has repeatedly “joked” about serving beyond a second term.)
But the Republican convention also quickened my worries about American democracy even in the event that he loses. If Trumpism has charmed a sizable minority of Americans, and if the Trump dynasty retains its mass appeal, will America ever move on? Even if the country can get as far as a peaceful transition of power, can we expect anything like a functioning federal government beyond the inauguration?
In a new book, “Presidents, Populism and the Crisis of Democracy,” the political scientists William G. Howell and Terry M. Moe argue that Trumpism is largely a symptom of growing populist disaffection with the American government’s inability to solve people’s problems. Even if Trump does lose, they argue, our democracy will still face serious questions about its viability. I asked Moe, a professor at Stanford, how America might recover from this damage.
“It’s not clear that we can,” he told me. “I think the Republicans, for now, are an anti-democracy party.” Their only chance of political survival is to continue to “make the country as undemocratic as they can so that they can win elections.”
The party’s complete submission to Trump was on full display at the convention. It adopted a platform that was essentially no new platform other than to “enthusiastically support the president’s America-first agenda.” There was no mention of Obamacare, the repeal of which was once a Republican policy obsession. There wasn’t a single reference to the number of Americans who’ve died from the coronavirus, nor even a passing recognition of the threats of a changing climate.
Instead, we saw a dynastic cult of personality: Of the six convention speakers who spoke for longer than 10 minutes, four were Trumps.
Then there was the blizzard of lies. The convention represented a new low in collective artifice and delusion. These weren’t lies about obscure details or matters of interpretation. These lies cut to the bone and marrow of reality — the rendering in the past tense of a pandemic that is still killing about a thousand Americans a day, or the description of an economy that is in the worst downturn since the Great Depression as roaring on all cylinders. How did the party get low-income New Yorkers to praise Trump? They simply tricked them into participating.
It’s not the lies themselves that worry me most, but the fact that millions of people might accept them. Can America endure such mendacity? When you don’t have social trust, when you don’t have a shared view of reality, do you even have a country?
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Sept 3, 2020
Letters from an American
Heather Cox Richardson
–on Jeffrey Goldberg detailing Trump’s contempt for military service and the self-sacrifice of those killed in the line of duty
