Politics

We begin the GREEP zoom #200 with JEN KARIUS, who worked the polls in Pennsylvania & asks for others to contact her.

Then the great JOHN BRAKEY checks in from Arizona with his deep understanding of what a fair election really looks like.

MYLA RESON introduces DAVID FELDMAN of “the Mop Up,” and tells us that letters are going to Kamala Harris, asking her to investigate the election outcome.

Myla reads the “Duty to Warn” letter from computer expert Steven Spoonamore sent to the Democrats.

From Asheville, North Carolina, ILENE PROCTOR reports on an election outcome that gave down ballot Democrats a victory along with Trump.

Legendary “Flashpoints” host DENNIS BERNSTEIN warns of federal legislation designed to attack progressive non-profits.

BRENDA DAVIES gratefully informs us about HR815, set to destroy activist groups nationwide.

KPFK’s erstwhile Chair TATANKA BRICCA warns of explosions set to go off possibly this summer.

We then hear from MARGOT KING that HR 815 has been (temporarily) defeated.

RUTH STRAUSS says she un-scribed from the Washington Post but thinks folks should join back up.

It was one year ago today that Environmental Court Judge Stephanie Mingo declared that “City of Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther is the source of the ex parte communication” in the case of the Greyhound bus station on Columbus’ west side. Judge Mingo should have revealed the Mayor’s name during the Emergency Status Conference that was held on October 12, 2023, 26 days before the mayoral election. Judge Mingo was well aware of the implications of announcing Andy Ginther’s name as the ex parte communicator just 26 days prior to Election Day.  She had a duty to tell the public who it was and what was said and her silence brings into question judicial partiality of a high-ranking city official. This was a clear abuse of power and the mayor made the phone call to get an advantage in the election. The mayor tried to obstruct official business of the court.

This is a democracy, folks. There are no kings that rule the United States of America. And we need to keep it that way.

Have you heard of the No Kings Act? 

If this law were to pass, here are three reasons why this bill would be an important guardrail for our democracy:

1) Trump would be held accountable for his many crimes – including the 34 felony convictions on his record.

2) The Supreme Court, controlled by a 6-3 conservative majority, would stop any corruption that they’ve been a part of!

3) Trump would not be in office EVER AGAIN.

President Biden, Senator Schumer, and Senate Democrats are working around the clock to pass this law before Trump is inaugurated.

But we need EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT who reads this to endorse this bill before midnight >>

This article first appeared on Common Dreams.

Shortly before Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders forcefully called out Democratic Party leadership for losing the White House and at least one chamber of Congress to Republicans.

Historically, younger voters tend to be more progressive, yet this year the gender divide has been splitting the youngest generation. While the general presidential race remains a statistical tie, the difference between who young men and young women are voting for is apparent. Recent NBC polling data suggests as much as a 16-point difference between the two candidates based on gender. Young men seem to be voting at a higher rate than usual, and strongly towards Trump. This analysis looks at the question, why are so many young men obsessed with Donald Trump?

We begin GREEP #196 in the Middle East with DENNIS BERNSTEIN and ANITA BARROWS.

RUTH STRAUSS warns of burning drop boxes and has some advice for the Harris campaign.

Getting Out the Vote is the expertise of the great ANDREA MILLER whose non-partisan Center for Common Ground website shows us how to direct voters to the polls.

From Florida we get the latest update on rampaging fascism from JIM NATHAN.

Atlanta-based RAY MCCLENDON guides us to Communities United for Justice, which supports canvassers in the field.

MARGOT KING & JOHN STEINER update us on the Band of Sisters, which supports women’ reproductive rights.

Swap the Vote is explained by MIKE HERSH as a way to use the Electoral College to balance support for 3d parties in “safe states” versus major candidates in swing states.

Andrea Miller reminds us that leaving messages increases turnout by 5%, and that it’s key to let citizens know that early voting can be decisive.  

We must, says Andrea, let voters know they are invited to the dance, & the dance is democracy.

Election day is approaching fast, and by now much of the public has heard the arguments for and against Issue 1, the constitutional amendment on the ballot that would make citizens, not politicians, responsible for redistricting. 

People from a broad spectrum of groups that support workers and a fair political system have worked tirelessly, canvassing door to door to combat the steady flow of misinformation from the opposition.

A lot of money has gone into the campaign against Issue 1, but who is behind these donations? Just a little bit of digging turns up the usual suspects, and they are all tied to finance capital and the fascist candidate for president, Donald Trump.  

Citizens not Politicians – the grassroots, non-partisan coalition that has worked for the passage of the amendment – clearly (and proudly) displays the organizations and businesses that support Issue 1 on their website. Prominent among these are unions like the AFL-CIO and the IAFF, and endorsements come from groups on the left, right, and center, from businesses and faith organizations.

This story appeared in the Ohio Capital Journal

The United States is the only democracy in the world where a presidential candidate can get the most popular votes and still lose the election. Thanks to the Electoral College, that has happened five times in the country’s history. The most recent examples are from 2000, when Al Gore won the popular vote but George W. Bush won the Electoral College after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and 2016, when Hillary Clinton got more votes nationwide than Donald Trump but lost in the Electoral College.

Hello, fellow Ohioans, 

I just finished reading, and rereading, and then reading again, what I thought would be a straight forward explanation of Amendment 1. The amendment appears on the November 5, Ohio presidential ballot.. 

But, after actually reading the amendment, I was confused, disappointed, and just plain mad, because I knew I was going to vote, “YES”, but after reading the amendment, I couldn’t decide what a “YES” vote actually means!

The language is purposely deceptive and misleading, as written by our Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, but if voters pass this amendment, gerrymandering by politicians will no longer be legal in our state.

If you find this kind of dishonesty hard to believe, or are just as confused as I was, check the Ohio sample ballot, by following the below link.  Once on the page, you’ll need to click on your county. Then scroll through the candidates and on the third page, you’ll find the sample Issue1 ballot. Just read the first paragraph and you’ll understand my concern.

In December 2022, during the Christmas holiday season and lame duck session – with no public input - the Ohio General Assembly stuffed a poultry bill with amendments and passed a law requiring fracking under Ohio’s state parks and public lands for gas and oil.

HB 507 also falsely defined gas as a “green energy,” despite climate scientists’ warnings that methane gas emissions related to gas and oil production are 80 percent more potent than carbon dioxide and accelerate climate warming.

Ohio public lands include state parks, forests, wilderness and wildlife areas, public colleges and universities, and Ohio Department of Transportation rights of way.

Save Ohio Parks, the statewide, all-volunteer group concerned about the effects of fracking on human health, the environment, its fresh water, and planet warming, lists in a Candidate Accountability document the legislators who voted yes on H.B. 507 and are running for office in 2024: 13 for Ohio Senate seats and 35 for the Ohio House.