Local

While the whole world watches Tuesday’s Alabama US Senate election, race-based battles behind the scenes could decide the outcome.

They focus on likely stripping of voter rolls to prevent African-Americans from casting their rightful ballots, and flipping the electronic outcome should that prove insufficient.

The national Democratic Party has poured significant resources into this race.We hope it will provide careful scrutiny on whether legitimate citizens are allowed to vote, and on how the votes are actually counted.

In particular, we urge that there be no definitive concession shy of a full recount, and of public hearings on who was allowed the right to vote and who was denied it, including access to regular rather than provisional ballots.

Three key voter access issues include:

Monday, Dec. 11, 6-7:30pm
Summit on 16th United Methodist Church, 82. E. 16th
Rosa Parks, Laymah Gbowee, Mary Hamilton, Mamie Till - all women whose fighting spirits helped crack injustice in their days. A call for women to come and learn and be motivated to help beat the evil back that's breathing down our backs.

Saturday, Dec. 9, 12noon
Ohio Statehouse
We will be rallying at the Statehouse and then marching to Senator Rob Portman’s office in Solidarity with the national March for Tax Justice:https://www.facebook.com/events/165405347395677/
Please join us to say no to the GOP tax scam and set out a vision for just tax reform that benefits students and workers, not big business and billionaires.

Columbus City Council members opened up their emails on November 20 to find a letter from Leah Aden, Senior Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (the “LDF”) calling for their attention. The LDF, which President Obama once called “simply the best civil rights law firm in American history,” sent a heavily footnoted letter to outgoing City Council President and future City Attorney Zach Klein announcing the “LDF is conducting a review of Columbus’ at-large electoral method for members of its city council. We have substantial concerns that this electoral method may violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 … by denying voters of color in Columbus of the equal opportunity to elect their preferred candidates to this important local body.” In requesting a written response by December 18, Aden wrote “We write to provide the city council with this information so that this body can pursue an inclusive, fair course of action and avoid potentially costly and lengthy litigation that may be required to ensure compliance with Section 2 and other applicable laws.”

We finished at most 25 percent, or hopefully 50 percent, of suffering through a horrible new presidency. 2018 will emerge as a chance for state and congressional changes – albeit one where money, gerrymandering and racism will try to destroy our democracy. Reminder: Putin was an unpopular figure in his country who has used a sex scandal and terrorist attacks to gain power, which let him do many things including decriminalize domestic violence and end term limits.

The Obama administration toppled Gaddafi in Libya. Look at the mess there. Imagine a foreign power like Putin working with the “Lewis Powell Manifesto.”  Will Oligarchy Tax Empowerment and student debt create indentured servitude here?

My point: in 2018 please use critical thinking: no matter what distractions present themselves. Putin and our carpet-bagging President will not create a utopia.

Albums of the Year

1. Kendrick Lamar - Damn

2. Jay-Z- 444

3. Tyler, the Creator - Flowerboy

4. Joey Badass - All-American Badass

5. Renée Dion- Haven

Local Album of the Year: Renee Dion - Haven

Friday, December 8, 4:30-6:30pm
Ohio Statehouse, Broad and High Streets
Hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine at The Ohio State University
Join us THIS FRIDAY at 4:30pm as we voice our opposition to the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem. This is an inflammatory, unnecessary move by the Trump administration and will have negative, lasting consequences. Come on out and show your support! (We will be at the corner of High and Broad, and we will pass out signs and posters as well)

On November 26, 1976, legendary Canadian-American rock group The Band performed their final concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. In addition to Rick, Robbie, Garth, Richard and Levon, the show featured a who’s who of rock royalty including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and others. The performance was filmed by Martin Scorsese, and subsequently was released as the concert film The Last Waltz. It is probably the greatest rock film of all time, and subsequent controversy makes it even better.

On November 17, 2017, Columbus put on its fourth annual tribute to the Last Waltz at the Newport Music Hall. As was the case with the original, a core group performed the role of The Band itself, playing 15 or so tunes featured in the movie and/or the soundtrack. In addition to these duties, they backed up a series of individuals impersonating the guest stars from Winterland. They were troopers for sure – I would think they were on stage for at least three and a half hours.

Wednesday, December 6, 5:30-7pm
1090 Carmack Rd, Columbus, 43210
Come learn about the cutting edge research helping humanity understand climate change impacts in Ohio and beyond! We will get our very own tour of the facility home to the largest amount of ice cores in the world. Get ready to nerd out. Feel free to invite friends and partners. This event is free. 
RSVP for additional details: http://engage.ohio.edu/site/Calendar/1256717870?view=Detail&id=102566
https://www.facebook.com/events/148233865813883/

Achievement is a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage or skill. Attainment, realization, accomplishment, fulfilment, implementation, execution, performance. As I look back over the year 2017 I find myself thinking about what, if any, achievements have been accomplished and what makes these achievements successful and relevant to the American people and who has benefited from these achievements.  

In November, Vice President Pence said President Trump was responsible for our economy being improved by 1.5 million new jobs. Pence and Trump himself have said and see the success of the stock market as an achievement for Americans. They both feel that Trump is responsible for the manufacturers “confidence” in producing goods here in America. Pence says, “we’re just getting started” in regards to the “accomplishments” of Trump.  Pence and Trump both fail to acknowledge that another one of Trump’s achievements this year is to be deemed “historically unpopular” by the American people.