|
We’re finally two weeks out from the conclusion of the most important election of our lives, and while Joe Biden’s lead has held steady, Republicans just got a green light to take the results to court, if given half a chance.
- On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a GOP challenge to Pennsylvania’s extended absentee-ballot deadline. This is a near-term victory for voting rights, but a foreboding sign of what lies ahead, and the threat to mail ballots in Pennsylvania isn’t over. The 4-4 decision, as a tie, upholds a Pennsylvania supreme court ruling that will allow the state to count absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day even if they aren’t delivered until days later. If Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed before the election, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell now says will happen on Monday, hey presto, we’ve got five justices who are very likely open to wading into state election law and tossing out some ballots in Pennsylvania and possibly elsewhere. (Here’s your handy rage-donation link.)
- As we’re all excruciatingly aware, a few thousand ballots in Pennsylvania could be all that stands between a Joe Biden presidency and the melting down of American democracy/planet Earth/etc. The best way to avert Bush v. Gore: The Nightmare Sequel is to skip the late ballots entirely, and make sure Pennsylvania voters know to return their ballots right now. As in, right now, this minute, ideally in a drop box. Today is the day to send your ballot back no matter where you are, but if you have friends or family or distant acquaintances in Pennsylvania, it is also the day to send them a strongly-worded text.
- The good news is, voters seem to have generally gotten the memo about voting early. At least 33 million Americans have already cast their ballots, marking 70 percent of 2016 early voting numbers with 14 days left before voting ends. At least 17-million people have voted in battleground states, shattering turnout records left and right—in Texas, more people have cast early ballots than voted for Trump in 2016. In states that provide partisan breakdowns of early ballots, registered Democrats have been outvoting Republicans by a very chunky margin.
|
|
|
The complacency-busting news is, it ain’t over til it’s over, and Republicans could turn out in similarly high numbers on election day.
- With two weeks to go, here’s the latest on the (basically unshakeable) state of the race: Biden is leading by double digits in national polls, though his gains have been less dramatic in swing states. A new North Carolina poll has Trump and Biden in a dead heat (though Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham has held onto his modest lead through a historically lame sexting scandal). Trump and Biden are also now tied in Georgia, a state Trump won by five points in 2016 but where the Trump campaign has lately poured millions of dollars into ads. (Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia have also made some extremely chill gains.)
- A lot can happen in two weeks, but the Trump campaign’s Russian-disinformation fueled attempt to recreate the magic of But Her Emails seems to have fallen flat, and there isn’t much left on the campaign calendar. Trump has huffily agreed to participate in the final presidential debate on Thursday in spite of the debate commission’s announcement that the microphones now have a mute button, while pre-emptively attacking moderator Kristen Welker with a series of lies.
Democrats are well positioned to win the White House, the Senate, and our futures back, but only if we keep our collective foot on the gas. If the outcome rests on a few late-arriving ballots and Republicans have their way, it won’t be over even after it’s over. The harder we work, the faster this ends.
|
|
|
We've made it easier than ever to find remote and in-person volunteer opportunities with Vote Save America’s new volunteer hub. There you can find everything from your usual phone and text banks to roles delivering yard signs or staffing voter protection hotlines. Find all your options to get involved between now and Election Day, and sign up for some shifts → votesaveamerica.com/volunteer
|
|
|
The Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of illegally using its monopoly power to lock out competition. That marks the government’s most significant action against a tech company in a generation. The lawsuit argues that Google used exclusive business deals to maintain its monopoly: Google pays Apple billions of dollars a year to be the default browser on Safari, and Google search comes preloaded on devices that use the Android operating system. The case centers on the claim that Google’s actions hurt three key groups: consumers (who are stuck with Google’s privacy practices), advertisers (who have to pay a “toll” to reach their audience), and competing tech companies, who don’t actually have a shot at competing. The case could take years to resolve, but in the meantime might slow down other tech giants from buying up competitors or enforcing shady business contracts.
|
|
- Lawyers who were appointed to identify migrant families that the Trump administration separated say they’ve been unable to track down the parents of 545 children. About two-thirds of those parents were deported to Central America without their children, according to the ACLU. There are no words. The group Justice in Motion is on the ground physically searching for separated parents, if you’re in a position to donate.
- White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows declared in a court filing that President Trump was just goofing around when he ordered the declassification of all Russia investigation documents on Twitter. (Which almost certainly means the classified documents are bad for Trump politically.)
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told GOP senators he had advised the White House not to strike a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before election day, as Pelosi met with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin for last-ditch negotiations today.
- Trump went on Fox News and pleaded with Attorney General Bill Barr to baselessly launch an investigation of Joe Biden, a universal sign that The Campaign is Going Well.
- Trump’s 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl seems to have gone just as swimmingly.
- Melania Trump has canceled her plans to join Trump’s Tuesday rally in Pennsylvania, citing her lingering coronavirus cough.
- Right-wing militant organizations have continued to organize and run ads on Facebook, after Facebook announced a ban on all ads that “praise, support or represent militarized social movements.”
- Texas social workers can now turn away LGBTQ and disabled clients, following a recommendation from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to remove nondiscrimination protections for gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. The preparations for a 6-3 Supreme Court have already begun.
- A Kentucky judge ruled that an anonymous grand juror in Breonna Taylor’s case could speak publicly about the proceedings. The juror has released a statement saying that the panel was never given the opportunity to consider homicide charges against the police officers who fatally shot Taylor.
- Jeff Bridges tweeted that he’s been diagnosed with lymphoma. We made it through Tom-Hanks-has-coronavirus, and we shall make it through this.
- Joe Buck and Troy Aikman got caught on a hot mic sounding extremely reasonable.
|
|
|
Local newspapers have given way to a network of websites that publish content ordered up by Republican operatives, which doesn’t seem ideal. As newspapers shut down across the country, a fast-growing network of nearly 1,300 websites has emerged to fill the void. While they have all the surface hallmarks of local-news sites, many of the stories are commissioned by conservative think tanks, GOP groups, and public-relations firms to spread Republican propaganda. The network exploded from around 300 to nearly 1,300 sites reaching through all 50 states just between June and October of last year, under the oversight of former TV reporter Brian Timpone. Deeply gross, and a whole new fake news problem to confront going forward! It’s another great day to subscribe to your local paper, if you’ve still got one.
|
|
|
You’ve tried cranberry. Try something that works with Uqora.
Uqora specializes in proactive urinary tract health supplements. Created by a chronic UTI sufferer who had tried it all and was sick of the constant cycle of infections — her experience inspired her to start Uqora. UTIs affect millions, and innovation has remained stagnant until now, and no, it’s not cranberry. Plus Uqora promises a money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free. But, we really think you’re going to like it (take it from its 6500+ reviews and counting).
Take 15% off your first order with code: WHATADAY
|
|
|
At least 67,000 Floridians with felony convictions have registered to vote since regaining their voting rights in 2018. (That number would be much higher if not for the GOP-instituted poll tax, but a vote is a vote!)
Please step into the No Complacency Zone and read this interesting interview with Dave Wasserman about district-level polling, which hasn’t sent up the same pro-Trump warning flares that it did in 2016.
Nasser Jaber, founder of the Migrant Kitchen, plans to serve more than 50,000 free meals to voters in food-insecure areas who are waiting in long lines on Election Day.
House Democrats have unveiled a bill aimed at reducing police violence against people with mental illness or developmental disabilities.
|
|
|
|
|
