Category Archives: Politics

Respect for Marriage

Fierce Planet Posted on by

To the ones who can imagine, respect oh yeah. This bill is far from perfect, and I definitely wish for more. But it is an important step nonetheless, to kill the hated Defense of Marriage Act and establish in law the principle that all marriages are equal. Biden makes a case against all forms of bigotry before signing the Respect for Marriage Act pic.twitter.com/Zm8lWg2xIU — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 13, 2022 If there is one message that breaks through from today, it's that this law – and the love it defends – strikes a blow against hate in all its … Continue reading →

Two podcasts ~ Choose a side

Fierce Planet Posted on by

This weekend I caught up with a couple of podcasts, and I’d like to highlight a few things. First is a segment on Pod Save America. I’ve set this up so it goes directly to an interview with Strict Scrutiny‘s Kate Shaw, a lawyer talking here about the Supreme Court hearing Moore v. Harper last week. (Strict Scrutiny itself is another excellent podcast, if you’re looking for some top-notch legal minds discussing the issues of the day.) This case presents the “Independent State Legislature Theory”, which you will no doubt hear about a lot in the near future. It is … Continue reading →

To the ones who keep the passion, respect…

Fierce Planet Posted on by

I’m writing a very personal post, which as usual means I’m half-blocked and writing very slowly. Can’t be helped, this is my only process. So while that goes on, let’s celebrate Jane Fonda, who at the age of 84, after five arrests and recent treatment for cancer, once again leads the Fire Drill protests that began years ago, before Covid. (gift link should get you past the firewall). Their goal is to increase awareness of the continual dangers of climate change, and to pressure Congress to take action now. Fonda retakes the Hill: ‘Cancer is scary, but the climate crisis … Continue reading →

Where we stand

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I still feel good about the election this week, though the Congressional side of things will remain unsettled for a while longer. But democracy has survived to fight another day, and that matters a lot. Women in particular turned out in defense of abortion rights and every state that had a vote on the issue upheld the right to choose. There is also a strong likelihood that Democrats will continue to hold the Senate, and there was no red wave in the House or anywhere else. The Secretary of State positions have been kept out of the hands of the … Continue reading →

Who is likely to vote?

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I’m not sure we know. Don’t let anyone tell you young people don’t show up to vote. We are — and we will continue to show up these last five days until Election Day, including on campus at UT Austin! pic.twitter.com/h2AW1JDIRb — NextGen America (@NextGenAmerica) November 3, 2022 ETA: This report: Women under 25 could be the MVPs of the midterms Why more young women are registered to vote in the midterms — and why polling is ignoring them.

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Violence continues

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The violence I worried about in an earlier post is continuing, and escalating, as we move towards this decisive election. I’m sure you heard about this. (gift link, no paywall for a while) Assailant shouted ‘Where is Nancy?’ in break-in at speaker’s home, attack on Paul Pelosi The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was violently assaulted with a hammer during an early-morning break-in Friday at the couple’s San Francisco home, a chilling escalation in a string of violence and threats directed at political leaders across the country. The suspect, identified by police as 42-year-old David DePape, was searching … Continue reading →

Intimidation at the polls, already

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A reminder that if you vote in person, or even use a drop box, you may encounter MAGA types who try to scare you and stop you voting. That’s illegal, and here’s some info on what to do if it happens. If an alleged “poll watcher” tries to impede you at the voting booth:#1 – Tell him to kindly step out of the way#2 – Take his picture with a cell phone#3 – Call the FBIFBI Civil Rights Div. 202-307-2767 or 800-253-3931.US DOJ Civil Rights Div. 202-307-2767 or 800-253-3931 — JenB- I have voted!- 🇺🇦🌻 (@JenSemDem07) October 22, 2022 There … Continue reading →

“Margin of Effort”

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And this is exactly right, just as we’ve been talking about. The House is 100% "within the margin of effort." Great way to put it! https://t.co/cltuPmEDrb — Rachel Bitecofer 📈🔭🇺🇲🇺🇦 (@RachelBitecofer) October 19, 2022 I have to admit to a strange experience last night. My ballot arrived, as expected (because Colorado’s system emailed to say it was on the way). And when I opened the envelope and held the ballot in my hands, I felt a fierceness beyond what I’ve ever felt for an election before, not even in 2016 and 2020. I want 2022 to go well, for the … Continue reading →

Beware the GOP

Fierce Planet Posted on by

At this point in the cycle, we pretty much expect election polling to tighten. Wandering voters come back to their original party preference as everyone becomes more engaged. And sure enough, that’s what recent polls show. Given how close this election has been all along, you can assume most races are toss-ups right now. With that in mind, it’s important to remember what Republicans plan to do if they take control of Congress next month. They haven’t said much about their plans, knowing that what they want is not particularly popular with American voters. This Washington Post report teases out … Continue reading →