Friday, November 11, 2016

OK, Donald LOSER Trump--it's on. (And thank you to the veterans out there, like my dad. And RIP Leonard Cohen.)

14 November 2016 update: Avaaz took down their petition after they realized that the deadline was 20 July. Damn. Also, I just want to let my readers know that I'm going to change my blawgging schedule to post on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I can spend Mondays and Wednesdays on my other writing project to save the world by empowering children as part of Neil deGrasse Tyson's plan to Make America Smart Again. See you tomorrow with some analysis, plans, headlines, and videos!
- Dot Calm's shadow

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Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

Let's open this post with Trevor Noah's wrap-up of the election. His piece is funny, but it's also very pithy. He reminds us that trump was against the Electoral College before the election (he's surely for it now), and that nobody was more surprised than trump himself when he won--have you seen his or his plastic trailer-trash family's reactions anywhere else yet? Does trump really think we'll forget that he called for Hillary to be locked up or assassinated? Does he really think we're going to forget every heinous, horrible, hateful thing he's ever said and done?

ICYMI, here's a still of Donald LOSER trump's face--his disbelief that he won the election and his bluff had been called when, as Trevor Noah says, he knows he's only holding a deuce.

Friends, I'm glad you're here--I don't want to dismiss the service of our veterans today, which is Veterans' Day, but we have bigger, more dangerous fish to fry: you must understand what we're up against so we can start fighting like hell. I dunno about you, but my gloves are off, and my fangs and claws are out...and I mean business.

Randi Rhodes's video on Donald LOSER trump's legitimizing horrific hatred and bigotry made me physically ill. Although more than half of us are better than that (Hillary won the popular vote), the other nearly-half are not. They are the deplorables who voted for trump either because of his divisive rhetoric or in spite of it. I'm not sure which is worse, but wait til you see what the deplorables have been up to on day one--not even 24 hours after the election results came in. Randi reads a few of the incidents from a collection of tweets. Blacks have had their cars defaced or have had guns flashed at them and been threatened with being shot for being Black. Muslim women have been knocked down and mugged, with the thieves stealing their wallets and headscarves. White women have had groups of men threaten and attempt to grab them by the pussy. The deplorables now have free rein to act out every hateful, divisive word Donald LOSER trump spewed on the campaign trail. None of us is safe.


Welcome to trump's America.

Here's the collection of day one tweets, which has some of the incidents Randi read on air plus a whole lot more. Friends, you NEED to see this. These people don't see the rest of us as people. This is our reality now, and it's no joke. Read about the Asian woman who was stalked and assaulted. I've been saying that we won't recognize this country after four years of D. LOSER trump, but I was wrong: I already don't recognize it.

Day 1 In Trump's America

A collection of tweets about racist episodes POC are facing now that Trump is our President Elect.
As I'm stopped at a gas station this morning, a group of guys yell over: "Time to get out of this country, Apu!"

Day 1.
36,004 retweets37,474 likes
I have a scarf on. Passed by someone on the platform today and he says, "Your time's up, girlie."
9,668 retweets10,849 likes
Not even 24 hours yet. My friend's sister, who is Muslim, had a knife pulled on her by a Trump supporter while on the bus by UIUC campus.
26,854 retweets26,532 likes
Someone on the streets of LA just yelled at one of my girl's Latina coworkers to "go back where you came from."
3,851 retweets4,524 likes
Play
 Hover to unmute
0:26
Whoever did this I'm throwin' hands
26,072 retweets23,098 likes
Play
 Hover to unmute
0:31
won the election & white people already don't know how to act
This white boy told me I'm a Nigger and should be pickin cotton.
191,848 retweets259,597 likes
My mom literally just texted me "don't wear the Hijab please" and she's the most religious person in our family....
76,635 retweets98,768 likes
Principal in Pennsylvania admits white students were chanting:

Cotton Picker, You're a Nigger, Heil Hitler.
12,544 retweets8,437 likes
My mom and my sister are actually having the conversation on whether or not they should continue wearing hijab for their own safety
6,015 retweets8,215 likes
3 of my muslims friends, whom i've never seen without a hijab before, came to school without them today, because they were afraid.
5,555 retweets7,990 likes
This just happened. Trump supporter tossed water in her face after threatening to rape her and build the wall. Day 1 of Trump.
21,196 retweets16,664 likes
Outside of the Muslim Student Association's prayer room. Not even 24 hours after the election.
3,950 retweets3,852 likes
3,149 retweets3,050 likes
White dudes saw a woman alone and yelled "grab her by the pussy" then tried to do so.

Day 1 of Donald Trump.
15,147 retweets11,363 likes
day one of Donald trump at wake forest university.
1,449 retweets1,691 likes
4,032 retweets8,598 likes
this was in Durham, NC
4,485 retweets4,637 likes
I walked into my room and my heart aches with pain.
42,549 retweets54,058 likes
Muslim student was strong arm robbed in San Diego State University while they insulted her for being a Muslim.
1,503 retweets3,597 likes
my mom said there was an older white man on his roof today yelling racist shit. she hurried back inside.

988 retweets1,551 likes
there have already been 2 incidents on campus with trump supporters harassing muslim women, stay safe everyone 😢
1,491 retweets2,308 likes
This was in Queens, NY. She was asked to go to the back of the bus.

Day 1 of Donald Trump.
10,108 retweets7,882 likes
High School in Central FL.

"Y'all black people better start picking your slave numbers. KKK 4 Life. Go Trump."
5,535 retweets3,426 likes
Placed on their car in NC.

"Can't wait until your 'marriage' is overturned by a real president. Gay families = burn in hell. Trump 2016"
11,869 retweets8,039 likes
This from my friend Nichole...
3,216 retweets3,256 likes
My cousin (born + raised in America) walked past a Trump rally in NYC (where she lives!!!) and was told "go back to your country you chink"
1,867 retweets2,232 likes
My friends know this woman. Happened in Napa Valley last night at the gas station & left them all in tears.
6,592 retweets5,501 likes
I'm so effin furious.

This happened in Delaware. Mind you, this is Day 1 of Trump being elected. Media & police need to be on this.
28,585 retweets21,845 likes
It's already started. I feel more sick than I did earlier.
3,489 retweets3,500 likes
Trump. Day 1.
18,246 retweets11,958 likes
This happened to Chris yesterday in Simi Valley, CA.

"Do you speak English?"

When the cashier took up for him they called him Bin Laden
6,090 retweets4,446 likes
Woke up to this message on my Instagram.
817 retweets2,614 likes
more and more stories piling up
4,165 retweets4,448 likes
Text from a dear friend of mine who teaches high school in *New Jersey*. ("Changing" obviously a typo for "chanting" here.)
1,847 retweets2,415 likes
Play
 Hover to unmute
0:32
But things that HAVE happened because this poor old man voted for trump :~)
7,247 retweets7,556 likes
Found on the campus of this morning.
Trump's first day.
897 retweets1,081 likes
this happened at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.
3,592 retweets4,234 likes
Chomsky back in 2010
11,533 retweets12,447 likes
This happened yesterday at Hillary Clinton's alma mater, the all women's college :

cc:
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Friends, please read those tweets carefully--this is happening all over the country and is being perpetrated by people of all ages. I feel so sorry for all of these people--the perpetrators and the victims. The perpetrators are victims of bad ideas who genuinely think they're better off living in poverty, without any benefits or social safety net, and giving the rich all their money. They think that science, education, progress, diversity, and tolerance are BAD things. They honestly think they are doing good and right by hurting the innocent people around them. And the victims are just ordinary Americans trying to go about their daily lives--they deserve the same right to safety and freedom from harassment as the perpetrators, to whom they never did any harm. If you're already mad as hell and want to do something right now, here's something you can do today: wear a safety pin so that people who are being harassed right now and who are frightened will know that you are a "safe place" for them...

As for me, I've already started fighting. I've already written to Hillary, Obama, and Bernie telling them in no uncertain terms NOT to play nice with trump or the rest of the Republican monsters. Yes, I'm calling trump and the Republicans "monsters." I'm dehumanizing them not because of who they are but what they do--they are not acting like humans but like monsters. If you act like a monster, don't be offended if people call you one. Anyhoo, I'm posting my open letter in the mailbag below. Randi Rhodes is right when she says that Hillary and Obama should never have been so conciliatory in their remarks to trump. They should remind him of every divisive thing he's said and done, and they should support him exactly how the Republicans supported Obama during his eight years in office (don't make me draw you a picture). If Dems don't fight D. LOSER trump tooth and nail, they can kiss being re-elected good-bye...and both of our major parties will be in break-down and turmoil. Frankly, I'm hoping that the Democrats are better than that. I'm hoping they will finally grow the backbones they need to fight FOR us and organize and regroup before the Republicans do. But, frankly, I don't have my hopes up. As Kyle Kulinski says in one of the m00bies below, the Dems have thrown us under the bus every time the Republicans so much as looked at them funny, so why expect the Dems to grow spines at this late date? Still, though, we'd better all put our Senators' and Congresspeople's numbers into our cell phones and get used to calling them every day.

Listen, friends, my life has already been upended. If you follow the blawg, you know I was planning to pursue another important writing project after the election--I was hoping to fight the good fight of holding Hillary accountable, not the bad fight of trying to rescue my dying country from ignorant and hateful bigots and fascists. But that's the hand we've been dealt, and, somehow, I will have to find time to do both: blawg here and pursue my other project, which is all about teaching and empowering children. Both are more necessary now than ever before.

But wait--there's more.

For right now, I have a nice life. I have a nice house, and I have a decent job. After Bush's great recession knocked me flat, I am finally scraping by. But it's tenuous. I'm living paycheck to paycheck. And I can smell trump wanting to take it all away. If he and the Republicans take away my dad's Social Security, we'll survive. But if they take away his Medicare--and you know they want to--we are skrooed. Oh sure, I have a good policy at work--not sure they'd let me add my dad and will have to check--but I'm not even sure I'll have this job much longer. Why do I say that? If you follow the blawg, you know that I work for DoD. And if you listen to trump and the Republicans, you know that they're science haters and deniers. So I can't imagine they'd have any use for my services. In trump's first hundred days, he'll freeze government hiring to shrink the federal government by attrition. Nice. But on top of that, trump and the Republicans think that new discoveries and technologies simply appear from nowhere, without scientists to make the discoveries or engineers to build the technologies. They have no more understanding of cause and effect than does my Tea Party Christian friend, who literally thinks that what he ate drove the outcome of the election (he fasted and prayed for trump to win and honestly believes that there's a causal link between those actions and trump's victory--talk about a victim of bad ideas!!). So, not only will the leadership of my agency rotate out once trump's in office, but what will he replace them with? Anything? Nothing? Morons? Maybe he's so a-skeered of all that sciencey stuff that he'll shut the entire agency down. We do some cutting-edge stuff, so that-snot inconceivable. Or maybe he'll content himself with putting Sarah Palin in charge and leave it at that. Either way, it's gonna be a cluster.

Here are Michael Moore's suggestions for fighting back (thanks, AlterNet!). Friends, Michael Moore called the election, and if you read the tweets above, you'll see that he was dead right not only in the result but the reasons behind it. Isn't it time we listen to this smart man and start following his advice?


Day 1:

1. Take over the Democratic Party and return it to the people. They have failed us miserably.

2. Fire all pundits, predictors, pollsters and anyone else in the media who had a narrative they wouldn't let go of and refused to listen to or acknowledge what was really going on. Those same bloviators will now tell us we must "heal the divide" and "come together." They will pull more hooey like that out of their ass in the days to come. Turn them off.

3. Any Democratic member of Congress who didn't wake up this morning ready to fight, resist and obstruct in the way Republicans did against President Obama every day for eight full years must step out of the way and let those of us who know the score lead the way in stopping the meanness and the madness that's about to begin.

4. Everyone must stop saying they are "stunned" and "shocked." What you mean to say is that you were in a bubble and weren't paying attention to your fellow Americans and their despair. YEARS of being neglected by both parties, the anger and the need for revenge against the system only grew. Along came a TV star they liked whose plan was to destroy both parties and tell them all "You're fired!"

Trump's victory is no surprise. He was never a joke. Treating him as one only strengthened him. He is both a creature and a creation of the media and the media will never own that.

5. You must say this sentence to everyone you meet today: "HILLARY CLINTON WON THE POPULAR VOTE!" The MAJORITY of our fellow Americans preferred Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. Period. Fact. If you woke up this morning thinking you live in an effed-up country, you don't. The majority of your fellow Americans wanted Hillary, not Trump. The only reason he's president is because of an arcane, insane, 18th-century idea called the Electoral College. Until we change that, we'll continue to have presidents we didn't elect and didn't want.

You live in a country where a majority of citizens have said they believe there's climate change, they believe women should be paid the same as men, they want a debt-free college education, they don't want us invading countries, they want a raise in the minimum wage and they want a single-payer true universal health care system. None of that has changed. We live in a country where the majority agree with the "liberal" position. We just lack the liberal leadership to make that happen (see: #1 above).

Let's try to get this all done by noon today. 

Next steps:

1. Must quickly and decisively form an opposition movement, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the 1960s. I will do my part to help lead this as I'm sure many others (Bernie, Elizabeth Warren, MoveOn, the hip-hop community, DFA, etc.) will, too. The core of this opposition force will be fueled by young people who, as with Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter, don't tolerate BS and are relentless in their resistance to authority. They have no interest in compromising with racists and misogynists.

2. Prepare to impeach Trump. Just as the Republicans were already planning to do with President Hillary Clinton from day one, we must organize the apparatus that will bring charges against him when he violates his oath and breaks the law—and then we must remove him from office.

3. Must commit right now to a vigorous fight (including civil disobedience, if necessary) that will block any and all Donald Trump Supreme Court nominees who do not meet our approval. We demand the Democrats in the Senate aggressively filibuster any nominees who support Citizens United or who oppose the rights of women, immigrants and the poor. This is non-negotiable.

4. Demand the DNC apologize to Bernie Sanders for trying to fix the primaries against him, for spinning the press to ignore his historic campaign, for giving Clinton the questions in advance at the Flint debate, for its latent ageism and anti-Semism in trying to turn voters against him because of his age or religious beliefs, and for its anti-democratic system of "superdelegates" who are elected by no one. We all know now that had Bernie been given a fair shot, he probably would have been the nominee and he—as the true outsider and "change" candidate—would have inspired and fired up the base and defeated Donald Trump. If no apology is soon forthcoming from the DNC, that's okay—when we take over the Democratic Party (see yesterday's To-Do List, #1), we will issue the apology in person.

5. Demand that President Obama establish a special prosecutor to investigate who and what was behind FBI director James Comey's illegal interference into the presidential election 11 days before the vote was held.

6. Begin a national push while it's fresh in everyone's mind for a constitutional amendment to fix our broken electoral system: a) eliminate the Electoral College—popular vote only; b) paper ballots only, no electronic voting; c) Election Day must be made a holiday for all or held on a weekend so more people vote; d) all citizens, regardless of any run-ins with the criminal justice system, must have the right to vote (in swing states like Florida and Virginia, 30-40% of all black men are prohibited by law from voting).

7. Convince President Obama to immediately do what he should have done a year ago: send in the Army Corps of Engineers to Flint to dig up and replace all the poisoned pipes. Nothing has changed; the water in Flint is still unusable.

Will try to get these done by sundown.

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You know, I love Michael Moore's sentiment, and I will implement his suggestions, but I don't think it's going to work long term. The angry-stupid people are too divorced from reality to know who's trying to help them and who's trying to eat them. After all, this is the same group screaming #draintheswamp while ironically voting the same exact swamp--Republicans in the Senate and House--right back into office!! They will swear how great life is under trump's austerity measures while blaming Obama for their many sufferings. They are impervious to evidence, just like trump and pence are. They will never be able to live in a society that values science, education, tolerance, and diversity--they've already proven that. And I sure as fuck don't want to live in their ideal society, where Sam Brownback's Kansas is about to be reproduced on the national level, only with more ignorance and less civility. Maybe it really is time to give them their own country to fuck up as they see fit so that the rest of us can live like sane, rational, reasonable, compassionate, humane human beings. I think that California might just have the right idea--secession. I can see moving my dad there and finding DoD work--there's a base in San Diego. Once I post this, maybe I'll see if there are any good jobs to apply for there today.

Of course, all of this assumes that we survive, be it global warming or war with Iran, as Cenk hints in this "first 100 days" video. Brace for impact, friends. Cenk doesn't think the Dems will fight trump and the Republicans, either. Ugh. Once trump tears up the nuclear deal with Iran, he will set them on course to develop nuclear energy weapons, which of course his policies will motivate them to do as quickly as possible. I'm sure trump's puppet-master, Putin, will give Iran everything they need to succeed. So, how will trump try to stop Iran? By bombing them, of course--and there's your war. and if you thought Iraq was a disaster, Cenk reminds us how much larger Iran is. I hope my Libertarian friend, who supports trump because he thinks trump won't start any wars, will be happy about this when it happens.


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Friends, I've spent over six hours putting this post together, so please take your time and read it all--thank you! And if you want moar, don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:

Daily Kos
AlterNet

Peas, friends. Take care of yourselves for me. Trust me--you're worth it! And before I slawg on with the blawg, RIP Leonard Cohen. Dot Calm just lurved him and owned several of his recordings. There's a treat for you at the bottom of this post if you have the tenacity to read all the way down.
  
- Dot Calm's shadow

Consider the preemptive Blogger phuqued-up phormatting disclaimer to be in effect. Grrr.
-- Dot Calm's shadow

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 And that goes for 
"the electoral college is bad," too
How much ya wanna bet he signs TPP?
Oh, sure, he'll lie and say he renegotiated it,
but he won't, and he'll sign it as is.
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Headlines
   
From Twitter: Donald Trump is already changing his relationship with the press
...Yup--already worse than O'bama.
   
From Twitter (link to the above collection of tweets): Day 1 In Trump's America
...Thank FSM for social media. Can you imagine the impunity with which these incidents would be happening if we weren't recording them and posting them for all to see? Can you imagine how isolated the victims would be feeling right now?
   
A word from Vox
   
5 winners and 4 losers from the 2016 election
   
Donald Trump's election is a disaster for gunmakers. Really.
 
Donald Trump's administration is going to be a bonanza for bankers
   
I'm a disabled American. Trump's policies will be a disaster for people like me.
   
Those claims that Harambe won 20,000 votes are based on nothing
      
...Friends, can you imagine the effect of four or--Atheist God forbid--eight years of trump-based inaction and reverse on climate change? You realize, of course, that trump only believes or disbelieves in climate change when it's convenient. For example, he totally believes in global warming in Ireland, where he used it as the excuse to petition the Irish government to pony up to build a seawall to protect his golf course there from rising seas. Fucking hypocrite.
     
...Um, because trashing the economy with a second Great Depression will only harm us little people while enriching the already rich?
    
...Not that the Republicans in Congress wouldn't be right there with him trying to control women.
   
Here is Donald Trump's plan for his first 100 days
...As the article's teaser says, there is a lot more policy change coming than people realize...
      
...She says, "If Muslims have to take responsibility for every member of their community, so do we." Damn straight!!
     
...I have no words for this. If she doesn't come home now, she may never be allowed to. But if she does, she'll face harassment like she's never seen before.
   
...Ya think?
     
...trump already hates the NIH, which does $32.3B worth of life-saving research every year. trump believes the debunked notion that vaccines cause autism, and pence believes that smoking does NOT cause cancer. Oh, and pence believes that the bible is literally true and that creationism should be taught in schools instead of evolution. And neither of these moronic mental midgets accepts evidence, no matter how compelling or bountiful. With lunatics like these running our government, we could well find ourselves propelled back into the dark ages--if we survive long enough.
      
...But I'm sure that the Republicans would be right on board.
    
     
...As the teaser says, "Clinton drew a record share of the Latino vote, and Latino turnout was huge."
    
...This is exactly what Obama said recently when campaigning for Hillary. 
     
...Not to mention uniquely unqualified and incompetent.
     
     
     
...And yet we will all suffer the consequences. 
      
...They've already poisoned it and blamed Obama for their actions--how typical!--but now they get to repeal it and replace it with "Fuck you--just hurry up and die already."
     
     
..."Only"? They mean "first." As the teaser says, "'Good people don't go into government.' —Donald Trump, 2000"
     
...Fucking hypocrites won't rest until they've completely destroyed America.

This tool shows why it'll be hard for Trump to find prominent Republican women to hire
...I beg to differ. For trump to hire them, they only need to be prominent Republican women--not qualified or capable ones. I'm sure there are plenty who won't mind trump grabbing them by the pussy as he passes them along the halls of power.
     
...Sorry, Vox, but I didn't need you to tell me that Donald LOSER trump has no idea how to conduct himself.
     
...Not to mention the fact that more people voted for her than trump.
      
The hard question isn't why Clinton lost — it's why Trump won
   
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Phuque, I'm sooo busted...!

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Mailbag

My open letter to O'Bama and Hillary

Dear Mr. President, I just wrote a letter to Hillary that I'd like to share with you, since the message is for you, too--FIGHT FOR US, not against us by siding with the Republicans: "Dear Hillary, you left it all on the field Tuesday, and so did I. I voted for Bernie in the primary but threw my full support behind you for the presidency. And I wrote you a heart-felt thank-you for all your efforts. Imagine my horror and disappointment when you and President Obama, whom I'll miss terribly, told Mr. Trump that you would work with him. How could you?!?? After all the horrible things he's said and done, and after all the determined obstruction by the Republicans against Obama? They're going to repeal Obama's entire wonderful legacy--how COULD you promise to HELP them destroy eight years of hard-fought progress so easily? Let's be honest here: we had our clocks cleaned Tuesday because we as a party failed. If Dems ever want to win back these positions, you'd better fight the Republicans tooth and nail in the House and Senate. Filibuster everything they bring out--dismiss it of hand, just as they did to Obama. Start investigating their every fart, and never let Trump live one of his hundreds of scandals down--EVER. Don't you DARE reward their obstructionism and bad behavior! NO SCOTUS FOR TRUMP! Say you'll support them EXACTLY the same way they supported Obama, and MAKE THEIR LIVES HELL because, I promise you, otherwise, they're going to make OUR lives hell. I'm living hand to mouth--I'm not insulated from Trump's policies like you millionaires are. Please--FIGHT for us. Don't sell us out--don't let the wolves devour us. We're counting on you. Otherwise, we won't have a party left. Please contact me with a response. Thank you!" This is not the time to be conciliatory. It's time to defend YOUR legacy tooth and nail--the same way that the Republicans fought to keep you from making all that wonderful progress that they now want to take away. Please don't roll over--as Dems always do--FIGHT LIKE HELL. Remind them all how incompetent and greedy they are. Remind them how their policies fail over and over and over, like in Sam Brownback's Kansas. Keep making us proud of you--not ashamed. Sir, I expect a response from you, too.

I sent Bernie a modified version of the above, owning myself as a proud member of his-OUR revolution. 
-- Dot Calm's shadow
   
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CREDO action
Tell Congress: Remove the anti-LGBTQ Russell amendment from the National Defense Authorization Act.
Tell the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, Sens. McCain and Reed and Reps. Thornberry and Smith:
"Rep. Steve Russell’s amendment to the House version of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) uses ‘religious freedom’ as an excuse to discriminate. Do not use tax dollars to fund discrimination. Remove the Russell Amendment from the final version of the NDAA."
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►
   
------------------------------------------------
   
From Daily Kos--Sign to end the Electoral College

Just like Hillary, Al Gore lost the election but won the popular vote. Baby bush's resulting presidency was an unmitigated disaster, but trump's will be worse because he has even less of an understanding of reality than bush did--I gno, shocking but troo.
-- Dot Calm's shadow

Sign if you agree: It's time we abolish the Electoral College and elect Presidents by national popular vote.

On November 8, the American people spoke clearly, and chose Hillary Clinton for President.

As of this writing, Clinton leads the popular vote by roughly 20,000 votes, with 92% counted. Further, her lead will likely to grow, with most of the remaining votes coming from blue states California, Oregon and Washington.

However, because Clinton's support was geographically concentrated, Donald Trump will win the Electoral College and become President of the United States.

This comes only sixteen years after Al Gore won the popular vote but did not become President of the United States, in a similar affront to democracy.

It is long past time that we stopped using the Electoral College to choose our Presidents, and started using the national popular vote instead. Every vote should count equally. Every state should be a swing state.

Sign the petition: End the Electoral College. Elect Presidents by national popular vote.

There is a realistic path to making an end-run around the Electoral College in time for the 2020 election. This is because we don't need a constitutional amendment to stop using the Electoral College. We only need the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact:


The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among several U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their respective electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact is designed to ensure that the candidate who wins the most popular votes is elected president, and it will come into effect only when it will guarantee that outcome.[2][3] As of 2016, it has been joined by ten states and the District of Columbia; their 165 combined electoral votes amount to 30.7% of the total Electoral College vote, and 61.1% of the 270 votes needed for it to have legal force.
If states and territories totaling at least 270 electoral votes pass laws joining the National Popular Vote Compact, then the next presidential election will be determined by the winner of the national popular vote. We are already up to 165.

If we can make eliminating the Electoral College a national issue broadly adopted by elected Democrats, and if Democrats can do well at the state level in the 2018 midterm elections--which is realistic in the event of an unpopular President Trump--then in 2019 we can pass laws that would make the 2020 presidential election determined by the popular vote.

(Since you might be wondering, according to the compact, states do not change the way they determine their electoral votes until enough states join that the 270 electoral vote threshold is reached. So, for example, California will only start awarding its electoral votes to the national popular vote winner instead of the state popular vote winner once states equalling 270 electoral votes have decided to do the same.)

So this is something we can actually pull off. It starts by telling all elected Democrats that you have had enough of the Electoral College, and that whenever possible they must pass laws to have their states join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Add your name: End the Electoral College and choose our Presidents by national popular vote.

Keep fighting,
Chris Bowers
Executive Campaign Director, Daily Kos

   
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Just Foreign Policy
Urge President Obama & Congress to advocate for Election Day to be a public transit fare holiday, so all voters can get a free ride to the polls.

Take Action

In Illinois, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District is providing free bus rides to the polls on Election Day. Other mass transit districts could do it too. We can't pay people to vote. But we can give all voters something for free, by way of compensation.

We have a kind of poll tax now in some urban communities: long lines to vote. That costs people time, and therefore it costs them money; and it discourages them from voting in the future. We should fix this! In the meantime, we could compensate people for their trouble. Sorry about the long line; we're working on that. In the meantime, here's your free ride. Free fares would be a friendly advertisement for voting across many people's day. You get to the subway or bus, and it's free. That would remind people that today is Election Day.

A day of free fares on Election Day would be good publicity for mass transit. That's something we need to confront the challenge of climate change: more people using public transit instead of cars.

Urge President Obama and Members of Congress to advocate for a public transit fare holiday on Election Day by signing our petition at MoveOn.

Thanks for all you do to help make U.S. foreign policy more just,

Robert Naiman, Avram Reisman, and Sarah Burns
Just Foreign Policy

Help support our work!
If you think our work is important, support us with a $15 donation.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate

References:
1. http://www.smilepolitely.com/splog/mtd_giving_free_rides_to_polling_places_on_election_day/
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/upshot/why-long-voting-lines-today-could-have-long-term-consequences.html

Please support our work. Donate for a Just Foreign Policy
       
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Dear Friend,

The recent election results have been a shock to many.  Others of us saw this coming for a long time.  There will be plenty of time in the days ahead to discuss all that went wrong in the past year.  But let this be a wake-up call.  There is no time to waste in organizing against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the disastrous corporate giveaway that the political establishment may still try pushing through the upcoming lame-duck Congress. 

Some Senate leaders have indicated they may not bring the TPP up for a vote in the lame-duck Congress.  But now is not the time to trust in their sincerity or to let our guard down.  We must put a stake through the heart of the TPP and the anti-democratic agenda that it represents.

If passed, the TPP will outsource millions of our service jobs, raise prescription drug prices, endanger the open internet, and undermine our food safety, health and environmental protections.

The TPP was the issue that first led me to challenge Debbie Wasserman Schultz, then the head of the Democratic National Committee.  I was disgusted when she voted to fast-track the deal after taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from corporate groups pushing the TPP.  Now I am leading Progress For All, our grassroots political action group that’s organizing everyday to help stop the TPP.


Long before I took on Wasserman Schultz, I was a law professor speaking out against the corporate trade agenda – the so-called Washington-Wall Street Consensus that gave us NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), permanent normal trade relations with the People’s Republic of China and other repressive regimes, and now the TPP.  In the next week, Progress For All will be sponsoring a major public forum on the TPP at the South Florida AFL-CIO.  I will speak out against the TPP’s investor rights provisions and other speakers will include environmentalists, faith and labor leaders.

We must remember that other corporate giveaways -- such as the deregulation of financial derivatives that contributed so much to the 2008 financial collapse -- were passed by a lame duck Congress at the end of a two-term Democratic administration. Let’s not be fooled by recent assurances. We must organize now so the political establishment cannot suddenly push the TPP through in the eleventh hour, when we don’t have time to organize.


Thank you for your support.  Let’s get back to work!

In solidarity,

Tim Canova
Chair, Progress For All
   
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Friends of Bernie Sanders

The declining middle class is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics, and the establishment media. People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes, and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids - all while the very rich become much richer.

Voters know these problems — yet they chose Donald Trump as their next president. That means the Democratic Party needs to look itself in the mirror and work tirelessly to become once again the party that working people know will work for their interests.
That's why I believe that Rep. Keith Ellison is the right person to lead the Democratic National Committee.

Keith is one of the most progressive members of Congress, and he was an early supporter of our political revolution. He is a co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, a strong believer in grassroots politics, and someone who would be enormously effective in leading the Democratic Party against President Donald Trump.


You cannot be a party which on one hand says we're in favor of working people, we're in favor of the needs of young people but we don't quite have the courage to take on Wall Street and the billionaire class. People do not believe that. You've got to decide which side you're on.

Keith Ellison knows the importance of rejecting the policies of the political establishment and wealthy campaign contributors. He is prepared to take on the billionaire class and all forms of bigotry. He vigorously supports a $15 minimum wage, opposes fracking and dangerous oil pipelines, and he wants to get big money out of politics.

I don't think the political establishment and the billionaire class would like Keith Ellison as the DNC chair. Good.

Keith also understands the stakes of what might happen under the Trump Administration. He knows just how dangerous it will be for Muslims, people of color, immigrants, our LGBT sisters and brothers, and so many others. His experience and perspective would be key to leading the fight against Trump.

I'm sure a lot of you have some feelings about the Democratic National Committee. The truth is that it is an important entity to build, support, and maintain if we are to have the chance to organize and win in the coming elections while Trump is president.
We must also do everything we can to elect Democrats to Congress in 2018, and to take back the White House in 2020. We need a Democratic National Committee led by a progressive who understand the dire need to listen to working families, not the political establishment or the billionaire class.

That is why I support Keith Ellison to be the next Chair of the Democratic National Committee, and why I hope you'll join me in advocating for him to lead the DNC.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. Thank you for being a part of our political revolution.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders
   
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Dear Friends,
Our work to solve climate change, one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced, has never been easy. But with the results of the election and its many, profound consequences for us as a nation, this challenge has become even greater.
While different people are affected by this election outcome in different ways, the divisive, often offensive rhetoric of this election season affects us all. We at Climate Reality are committed to fighting climate change, but we also recognize that in order to win we need to work in an inclusive, collaborative manner.
But even in the face of these attempts to divide us, what gives me hope is the fact that Americans are united in supporting real action to protect the planet and nation we share from climate change.
We saw this fact clearly in Florida, where fossil fuel interests and utilities spent millions backing a ballot initiative to halt solar in the Sunshine State. Voters roundly rejected the measure, opening the door to a brighter future in the state.
And this is just one ray of light among many. Consider, for example, how many businesses are turning to clean energy not just as the right ethical choice, but also as the right economic choice, making wind and solar increasingly ordinary – in a very good way. Many Americans may not even know they’re helping accelerate the shift to renewables when they shop every day at the nation’s two biggest users of solar energy, Target and Walmart.
In the years ahead, we’ll continue to work on accelerating this shift away from dirty fossil fuels by helping businesses, towns, universities, and other institutions transition to renewables. We’ll keep working at the local and state levels where regular citizens can make a real difference in supporting initiatives that expand clean energy and other climate solutions. We'll continue participating in the diverse coalitions that will be required for us to win. We’ll also keep working through our international branches to keep the momentum going behind the Paris Agreement.
Believe me when I say that I understand the disappointment and sadness that so many Americans are feeling today. Today, our challenge is great. But we are equal to it and more committed than ever to fighting every day for a sustainable future for our precious planet. And remember, we’ve seen setbacks before. After the UN’s COP 15 summit in Copenhagen, it felt the world would never come together to find a solution to climate change. Six years later, we were celebrating the Paris Agreement.
If I’ve learned anything after decades in our movement, it’s that progress is never a given. It’s something you have to fight for. Often everyday. And at Climate Reality, we’re committed to the fight. One of the greatest tragedies of the campaign was that climate change never became the central issue it must be. We’re committed to ensuring it becomes an issue our leaders can never ignore again.
Today is a day to reflect. But know we will come back. And we will win.
You can help by supporting Climate Reality’s ongoing work to power a global grassroots network devoted to solving the climate crisis. Make a donation today and help us continue to fight for a sustainable, clean-energy future that Americans and people everywhere deserve.
Ken Berlin
President and CEO
The Climate Reality Project
   
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Logo

There’s no way to put a happy face on what happened on Tuesday.
Americans voted, and the result handed power to a unified Republican government led by President-elect Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan, who has made dismantling Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid his personal mission.
The only thing standing in their way will be a united American public who know that our Social Security system must be expanded, never cut.
In the primaries, Trump broke with the standard Republican position and pledged to honor Social Security’s promise, and not cut benefits. Our job for the next four years is to hold him to that promise.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid’s future has never been more precarious than right now. We need to stand together and ensure that these programs remain strong.
In 2005, a reelected President George W. Bush and a unified Republican Congress set out on a plan to privatize our Social Security system. The American people stood up to protect a system that has never missed a payment, doesn’t add a penny to the deficit, and can pay full benefits for nearly two decades.
We are not giving up. We’re going to stand together.

Alex Lawson
Executive Director
Social Security Works
------------------------------------------------
     
Dear friend,
Standing up for the rights of voters means advocating for all ballots to be counted - ensuring results were tabulated in a fair and accurate way. Standing up for the rights of voters means factoring in voter suppression and intimidation tactics when analyzing election results to decide if an election was unfairly influenced by illegal practices. Standing up for the rights of voters means asking hard questions and demanding answers - we will continue to stand with voters and we thank you for standing with us. Your leadership and your support are critical at this time. 
Click here to support our work - help us continue to work on behalf of voters investing in a free and fair democratic system.  

WISCONSIN:
27,257 vote contest

1. Did Wisconsin’s voter ID law lead to enough disenfranchisement to change the outcome of the election?
Unfair voter ID restrictions in the state require voters to obtain their birth certificate to be able to vote, regardless of the other forms of ID they can produce - if they cannot obtain it, they must enter an “ID Petition Process” that did not provide at least 2,200 would-be-voters with an ID before Election Day. An estimated 300,000 voters could have failed to vote due to confusion over the new voter ID regulations. It is impossible to tabulate exactly how many people in Wisconsin were denied a voter ID due to a lack of birth certificate, but it is an accepted fact that the laws disproportionately affected black voters.
Nine percent of the state’s registered voters reportedly did not have a voter ID, and voting rights advocates point to multiple court orders to issue free voter IDs to voters that were not followed as evidence officials were interested in suppression - not voting rights. A U.S. Judge James Peterson ordered state officials to attempt to notify people who had not yet received voting credentials but had applied for them, and stated Governor Scott Walker’s administration had proven a “disturbing pattern” of not addressing possible problems with the voter ID law. Hopeful voters who were aware of the law were forced to wait long hours in cold weather to attempt to obtain voter ID before Election Day - countless others were not educated about the requirements in time to obtain the documentation needed. It is unknown how many Wisconsin residents are eligible to vote, but unable to travel to a DMV during the hours they were open to obtain new voting credentials.
2. Did voter intimidation play a factor in the outcome of the election in Wisconsin?
Voting rights activists were appalled at the fact that Scott Walker’s administration was unwilling to use billboard advertising and other forms of public education to inform voters about new voter ID laws before the election when he was supportive of billboards that targeted minority voters with intimidation tactics. Voter ID laws and the way officials interacted with voters about them amounted to intimidation leading to suppression in Wisconsin -  for example, less than half of the offices issuing voter IDs in the state are open five days out of the week (with Sauk County’s office being open only one Wednesday a month), and mainly black and Latinx voters with valid credentials were rejected for voter ID cards due to false information being given to these voters by state employees.
MICHIGAN:
11,837 vote contest

1. Did voter suppression and intimidation affect voters in Detroit?
With such a small margin between the two major party candidates, it is of note to mention that absentee voting in the Detroit area was down by an estimated 26,000 voters this year, but absentee voting numbers were up in other areas of the state. A lawsuit asking for a judge to order members of the Republican Party not to engage in voter intimidation was filed before Election Day in Detroit federal court - it did not stop a man from trying to block two Muslim women wearing hijab from voting.


2. Did voting machine problems in Detroit influence election outcomes? 
Voter machine problems across Detroit plagued voters on Election Day
- voters were forced to leave ballots in the hands of volunteers because the machines were not accepting them,  disallowing them to ensure their ballots physically passed through the machine to be counted. Additionally, the long lines created by the machine malfunctions could have deterred voters who took a specific amount of time away from work to vote.
FLORIDA:
119,770 vote contest

1. How can the result be reported as complete when all ballots by mail had not been received yet by election offices?

There are currently over 700,000 ballots that were provided to voters in the state of Florida that were not yet returned - ballots could still be coming in throughout the rest of this week that were postmarked by Election Day. More than 68,000 more Democrats than Republicans are reported as having not returned their vote by mail ballot by November 9, and ballots from another 175,000 have not been returned by unaffiliated or other party voters. A fraction of these 700,000 ballots could change the outcome of the presidential election in Florida. A whopping 47,000+ ballots remain marked as “not yet returned” by Democrats in Broward County (whose unaffiliated voters account for 20,000 more ballots that have not been returned). Other counties of note reporting a high number of “not yet returned” vote by mail ballots from registered Democrats include Miami-Dade (over 50,000 with over 30,000 unaffiliated voters), Orange (almost 30,000 with 13,000 unaffiliated voters), and Hillsborough (over 23,000 with over 12,000 unaffiliated voters). 
2. Did Florida continue its history of voter disenfranchisement this election? 
In 2012, over 200,000 voters did not cast ballots because of long lines. An estimated 108,000 of those votes would have gone to Obama, and the longest lines were in areas with high Hispanic populations. This year, voters in the state reported unusually high levels of voter misinformation. There has also been a reported downturn in early voting for black voters and several skirmishes around intimidation tactics at the polls on Election Day, leading analysts to wonder if voter intimidation or suppression played a role in the outcome of the election there. 
NORTH CAROLINA:
177,529 vote contest

1. Did systematic polling place closures and voter registration purges disproportionately  affecting black voters across the state and influence the outcome of the election?

While only three counties were targeted in lawsuits filed by the NAACP due to purged voter registrations before the election, there are unanswered questions about why black voter turnout was severely depressed on and before Election Day. In Cumberland County, at least 3,500 voters were purged from the rolls. A prevalent story out of the state was that of a 100 year old black voter who exposed the difficult process of getting voter registration restored after it had been unfairly revoked in what President Obama indicated was reminiscent of Jim Crow laws meant to suppress black and other voters of color. Due to the Supreme Court’s decision that affected the protections voters received under the Voting Rights Act this year, there were 27 fewer polling places available to voters across the state. For example, in Cleveland County (located on the edge of Charlotte) voters were served by 5 less polling places than in the previous election - a 19% decrease. Additionally, five of these voting places were combined to form two in the city of Shelby - a city that is 40% black. Similarly, Pasquotank County (home of a historically black university) went from having 13 polling places to nine - a 31% decrease. The area was put under scrutiny in 2013 when a black student at the university was initially denied the right to run for city council due to residing at a dormitory address. 


2. Did cuts to early voting lead to disenfranchisement based on race?
Black voter turnout was down in a big way in North Carolina - about 66,000 fewer ballots were reportedly cast by black voters in 2016 than in 2012. More troubling, trends for early voting by black voters in North Carolina do not match the trends for black early voters in similar southern states, making a stronger case for a unique voter suppression problem. Removing Sunday as an option for early voters  Voter intimidation tactics during early voting are also a possible reason numbers were down in the state. Voting restrictions in the state have been said to “target African American with almost surgical precision” by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
*Do you have relevant information or analysis about this election you would like to share? Click here to send us a message.
   
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Friends --

We woke up on Wednesday in a world we never imagined would become reality. This world is terrifying, saddening, and enraging.

It’s not the outcome we wanted. Hillary Clinton didn’t win the Presidency. But Hillary fought a hard campaign, rooted in equality, inclusivity, and empowerment.

We’re inspired by Hillary's vision, her conviction, and her service -- and we’re inspired by the hope that she gave us for a better America.

So we are sending her a card to thank her for all she has done to serve:
Thank you Hillary
Hillary made us believe that anything was possible -- for any man, woman, or little girl.

She taught us that we are stronger when we work together, and that we must bridges and not walls.

She reminded us that everyone, regardless of gender, race, class, religion, sexuality, age, or ability, is worthy and deserving of the chance to pursue their dreams.

Most importantly, she reminded us to have hope. We cannot forget about the progressive values that we fight for day in and day out -- because today, this fight is more important than ever before.

We can’t stop fighting for Hillary’s vision of a better America.

Please, sign the card to thank Hillary Clinton for her hard fought, progressive campaign:

http://go.traindemocrats.org/Thank-You-Hillary

It’s our turn to fight. Let’s do this,

National Democratic Training Committee
     
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A thank-you from Hillary Clinton

Friend --

Thank you.

Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.

This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I’m sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together –- this vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love -- and about building an America that’s hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.

We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America –- and I always will. And if you do, too, then we must accept this result -– and then look to the future.

Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things –- the rule of law, the principle that we’re all equal in rights and dignity, and the freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these things too -- and we must defend them.

And let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let’s do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold anyone back from achieving their dreams.

We’ve spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American Dream is big enough for everyone -- for people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities.

Our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek. And I know you will.

I am so grateful to stand with all of you.

I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey. It gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front-lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in the Senate.

To Barack and Michelle Obama: Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude for your graceful, determined leadership, and so do I.

To Bill, Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers, and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.

You crisscrossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most –- even four-month old Aidan traveling with his mom.

I will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country who poured their hearts into this campaign. For you veterans, this was a campaign after a campaign -- for some of you, this was your first campaign ever. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anyone has had.

To all the volunteers, community leaders, activists, and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, posted on Facebook - even in secret or in private: Thank you.

To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going, thank you.

And to all the young people in particular, I want you to hear this. I’ve spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I’ve had successes and I’ve had setbacks -– sometimes really painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your careers. You will have successes and setbacks, too.

This loss hurts. But please, please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It’s always worth it. And we need you keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.

To all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.

I know that we still have not shattered that highest glass ceiling. But some day someone will -– hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

And to all the little girls watching right now, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world.

Finally, I am grateful to our country for all it has given me.

I count my blessings every day that I am an American. And I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together, with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions, and love for this nation -– our best days are still ahead of us.

You know I believe we are stronger together and will go forward together. And you should never be sorry that you fought for that.

Scripture tells us: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”

My friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.

I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and god bless the United States of America.

Hillary          
     
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Democracy Now!

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On Wednesday, hours after Donald Trump won the presidency, Senator Bernie Sanders issued this statement on Trump's election: "Donald Trump tapped ... Read More →

On the same day Donald Trump was elected, the World Meteorological Organization reported that the five years from 2011 to 2015 were the hottest on record, with ... Read More →

"Not My President"—that was the chant at protests across the country Wednesday as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the election of ... Read More →

As Trump heads to the White House, Trump's transition team has assembled a shortlist of who could make up Trump's Cabinet. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani ... Read More →

Early Wednesday morning, the shock of Donald Trump's victory spread across the world, sending stock markets tumbling and media organizations scrambling to cover ... Read More →

Headlines →

   
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Daily Kos



  • Paul Ryan just announced his plans to phase out Medicare with privatization using vouchers
  • Judge denies Trump motion to exclude evidence of what he said and tweeted during campaign
  • Trump goes after immigrants, government workers, the environment, and gay couples—that's day one
  • Hillary Clinton is the second Democrat in our lifetimes to win the popular vote but lose the presidency. Sign the petition: End the Electoral College
  • California does the right thing—in the face of Trump ...
  • The architect of the most racist law in modern American history has been named to Trump's team
  • Potential Trump Homeland Security head says anti-Trump protests must be 'quelled'
  • Texas State police investigate pro-Trump 'vigilante' flyers calling for tarring, feathering, torture
  • The North Carolina Ku Klux Klan announces they will hold a Trump victory parade in December
  • How Trump will affect your federal and state taxes, Medicare, and more
  • The Republican War on Women continues -- this time with new subpoenas targeting fetal tissue researchers. Help NARAL end this irresponsible witch hunt. sponsored
  • Don't count Obamacare out just yet
  • Second night of protests expands to more cities ... now with bonus Trump tweet
  • Donald Trump in 2012: 'The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.'
  • The 2016 election had some bright spots for progressives, too, and that's where our future starts
  • The many ways Donald Trump could harm LGBT Americans after vowing to 'protect' them



  • People of color, many others fear the future under a Trump presidency
  •    


  • Trump's pyrrhic victory provides a big silver lining for Democrats
  • Surprise! Trump was a Putin puppet all along
  • Garrison Keillor: Trump voters will see his disasters fall on them—more than anyone else
  • Sign the petition: End the Electoral College
  • Russia's deputy foreign minister confirms Russia worked with Trump campaign ... but emails, right?
  • Paul Ryan: Donald Trump 'just earned a mandate'
  • It's time to stop being nice and be honest about what we're up against
  • Noam Chomsky's spot-on prediction of a Donald Trump presidency in 2010
  • Donald Trump and Paul Ryan are going to brutalize the working class—and the middle class, too
  • McConnell: Senate will move swiftly to repeal Obamacare. Replacement? That may take a while
  • Sign the petition telling President Obama: End all fossil fuel leasing on public lands before leaving office
  • I thought my uncle would help. I didn't know he was KKK.
  • The surprisingly realistic path to eliminating the Electoral College by 2020
  • Why what happened last night is so devastating to women
  • Turning the page on one of the most painful days of our lives, tomorrow we rise
  • Two Americas grapple with election results



  • Soul searching as a data scientist who tried to help
  •      


  • I am saddened and embarrassed
  • We oppose everything
  • Joe Arpaio is sheriff no more
  • Sign if you agree with NARAL: Time to end the special committee attacking women’s health. sponsored
  • President Obama delivers statement on the election
  • White Supremacy wins—for now.
  • It's official: Donald Trump wins. God help us all
  • The electoral disaster and the politics of resentment
  • We lick our wounds, we grieve, and then we fucking fight
  • Hillary Clinton addresses the nation
  • Van Jones delivers an emotional commentary on this deeply painful moment for so many Americans
  • We don't know (and may never) how much voter suppression hurt us. But it wasn't the only thing
  • Don't tell me this was about 'change' and 'outsiders'
  • Where we go from here



  • Republicans retain control of Congress and pick up governorships and legislatures
  •      
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    AlterNet
            
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    The election had many surprises... beyond Hillary winning the popular vote. READ MORE»


    By Tim Wise, AlterNet
    There is no way to interpret this election as anything but a crushing blow. READ MORE»


    By Adele M. Stan, The American Prospect
    It was not Trump’s mastery of the media alone that won him the big prize. READ MORE»


    By Michael Moore, AlterNet
    We have no interest in compromising with racists and misogynists. READ MORE»


    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    Trump will be president, but there were some big progressive victories. READ MORE»


    By Ben Norton, Salon
    In retrospect, it looks like the Democratic Party deliberately destroyed its best chance of defeating Donald Trump. READ MORE»


    By Reynard Loki, AlterNet
    President-elect Donald Trump is no friend to planet Earth. READ MORE»


    By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
    Obsessive coverage of the BS "email scandal" may have tipped a tight race. Now Trump "pivots" to the White House. READ MORE»


    By Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story
    Day one in Trump's hateful America. READ MORE»


    By Jenny Pierson, AlterNet
    An illustrated guide to help victims of harassment. READ MORE»


    By Carrie Weisman, AlterNet
    Are we born kinky, or does life experience lead us down that path? READ MORE»


    By Laura Clawson, Daily Kos
    These are concrete ways Obama bypassed Congress to make workers’ lives better. They're in jeopardy.  READ MORE»
               
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "Not my president" was the contentious theme of rallies the night after the startling election results.  READ MORE»


    By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
    The election was a repudiation of the American power structure. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "The caucasian nation showed up in droves to vote for Trump, so I don't want to hear a word about black voter turnout." READ MORE»


    By Chauncey DeVega, Salon
    Those in shock over the outcome grievously underestimated the power of the hateful forces underlying Trumpism READ MORE»


    By Janet Allon, AlterNet
    "I will not fall in line behind an unrepentant bigot."  READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Hint: It's a twist on Trump's campaign slogan. READ MORE»


    By Tom Boggioni, Raw Story
    Kelly was not amused.  READ MORE»


    By Jag Davies, AlterNet
    There are now 28 states with medical marijuana laws, eight of which have also approved legal regulation of marijuana for adults 21 and over.  READ MORE»


    By Keith Knight, AlterNet
    Trump, Pence, and the Cubs curse.  READ MORE»
            
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Real damage awaits as Trump and the GOP take power. READ MORE»


    By Amanda Marcotte, Salon
    It was unimaginable that America would self-destruct rather than elect a female president. But that's what happened. READ MORE»


    By Anis Shivani, AlterNet
    Neoliberalism has gifted us with a serious regression to the past. READ MORE»


    By Sarah Anderson, Josh Hoxie, AlterNet
    Voters in many states, including red ones, approved proposals that will reduce our economic divide. READ MORE»


    By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
    In the closest thing ever to a national referendum on pot, the people have spoken. READ MORE»


    By G. Pascal Zachary, AlterNet
    We must resist the right-wing takeover of the government. READ MORE»


    By Amy Monticello, Role Reboot
    It's like discovering Mars for some of them.  READ MORE»


    By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
    Our allies fear for the safety of NATO.  READ MORE»


    By Paul Buchheit, AlterNet
    Half or more of American families have virtually no savings. READ MORE»


    By Brendan Gauthier, Salon
    The people whose names you don't recognize are as bad as or worse than those whose names you're sick of hearing. READ MORE»


    By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
    Republicans have the House, the Senate, and Governorships.  READ MORE»


    By Jim Sleeper, AlterNet
    How Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, have seeded this disaster. READ MORE»


    By Katie Klabusich, The Establishment
    “I followed the script set out for me before I realized there were other ways to be and live.” READ MORE»


    By Kayla McDonell, Authority Nutrition
    Different foods can have vastly different effects on hunger and satiety. READ MORE»
             
    By Michael Moore, AlterNet
    Roll up your sleeves, people—there are fascists to defeat.  READ MORE»


    By Adele M. Stan, AlterNet
    Women are in for it under President Donald Trump. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Clinton gave a concession speech just hours after conceding to Trump.  READ MORE»


    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Why didn't pollsters, pundits and Democrats see it coming? READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Danielle Moodie-Mills on why Donald Trump was elected president. READ MORE»


    By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
    There was alarm from many, and applause from right-wing elements.  READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Arizona's Maricopa County Democratic Party celebrated a bright spot in all the darkness.  READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Colbert grapples with a disaster along with the rest of us. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Jones nails it. READ MORE»


    By Peter Dreier, AlterNet
    This nation has survived political crises before, and it will again if progressives refrain from pointing fingers and start organizing. READ MORE»


    By Thom Hartmann, AlterNet
    The seeds were planted in an underreported 2009 meeting.  READ MORE»
               
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    AlterNet weighs in on the worst of what comes next now that Donald Trump has won the presidency. READ MORE»


    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Why didn't pollsters, pundits and Democrats see it coming? READ MORE»


    By Jeremy Sherman, AlterNet
    Our election was a big blow to our democracy from which we may not recover. READ MORE»


    By Grace Guarnieri, Salon
    Here are the top 5 moments that built up to the Nov. 8 climax. READ MORE»


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    The nation's most populous state has just freed the weed. Now, the pressure mounts on Washington.  READ MORE»


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    By Tom Boggioni, Raw Story
    Depressing. READ MORE»


    By Katherine Paul, AlterNet
    Congress should instead allocate funding to support regenerative agriculture that leads to food security and carbon reductions. READ MORE»
             
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
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    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
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    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "It's democracy in action, so get out there and vote."  READ MORE»


    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
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    By Jen Sorensen, AlterNet
    Turn off cable news and get to the polls. READ MORE»


    By Neal Gabler, BillMoyers.com
    A media critic despairs of political coverage ever being put back together again. READ MORE»


    By Erin Corbett, Raw Story
    Hypocritical till the bitter end. READ MORE»
         
    ********************************************
    Dear ones, what the F have we
    gotten ourselves into?!??

    ******************************************** 

    Movies

    ICYMI last time, here's Randi Rhodes's "The Nightmare Is Here: President-elect Trump. It Turns Out – We Are Not Better Than This." Yup. The people who lurve trump because of and in spite of his hateful, bigoted rhetoric came out in droves and voted for him. If there were such a thing as Satan, he must be having an orgasm of delight right now.

    Seth Meyers Shares Remarks on Donald Trump's Presidency

    Samantha Bee on Donald LOSER trump's campaign policy "shop." Yeah, I didn't gno it was a thing, either. Maybe trump didn't, either--maybe he used the excuse that they didn't really exist as a reason to refuse to pay them. Which, of course, he did.

    Secular Talk on what trump and the Republican Congress can do

    MSNBC's Rachel Maddow interviews Senator Elizabeth Warren: "We stand up, and we fight back."

    'Til next time, check out these great channels:
    ...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested
      
    ********************************************


    And now, here's your treat:
    "Democracy"
    (It's coming to the USA)
    by Leonard Cohen

    Democracy
    It's coming through a hole in the air
    From those nights in Tiananmen Square
    It's coming from the feel
    That this ain't exactly real
    Or it's real, but it ain't exactly there
    From the wars against disorder
    From the sirens night and day
    From the fires of the homeless
    From the ashes of the gay
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    It's coming through a crack in the wall
    On a visionary flood of alcohol
    From the staggering account
    Of the Sermon on the Mount
    Which I don't pretend to understand at all
    It's coming from the silence
    On the dock of the bay,
    From the brave, the bold, the battered
    Heart of Chevrolet
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    It's coming from the sorrow in the street
    The holy places where the races meet
    From the homicidal bitchin'
    That goes down in every kitchen
    To determine who will serve and who will eat
    From the wells of disappointment
    Where the women kneel to pray
    For the grace of God in the desert here
    And the desert far away:
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    Sail on, sail on
    Oh mighty ship of State
    To the shores of need
    Past the reefs of greed
    Through the Squalls of hate
    Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on
    It's coming to America first
    The cradle of the best and of the worst
    It's here they got the range
    And the machinery for change
    And it's here they got the spiritual thirst
    It's here the family's broken
    And it's here the lonely say
    That the heart has got to open
    In a fundamental way
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    It's coming from the women and the men
    Oh baby, we'll be making love again
    We'll be going down so deep
    The river's going to weep,
    And the mountain's going to shout Amen
    It's coming like the tidal flood
    Beneath the lunar sway
    Imperial, mysterious
    In amorous array
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    Sail on, sail on
    O mighty ship of State
    To the shores of need
    Past the reefs of greed
    Through the squalls of hate
    Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on
    I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
    I love the country but I can't stand the scene
    And I'm neither left or right
    I'm just staying home tonight
    Getting lost in that hopeless little screen
    But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
    As time cannot decay
    I'm junk but I'm still holding up this little wild bouquet
    Democracy is coming to the USA
    To the USA
    Songwriters: Leonard Cohen
    Democracy lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    But wait--there's moar!