Good Day, Gnusies! Lots of good news and lots to say today! Let’s go!
First, let’s try to put into perspective the news last night about Bill Barr resurfacing to scare the bejesus out of everyone with his long-expected abuse of office to mess with the election. Barr grabbed all the headlines by “authorizing” prosecutors to investigate the voter fraud lies being put forward by the trump campaign and assorted Republican toadies and sycophants. It turns out this will likely be (yet another) tempest in a teapot from the bully brigade, and a great disappointment for “Donald Trump’s dwindling band of loyalists at the White House”:
Team Trump Shits on Barr’s Bogus Voter Fraud Crusade, Asawin Suebsaeng, Erin Banco, Spencer Ackerman, William Bredderman, Sam Stein, Daily Beast, November 9, 2020.
On Monday, Attorney General Bill Barr “authorized” Justice officials to investigate allegations of voter irregularities. But his memo doing so practically admitted there was little-to-no evidence for any such election fraud. The document warned that “specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries” and that “nothing here should be taken as any indication that the Department has concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election.”
The memo sparked a new wave of criticism that the president and his allies were willing to sacrifice the country’s democratic foundation in the pursuit of power. Even those steps weren’t enough to satisfy Team Trump, however. Shortly after Barr’s declaration broke, officials close to the president and working on his reelection effort said they thought the memo could give the president and Rudy Giuliani another element to incorporate into their messaging war against the results of the free and fair election, but that it wouldn’t prove to be the legal game changer that they needed.
“This is not what some of us wanted. This is not what I wanted,” said a senior official on the Trump reelection effort, following the news of the DOJ memo. “This will give the president [and others] something to play with for a while, but until Bill Barr actually puts up or shuts up, we’re still where we [have been].”
Their goal in pulling these dangerous stunts is to create fear, chaos and confusion, so it behooves all of us to remain calm and clear-eyed about the realities on the side of saving democracy. Chief among them is the reality that Donald Trump, Bill Barr et al are NOT all-powerful. They cannot will their desires into existence just by saying stuff or announcing stuff or tweeting stuff or “authorizing” stuff. They need evidence, not just wild accusations. They need lots of people to go along with their schemes (supposing there even is an actual scheme fleshed out), and they don’t have the necessary numbers. While it’s undeniable that there are an unnerving number of true believers in Republican authoritarianism, the fact remains that patriotic Americans are the majority. Millions more of us voted for Joe Biden, support democracy and reject fascism. Even amongst their own ranks, there are lots of people who may like what the MAGA movement does, but destroying democracy is a bridge too far even for them:
Growing Discomfort at Law Firms Representing Trump in Election Lawsuits, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Rachel Abrams and David Enrich, New York Times, November 9, 2020.
Some senior lawyers at Jones Day, one of the country’s largest law firms, are worried that it is advancing arguments that lack evidence and may be helping Mr. Trump and his allies undermine the integrity of American elections, according to interviews with nine partners and associates, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs.
At another large firm, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, based in Columbus, Ohio, lawyers have held internal meetings to voice similar concerns about their firm’s election-related work for Mr. Trump and the Republican Party, according to people at the firm. At least one lawyer quit in protest.
And
30 former GOP members of Congress call on Trump to accept Biden's victory, Alex Seitz-Wald, NBC News, November 9, 2020.
Thirty former Republican members of Congress, many of whom previously endorsed Joe Biden, called on President Donald Trump on Monday to accept the results of the election and stop promoting baseless allegations of voter fraud.
"As former Republican members of Congress who swore an oath to the Constitution, we believe the statements by President Trump alleging fraud in the election are efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the election and are unacceptable," the group wrote in an open letter.
"Every vote should be counted and the final outcome accepted by the participants because public confidence in the outcome of our elections is a bedrock of our democracy," the group added. "Going forward it is our hope the nation will, regardless of party or persuasion, recognize that President-elect Joe Biden has won this election."
We now pause for a word from the Pennsylvania AG:
Second, a lot of people in the gloom and doom squad seem to think that Joe Biden and Democrats might be blind-sided by Republican tricks, ruthless thirst for power and duplicity. As Joe would say, “Come on, man!”. This is where that long career in government comes in real handy. There’s nothing Republicans can do that will surprise Joe Biden. He was there when they obstructed President Obama, remember? He is not going to be fooled, not going to be naive. When we hear our friends worrying about “nice Joe Biden” possibly being outfoxed by Moscow Mitch and company, remind them that empathy and compassion are strengths, not weaknesses and maybe they need to stop thinking like Republicans.
Joe is hugely experienced, tough as nails, really damn smart, has a plan for everything Republicans might try to throw at him AND he has built a team who will fight hard for him and for us. Remember the thousands of lawyers and volunteers that Joe Biden gathered back in early summer to be ready for the very things Bill Barr et al are now threatening to pull? Yeah, that was real and they are ready for anything.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Joe Biden did not leave it to the last minute to see if he would win or not. He takes public service and governing seriously. He has been building his administration for months, in order to be prepared to hit the ground running right from the moment he is inaugurated. Joe understands at least as well as the gloom and doomers what is at stake right now, and with his experience in government he knows just what to do, who to recruit, and how things work. So he will be able to lead his administration into a swift transition, even in these perilous, pandemic times.
Yesterday, buglady99 posted this video and it is so good I want to share it. This guy mentions the organizing Joe Biden was doing last summer to get teams in place to be ready to begin state department/foreign affairs work immediately. You can rest assured there are teams in place for every other government department, too.
Thanks buglady99! This is short, smart and makes it easy to understand how well Joe Biden is prepared:
Joe is prepared
Biden behaves as the incoming president, even as Trump balks at giving up power, Annie Linskey and Sean Sullivan, Washington Post, November 9, 2020.
Biden began taking calls from foreign leaders, speaking Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He also was weighing whom to appoint to top White House positions, with several of his longtime advisers expected to take senior roles. And he turned his attention to the coronavirus, dispatching a key aide to brief Senate Democrats this week and making a strong pitch to Americans of every ideology to follow public health recommendations.
The President-elect takes the pandemic seriously
Biden targets virus as his White House transition begins, Will Weissert, Philip Marcelo and Aamer Madhani, AP News, November 9, 2020.
The advisory board that Biden announced on Monday includes doctors and scientists who have served in previous administrations, many of them experts in public health, vaccines and infectious disease.
It will be led by former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler and Yale University public health care expert Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith. ✄
Biden pledged during the campaign to make testing free and widely available, to hire thousands of health workers to help implement contact-tracing programs and to instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide clear, expert advice.
(Nifty note: President-elect Biden also promised that when an approved vaccine becomes available, he will ensure that it is distributed fairly and for free).
🎶 Musical PSA 🎶
😰 Election 😰
Transition
Sure enough, as I mentioned in the opening remarks, Joe Biden and his team have already anticipated the Republican shenanigans. Certainly, President Biden will immediately extend a hand of cooperation across the floor but he will take action without delay if Senate Rs prove obstructive:
Biden team making plans to blow through any McConnell ‘roadblocks’: report, Sarah Toce, Raw Story, November 8, 2020.
President-elect Joe Biden is already in the process of working with his transition team to overhaul executive orders placed during his predecessor’s time in office, according to The Washington Post. Among the immediately planned adjustments: setting up a coronavirus task force in recognition of the coronavirus global pandemic. ✄
“There has also been a recognition of those around him [Biden] that he may have to lean more on executive actions than he had once hoped. He can reorient various federal agencies and regulations, and he can adopt a different posture on the world stage,” The Washington Post reported Sunday.
“The policy team, the transition policy teams, are focusing now very much on executive power,” said a Biden ally who has been in touch with his team who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. “I expect that to be freely used in a Biden administration at this point, if the Senate becomes a roadblock.”
Details of Biden administration plans can be found at this WAPO link, though I used the Raw Story summary link above which is not paywalled: Biden plans immediate flurry of executive orders to reverse Trump policies, Matt Viser, Seung Min Kim and Annie Linskey, Washington Post, November 7, 2020.
A lot of people are worried that the Senate is still going to be controlled by Republicans. That actually remains to be seen! There will be two Georgia runoff elections and a couple of other Senate races (AK and NC) are undecided as this is being written. But whatever the case may be, simply having Joe Biden in the White House will instantly improve our situation because he will appoint a new and better cabinet! As poster SottoVoce reminded us in Goodie’s “I’m not going anywhere” diary:
And More Good Election News:
Hey, Some Democrats We Like Won Their Races Last Night! Hooray!, Stephen Robinson, Wonkette, November 4, 2020.
First things first, the Squad endured. House Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar all won reelection, despite serving as rightwing bogeywomen for the past two years. Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley's seats might've been relatively safe but Tlaib and Omar were less so.
There was a brief scare last night when it seemed like badass freshman Rep. Lauren Underwood might lose, but she's holding on to a narrow lead in Illinois' 14th District. Over in Kansas' Third District, Rep. Sharice Davids decisively held off her Republican challenger. I'd already bragged about Lucy McBath's anticipated win in Georgia's Sixth, but I'll do so again. It's official! She defeated Republican Karen Handel by an even larger margin than last time. Huzzah!
In other cool news, New Mexico became the first state to elect all women of color to its House delegation. That's awesome, even if one of the winners from last night is a Republican, Yvette Herrell, who beat Democratic incumbent Rep. Xochitl Torres Small from the state's Second Congressional District.
New York Democrats Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones both made history last night as the first openly gay Black men elected to Congress. Torres defeated homophobic jerk Rubén Diaz Sr. in June's Democratic primary.
Cori Bush has been elected to Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, making her the first Black Congresswoman in the history of Missouri.
At the time the race was called by NBC News, Bush — a Democrat — was leading Republican candidate Anthony Rogers with 78.9 percent of the vote. Missouri’s 1st district includes St. Louis and usually leans blue. ✄
Bush’s platform includes Medicare for all, $15 federal minimum wage and the previously mentioned criminal justice reform. Bush continued on Twitter detailing what this win means for her and many more. “I will be the first woman to represent Missouri’s First District in its 173 year history. We have seen a 74 percent increase in women voters here since 2016. Representation matters. A system that works for everyone matters,” Bush wrote.
⚖ Ballot Measures ⚖
There were other things on the ballot this year than just who the next president should be. State ballot initiatives are a way for the people to directly make legislative decisions. Here is one such ballot measure that is HUGE news for justice and humanity:
Oregon leads the way in decriminalizing hard drugs, Andrew Selsky, AP News, November 4, 2020.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — In a first in the nation, Oregon has rejected charging drug users with criminal offenses, with voters passing a ballot measure that decriminalizes possession of heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, oxycodone and other hard drugs.
“Today’s victory is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use,” said Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which was behind the measure. “Measure 110 is arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date.”
The measure completely changes how Oregon’s justice system treats those who are found with personal-use amounts of the hard drugs.
These are the notable ballot measures that voters approved or rejected, Julia Jacobo, ABC News, November 4, 2020.
-Colorado voters struck down Proposition 115, a measure that sought to ban abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy. Abortions in Colorado will continue to be legal at any time during a woman’s pregnancy.
-Five states have legalized marijuana for both recreational and medical use.
-Florida voters have approved a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15. The current minimum wage of $8.56 will be raised to $15 over the next six years.
Virginia says No More Rigged REDistricting
Virginia voters decide unambiguously: No more rigged redistricting, Editorial Board, Washington Post, November 4, 2020.
ACTUAL VOTE-RIGGING — not the made-up variety conjured by President Trump — has been the norm in too many states for too long, having taken place once a decade under the anodyne-sounding rubric of congressional and legislative redistricting. On Tuesday, voters in Virginia said: Enough. ✄
By a lopsided margin, Virginians approved a constitutional amendment to establish a bipartisan redistricting commission that will remove from back rooms the decennial process of drawing maps for congressional and state legislative elections, and shift it into the public realm. That alone will improve the odds that voters can choose their elected representatives rather than the other way around.
⚖ Justice ⚖
Chicago Judge Strikes Down Trump Administration’s Aggressively Anti-Immigrant Public Charge Rule, Ryan J. Farrick, Legal Reader, November 7, 2020.
The Associated Press reports that U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman struck down the rule on Monday, saying it violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Under the APA, federal agencies must remain accountable to the public by outlining detailed processes and explanations for proposed regulations. ✄
The so-called “public charge” rule has attracted extensive criticism and may be considered among the Trump administration’s most aggressive anti-immigration measures to date. While U.S. law has long allowed citizenship and immigration officials to deny residency and other benefits to migrants who pose a “burden” to American taxpayers, President Trump sought to expand the definition of what, exactly, constitutes a burden. ✄
“As we all continue to be impacted by COVID-19, it is vital that no one is fearful of accessing health care,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “The court’s decision to block enforcement of the Public Charge Rule re-opens doors for immigrants to access vital services like health care.”
☮ Pretty Groovy! ☮
Rigorous Study Backs A Psychedelic Treatment For Major Depression, Jon Hamilton, NPR Health, November 4, 2020.
The substance that makes some mushrooms "magic" also appears to help people with major depressive disorder.
A study of 27 people found that a treatment featuring the hallucinogen psilocybin worked better than the usual antidepressant medications, a team reported Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
"The effect was more than four times greater," says Alan Davis, an author of the study and a faculty member at both Johns Hopkins University and Ohio State University.
The study comes after earlier research offered hints that psilocybin might work against depression and after a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins found that it could ease depression and anxiety in patients who had life-threatening cancer.
And L👀K! Oregon is leading the way with this, too! (And DC!)
Oregon Voters Approve Initiative To Legalize Psilocybin Mushroom Therapy, Ky;e Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, November 3, 2020.
Oregon voters have approved a first-in-the-nation ballot initiative to legalize the use of psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic purposes, according to a projection from the Associated Press.
Under the measure, adults will be able to access the psychedelic in a medically supervised environment. There aren’t any limitations on the types of conditions that would make a patient eligible for the treatment.
Currently, there are no such policies in place anywhere else in the U.S., though the victory for reformers does come amid a growing national movement to decriminalize a wide range of entheogenic substances, including ayahuasca and ibogaine. Oakland, Santa Cruz and Ann Arbor have made laws against plant- and fungi-derived psychedelics among their cities’ lowest enforcement priorities.
Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. voters also approved a ballot initiative to enact that same policy change in the nation’s capital on Tuesday.
🎶 Groovy Music 🎶
😱 Republicans in Disarray 😱
R on R Infighting Breaks out in GA:
Loeffler, Perdue call on Georgia's Republican secretary of state to resign, Marianne Levine and James Arkin, Politico, November 9, 2020.
Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue of Georgia called on the state’s GOP secretary of state to resign on Monday, citing “failures” in the election process but not providing any specific evidence to support their claims. ✄
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger responded in a statement Monday saying he would not resign, and defended his office's handling of the election. He said the election was a "resounding success" from an administration perspective. He highlighted his office's briefings and updates to argue that they had conducted the process with transparency. ✄
He also took a shot at Perdue and Loeffler for their criticism: "As a Republican, I am concerned about Republicans keeping the U.S. Senate. I recommend that Senators Loeffler and Perdue start focusing on that."
Georgia GOP Goes Full ‘Lord of the Flies’, Hunter Woodall, the Daily Beast, November 9, 2020.
Esper trying to do some cleanup, salvage his reputation (it probably won’t work):
Esper’s exit interview is a stark — but revisionist — warning about Trump as a lame duck, Aaron Blake, Washington Post, November 9, 2020.
“My frustration is I sit here and say, ‘Hm, 18 Cabinet members. Who’s pushed back more than anybody?’ Name another Cabinet secretary that’s pushed back,” he said. “Have you seen me on a stage saying, ‘Under the exceptional leadership of blah-blah-blah, we have blah-blah-blah-blah?' ”
The answer is an unequivocal yes — to the extent where it was used by the Trump reelection campaign.
On multiple occasions, Esper appeared onstage and on Trump’s (then-) favorite cable news station, Fox News, to praise his leadership in ways that, even at the time, were criticized as being obsequious.
“I’d like to thank President Trump for his bold leadership and support to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,” Esper said while standing next to Trump at a late March news conference in Norfolk, in front of a naval ship brought to help with the coronavirus pandemic. “This is an unprecedented time for our nation, and your leadership is uniting the American people to defeat this virus.”
In another sign that Republicans across the country know that Donald is done, Utah Gov. Herbert lays out some new Covid rules. Luckily for Utah residents, he doesn’t have to pretend the pandemic is no big deal anymore, because trump lost the election and will be gone on January 20. Also, Herbert may have found his spine — and some concern for the people whose wellbeing he is supposed to be working to protect — now that the election is over and he won’t be governor anymore after the new (R) Utah governor is sworn in (yes, Republicans really are that terrible):
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert declares state of emergency, mandates masks to fight COVID, Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, November 9, 2020.
Faced with more than 2,000 new daily COVID-19 cases in his state and hospitals at capacity, Utah's outgoing Gov. Gary Herbert has declared a state of emergency and issued a mandate for all residents to wear masks in public until further notice. ✄
"Masks do not negatively affect our economy, and wearing them is the easiest way to slow the spread of the virus," said Herbert, who did not seek reelection after serving two terms and will leave office Jan. 4. ✄
In an analysis of all 50 states in July, ABC News concluded that 28, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, had issued statewide mask mandates. Since then, that list has added Ohio, Arkansas, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Vermont and now Utah.
👀 Even the unofficial cable media arm of the Republican party is starting to distance itself:
Fox News cuts away from Kayleigh McEnany news conference after she alleges vote fraud with no evidence, By Elahe Izadi and Sarah Ellison, Washington Post, November 9, 2020.
Fox News cut away from White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s remarks at a news conference Monday evening because she claimed without evidence that Democrats were inviting fraud and illegal voting. ✄
From the Fox News studio, anchor Neil Cavuto cut in to end Fox’s broadcast of the video feed from the Republican National Committee headquarters. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said. “I just think we have to be very clear that she’s charging the other side as welcoming fraud and welcoming illegal voting. Unless she has more details to back that up, I can’t in good countenance continue showing you this.”
He continued: “I want to make sure that maybe they do have something to back that up, but that’s an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating. If she does bring proof of that, of course we’ll take you back. So far she has started saying right at the outset — welcoming fraud, welcoming illegal voting. Not so fast.”
⚡️ Lightning RoundUp ⚡️
⚡️ Yer Wonkette: Fired Guy Fires Guy, Evan Hurst, Wonkette, November 9, 2020.
⚡️Clear-eyed, hopeful, longer read: The Biden Era Begins, David Remnick, the New Yorker, November 7, 2020.
⚡️ 👀: The long love affair between Fox News and Trump may be over. Here’s how it all soured last week. Sarah Ellison and Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ Biden's First 100 Days: Here's What To Expect, Elena Moore, NPR News, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ An early look at who might be in Biden's inner circle in the White House, Mike Memoli, Carol E. Lee and Kristen Welker, NBC News, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ It’s time to recognize the forgotten Americans who helped elect Joe Biden, Katrina Phillips, Washington Post, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ Cool interview! Reversing the Southern Strategy: Even small victories are a sign of huge progress, Paul Rosenberg, Salon, November 8, 2020.
⚡️ Oldie but good article: The Day One Agenda: The Next Administration: Using Presidential Power for Good, David Dayen, The American Prospect, September 23, 2019.
⚡️ Trump faces long odds in challenging state vote counts, Maryclaire Dale, AP News, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ President Trump lost. Too many Republicans keep pretending he didn’t. Washington Post Editorial Board, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ Info on the Covid vaccine story: Pfizer Says Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Is More Than 90% Effective, Joe Palca, NPR News, November 9, 2020.
⚡️ A different perspective: In the big picture, a slim Biden win may actually be the best possible outcome for America, Annie Reneau, BuzzFeed News, November 4, 2020.
⚡️ Gaming the Endgame: Why Trump Can’t Afford to Lose, Jane Mayer, the New Yorker, November 1, 2020.
💙 Self-Care 💙
So, probably the next several weeks will be NO FUN AT ALL, but you know what? The past 4 years have been no fun either. We will hang in there for the time it takes to beat off the Republican shenanigans and get Joe Biden inaugurated. Meanwhile, most of us are pretty drained. Here’s some help:
You’re totally normal!
Election Got You Stressed? You're Not Alone — Here's 5 Ways To Deal With It, Reese Oxner, NPR Health, November 4, 2020.
An American Psychological Association poll showed that more than two-thirds of adults are finding the 2020 election to be a significant source of stress. This includes 76% of Democrats and 67% of Republicans.
That's because we're dealing with a sense of "chronic uncertainty," said Judson Brewer, director of research and innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University.
The tension from the pandemic coupled with that from an unresolved election can create high levels of anxiety, he said.
(click the link to get the 5 ways to take care of yourself — all doable!)
💙 RoundUp WindDown 💙
You all know what I am going to say now and … NO I AM NOT! I am going to say something different!
Republicans will probably make the transition unnecessarily difficult, so this is going to be an emotionally and possibly physically trying intermission between the election and the inauguration. Emotionally, for obvious reasons (they won’t go quietly, but they will go) and physically because of all. the. stress. It’s OK to take a little time to rest this week if you need to. And then come back, we need you. 💙
It may be hard to eat properly. It may be nearly impossible to sleep — or it may be hard to stop sleeping. We’ve been going through hell and we are not quite out of it yet, but you remember what Winston Churchill said about that — KEEP GOING!
We are going to get through this — together. We are going to have President Biden and all the wonderful, experienced, competent staff this country deserves. We are going to get the pandemic under control. We are going to save and even improve the economy (and by “improve” I mean make it work better for everyone). We are going to finally work on infrastructure. We are going to improve affordable healthcare.
We are going to recover from this nightmare and we are going to help each other keep going until we are all the way through it.
OK, yes I am going to say it: take good care of yourself and those you love. Eat nutritious food, get enough rest and try to get outdoors every day if you can - just to look at trees and the earth and to ground yourself in the natural world.
Remain calm, be resolute and hopeful. Better days are just ahead!
Happy Tuesday, Gnusies!