Right! All that data mining done by DOGE and the demand for voter rolls? When Trump bragged we would never have to vote again he wasn’t joking. I think it’s why republicans don’t seem at all worried about anything. They don’t care what the constituents think because they are about to be irrelevant.
I live in Minnesota and the open senate seat that is democratic could flip if ICE and Border patrol go all gestapo in the Twin Cities at election time causing turnout to be low in the urban areas of Minnesota, which is 70% democratic. The rural parts of Minnesota are about 60% republican. The same thing could happen if DHS attacks Portland and Chicago. Oregon and Illinois could flip republican, because the rural areas in both states are majority republican.
I would think it would be just the opposite. If they double down on ICE strategy Democrats and Independents and non maga would be more motivated to vote not less.
Was JUST going to post the same --what does it matter how far ahead Dems are when this admin is actively trying to suppress and STEAL our votes AGAIN. Musk's minions' meddling inside the voting machines delivered the swing states from Harris to the Orange Pedo and here we are.
My concerns are more generic. (1) I’m afraid that our president will declare martial law and cancel elections if it becomes obvious that the GOP will not do well. (2) If ICE is at my polling place I will turn my car around and go home. I’m not happy to say that, but that’s what I’ll do. (3). Why are so few people mentioning the SAVE Act? The possible disenfranchisement of 60+ MILLION female voters should be a big deal. I realize that it hasn’t passed yet, but I suspect that it will pass in spite of the fact that it is blatantly unconstitutional.
I’m 80 years old, and if ICE is a my polling place I WILL, vote. I urge you to do the same. They want you to turn around and be afraid.
I am worried about the so called Save act, as well. I have a Passport, my birth certificate, and my maiden name is on my children’s birth certificates, I also have a real I’d drivers license, God knows what else they will want.
Yes it is unconstitutional based on the 19th Amendment, but so is much of what they do on a daily bases.
YES! I am in my mid-70s and I WILL ALSO VOTE, no matter who may try to stop me at the polling site! I DARE them to try to stop me--I've been an activist since the 70s and will not stop in my older age...
Assuming you're not an AI person - Per your profile:
1. You don't love Jesus. Suggest you read Matthew 25 to see who He thinks will go to their eternal reward.
2. You don't love America. Your forebears are wondering what caused you to betray your heritage and everything they suffered for.
3. You do love an adjudicated rapist, proven liar, a thief, a con artist, a cheat who betrayed 3 wives, and a "man" who would step on you if he saw you bleeding in front of him.
Fuck off you nasty old bag of a woman, inbred Democrat skank. You people are what’s wrong with America - your ignorance, delusion, and fucked up hormones that make you hate our country. Shame on you!! Democrats burn in Hell.
Unlike you, I don't wish the death of any man or woman. But I do want - demand - justice for victims of liars, thieves, murderers and those who glory in the pain and death of others.
And yes, I know you're a troll. I hope they pay you enough.
They want you to believe they will do that -- is all I can say. No President has EVER before declared martial law across this land, never during World Wars I and II, Vietnam as well as the Civil War itself. It is something even Abraham Lincoln refused to countenance.
Far more likely is the small-bore, lower-cost, chicken-shit stuff of challenging and demanding voting records, forcing the SAVE Act on Congress and the like. Even the limiting of polling places in Democratic areas does not depend not on them, but on state legislatures.
Most importantly, they are not banking on you opposing them. They did not bank on what happened in Texas, let alone the huge wave of public disgust that has turned "immigration" against them in the blink of an eye. They are not skilled, not smart, not far-sighted. They are fuck-ups and suck-ups and wormtongues doing the bidding of a cruel, demented moron who cannot string together two coherent sentences. That is not a recipe for success.
Take heart. We are actually winning, and they cracking right down the seams. Be wary, but be hopeful at the same time.
Remember that even in ruby-red Indiana last year, the GOP refused to go along with his bizarre demands that they redistrict before this November's elections. The response by a prominent legislator whose daughter is intellectually impaired -- "my daughter taught me to know right from wrong."
I think it's reasonable to expect a massive mutiny should he try. Let's hope I'm right.
Trump could declare martial law, but it requires the military to follow .. There is always the danger that they would refuse, or enough Republicans would join the Democrats to stop him. Dispite the bravado, Trump must realize it would be a big risk.
My husband and I usually use mail-in ballots to vote, but not this year, and I don't care if ICE is out in force. We are seniors who live in rural, red Texas and I will not be intimidated voting in person. Early voting for our primary starts on February 17. We are planning to vote, in person, on February 18.
It's so great to hear other seniors like you determined to stand up for your right to vote any way you choose, and doing so in rural red Texas makes it even more impressive. There are sooo many senior citizens like us who are not going to let this fascist regime intimidate us. Oh, and aren't you thrilled that Taylor Rehmet won the state Senate seat in Texas?! Hey DJT, put that in your pipe and smoke it--LOL!
Keep in mind that there are plenty of republicans running for all sorts of offices. The GOP is still raising money for candidates and yes, states still run elections. Do not comply in advance by assuming anything at this stage. More likely there will be court challenges to Republican losses kind of like what we saw in NC over Allison Riggs’ win. Expensive, time consuming and aggravating but can be overcome eventually. Worry gets you nowhere. Get in touch with your local Board of Elections and find out exactly what you will need to vote. Stay in touch for changes and always stay abreast of your registration. Take control of everything you can control and then show up to vote.
I’m not at all sure t can cancel elections? They are under the purview of the States, run by the states. I don’t doubt that he’ll try, not sure the law and Constitution are on his side. If someone knows definitively, please educate me as I see comments akin to this a lot.
Deb.....he thinks he can cancel our elections if we are at war like Ukraine but he forgets one small fact it is written in their constitution, it is NOT written in ours! But knowing the repugs and the Supreme Court who will stop him?
Each of us will make our own decision about what type of resistance or lack of resistance we will take. No judgement here. Over the last year my fears have grown especially with the Save Act. Questions asked like do I write letters opening myself to scrutiny. Do I march with my friends and community. Today I read a post from Walk for Peace Support. The Venerable Pannakara is having health issues requiring IV and antibiotic support and yet he still walks even though at the back of the line instead of the front. Two lines written at the end of the article is giving me the push I needed to keep going. “Sometimes the greatest journeys are not measured in distance. They are measured in the courage it takes to keep walking, when everything within you is asking you to stop.” Do what you can and be safe.
On the "cancel elections" thing. The Constitution is explicit, every Congressman's term ENDS on January 3rd. If we don't hold elections, Congress just goes away. The officeholders DO NOT get to just stay there.
(20th Amendment, section 1 -
The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.)
Also, there is NO federal power that lets any federal officer set aside STATE elections. All elections for national office are held by and at the state level. Trump has zero legal basis to do this. If he tries and TX agrees, that won't stop CA or IL from holding legal elections.
For these reasons it would be very, very hard for any President to get away with trying to halt new elections.
The toddler-in-chief certainly WANTS this, and I'm not at all shocked he is throwing this tantrum, but he can't succeed. Even if the red states agree, the blue states won't.
If they push this one to the wall it will shatter the country. There is NO legal way for them to do this, so they could only do it by explicitly violating multiple parts of Article I and II of the Constitution as well as the 20th Amendment. Doesn't mean they won't, but it's not something they can argue in court as "their opinion".
well they certainly have been doing a lot of things that seem to violate the Constitution and getting away with it- either by suing and keep finding a judge who either delays it or goes up the chain or contorting the law or regulation to fit what they are doing.
You bring up valid questions. An article in NPR said “up to 69 million American women changed their names after they got married and therefore don’t have birth certificates that match their current names.” I suspect that not all of those women are registered to vote. I’m going to do more research. The complete wording of the SAVE Act is available online. However, the print is tiny.
The name change is covered in this very legalese bill by the text below. As a layman I'll try to summarize here: One would need supporting documentation to show the name change. Which could be a problem for some. I know a woman who goes by her married name (has for decades) but says she never went through the tedious process of formally getting the right documentation.
The portion of the SAVE act that is relevant:
(B)Process in case of certain discrepancies in documentation
Subject to any relevant guidance adopted by the Election Assistance Commission, each State shall establish a process under which an applicant can provide such additional documentation to the appropriate election official of the State as may be necessary to establish that the applicant is a citizen of the United States in the event of a discrepancy with respect to the applicant’s documentary proof of United States citizenship.
How do you figure that it will 60 million women voters disenfranchised? How many men do you think will be disenfranchised? Are you counting people who already do not vote, or are you saying 60 million women who voted in 2024?
Asking copilot, it reports that 104 million Americans voted in 2022 and 152 million in 2024. And it estimates that there were 86 million and 131 million, respectively, eligible voters in each election who did not vote.
Really? You would turn around and not vote that’s not the way to win this if more women feel like this then you will never be at peace. Shame on you stand up for your rights that’s what America is and he shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this
My question is “How can over 40% still approve of this stupid, mentally ill, totally absent of character, joke of a president?” Members of a cult? Effective use of propaganda via Fox News, right wing radio, and social media? A base of bigots? All of the above?
None of this would be happening without the Fox propaganda channel. I feel certain that a HUGE number of Republicans who support trump wouldn't if they knew the facts. They live with Fox on 24x7, and think that what they're being fed is what's really going on.
Agreed. I have lost close relationships over this. How can you actually talk to someone who hangs on to whatever words are spewing out of Laura Ingram's mouth? There are no topics that these people won't lie about and exploit. They people have ruined holidays, and turned family members into zombies, their brains rotting with lies. And, they laugh all the way to the bank.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of immoral and/or stupid people and they're the ones who support the Trump regime. I don't think the answer is more complex than that.
Mainly it's because overall the voting public finds the GOP leadership and policies better than the Democrats. We live in a duopoly, we generally think elections are a choice between bad and worse, and even current polls show the Democrats are more unpopular than Republicans.
Elections aren't about choosing who we like but who we dislike less. And right now, overall, that's the Republicans who come out on top. I doubt that will change in 2028.
Democrats keep running on policies the public does not like AND "we may not be ideal but look how bad the GOP are." That wasn't a winning formula in 2024, and I don't think it will be in 2028. Right now, the focus is on "do we like what the GOP is doing?" Of course, the answer is no. Just as the answer was no for the Democrats in 2024. IMO nothing has changed in the eyes of the voting public that would alter the voting assessment in a Presidential election of which party is the lesser of two evils.
The midterms regularly being a wipeout for whoever is in power suggests what you say is somewhat accurate, but it also suggests an electorate with a short term memory problem /short attention span.
That electorate failed to note that the Biden admin weathered the Covid storm better than the rest of the world & after Trump botching it badly.
They wanted insta-solutions & a return to their prev standard of living : unrealistic.
The ‘gullibles’ keep believing that republicans are better for the economy — but I’ve seen many articles & stats/graphs demonstrating that it’s actually Dems that do better for the economy.
Add in that Obama actually deported more ‘illegals’ than Trump - but humanely - and that republican voters are still ‘with Trump’ on that issue is ridiculous.
I therefore surmise that republican voters are undereducated & they vote based on their susceptibility to propaganda & the wedge/ societal issues of the day.
I appreciate this assessment. The democrats (my preferred party) need to shore up their platform and get their messages out. I’m truly not seeing a lot of the general public using this well thought out argument though. My impression is that the average person is less aware of policy differences. Most people are uninformed. It’s a cult of personality. If Trump repeatedly says things that rile up his base, it doesn’t matter whether those things are true (which we know they are not).
I think it’s a combination of the failure of dems to have a coherent message, along with the basic ignorance of most people who want to buy what Trump is selling (literally).
A Forbes article several years ago noted that the stock market has performed better since the Truman years under democratic presidents. The deficit has also grown more under republicans. But, you know, Forbes is just a liberal rag😉!
There's a logical reason why new Presidents tend to have low approval in their second year: When entering office, the public gives them the benefit of the doubt, a honeymoon. The new President uses this to enact their agenda. Things they cut are immediately apparent. New programs they implement take time to bear fruit. Hence a natural drop in their approval.
To denigrate over 77 million voters is a bad idea. Not everyone who voted for Trump are uneducated. And it misses the fact that over six million Biden 2020 voters did not vote for Harris in 2024. Democrats win the 2024 election with these votes. But these were folks who saw and did not like Democrats saying the economic numbers were good when inflation had been devastating to voters; that the administration was fine with unauthorized immigrates and porous borders; that the administration had mandated vaccines and used censorship to silence debate. These are real issues. It cost the Democrats the 2024 election. And they better adjust if they want to win in 2028.
Still amazes me when any poll reports Trump has a 38% or 42% or 24% job approval. Approval of WHAT, exactly? How much cruelty, fuckupery, theft, graft and violating the Constitution and the Emoluments Clause every damn day do you need to realize you're being taken for a ride, anyway?
What we need is for Dems to pound hard on the many ways this administration is WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. Every speech should point out another way the money is being MISSPENT. The new stop the steal cry should be about money being not just misspent but stolen for projects that do not help the American people, only special interest groups and big donors.
Mary Jo - As well as harping on all the money he has made off of his illegal activities (bribes, pay to play pardons, crypto, his business dealings, stolen oil, the cut he gets from his “buddies” who invest in foreign countries and wars, etc.) while the rest of the country worries about pay for groceries, utilities, the mortgage/rent, healthcare, etc. He has definitely profited while in office and all he cares about is his ballroom, making money and more detention centers. You are absolutely right about the candidates needing to come with the receipts about what the costs have been for shutting down offices/departments, doge, sending in the national guard, sending in federal agents and invading another country to kidnap their president while bombing boats. The other costs to point out are the human costs that have been caught up in their campaigns. Lives that have been either upended/interrupted or lost. Both abroad and domestic. Oh, and the fact that he golfs more than he governs and what we pay for him to have two houses - the White House and his Florida house as well as the price of protecting all of it with the secret service. Sorry, this was longer than I expected, but mainly (if we do get to have free and fair elections) the candidates need to read the room and campaign on what the voters want in their area. Listen to the voters and not the corporations.
Good points, but the message needs to be short and repeated often, so it doesn't get lost in the forest. They are WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WASTING OUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
And the messages should be short, specific, and continuous. 500 million tax dollars to retrofit the Qatari golden plane that goes with Trump when he leaves office. Exactly how many millions are taxpayers paying for hundreds of extra lawyers at $300+ per hour to redact the Epstein files (and I don’t give a damn that the DOJ has them workng 16 or 24 hours a day)?
What has it cost to send and keep 3000 ICE and CBP to Minneapolis, including their gas, food, and hotels?
How much for aircraft carriers to travel to South America and Europe and wait for who knows what to occur?
Tell us the dollar amount that all these cost. Then tell us how much was saved by cutting food to low income families. Even stupid people can understand dollars.
Candidates for what used to called the “Grand ‘Ole Party” (now more like “Gross ‘Ole Pedophiles”) need to lose “hugely” per their gruesome leader’s nonsense.
Zach, your piece is well-written and I appreciate your obvious instincts and ability to convey the pending political landscape in pragmatic terms. I pray that the mid-term elections will indeed take place, although we know the Mob Boss will do everything at his disposal to rig them and attempt to make it impossible for much of the population to vote. I hope and trust that governors simply will not stand for the Gestapo ICE to have a presence at polling sites.
FYI, a very intense period of planetary events is closing in on the astrological charts of the Mob Boss and his lieutenants, with things are predicted to go south for all of them in the coming few months--we should all hope this comes to fruition.
Sue - Do you think that they were free and fair in 2024? Musk’s involvement makes me wonder. Plus, they had the stolen election information from the people like Tina Peters and others who gave them their state electronic voting machine information. A lot of red states easily handed over our voting information while the blue states are fighting back but it does make one wonder why they are so desperate to get their hands on our information. Really don’t like sounding like a conspiracy theorist but it makes me wonder. He tried to steal the 2020 election but when he got caught (and just enough people said no) he reverse blamed it back onto the other party. I would not put anything past this administration and his henchmen/women.
Jay Jay Eh - Maybe it will be his new bff’s that are paying to be on the new Gaza Peace Board. Like Russia, Hungary, his Middle East buddies and he might even try to get his love interest from North Korea. They all know how to “observe” elections. ;)
Thanks for the overview Zach -- so if only the House is flipped, what can these members investigate and stop -- then propose as a platform for 2028 on the key issues like health-care and affordability (and sensible immigration reform!). Assume the Senate will stone-wall those and the battle for 2026-28 is on? So what is the Senate Breakdown of open Senate seats in 2027 and 2028?
Tulsi Gabbard and the FBI getting access to Georgia's Fulton Cty 2020 votes is the most frightening. Poor chain of custody, DNI involvement, Maduro in custody? Trump call with FBI agents (NYT report). More grist for the election conspiracy mill. DHS/ICE at polling stations can't be far off.
I have a question: How do we keep DJT and his minions from either cancelling or seriously interfering with/rigging the midterm elections? I see many other comments that express the same worry.
Okay so now what? Trust is gone on all levels. The guardrails have all been removed. Any hero of moral courage out there who can and will take approriate action soonest/ Standing by.
I think it looks great!! I just hope that Trump fails at rigging the elections and the blue tsunami happens for the good of our country.
It's that rigging thing that worries me the most.
Right! All that data mining done by DOGE and the demand for voter rolls? When Trump bragged we would never have to vote again he wasn’t joking. I think it’s why republicans don’t seem at all worried about anything. They don’t care what the constituents think because they are about to be irrelevant.
I live in Minnesota and the open senate seat that is democratic could flip if ICE and Border patrol go all gestapo in the Twin Cities at election time causing turnout to be low in the urban areas of Minnesota, which is 70% democratic. The rural parts of Minnesota are about 60% republican. The same thing could happen if DHS attacks Portland and Chicago. Oregon and Illinois could flip republican, because the rural areas in both states are majority republican.
I would think it would be just the opposite. If they double down on ICE strategy Democrats and Independents and non maga would be more motivated to vote not less.
People may be afraid to leave home - even to vote.
Make those GOP Listen — FLOOD THEIR ZONE !!
— ACLU Letters sent to Congress 🔻STOP ICE 🔻
* NOW Sent 🔆 335,693 and counting …
🔆 Alex Pretti / Keith Porter / Renee Good 🌺
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-ices-attack-our-communities?utm_
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scott Galloway’s TECH BOYCOTT recommendations to send a signal to CEOs collaborating with Trump: https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* Is Your Ring Doorbell Footage Going Straight to ICE’s Massive Spy Network?
— Ring partners with Flock to feed doorbell footage into federal databases
used by ♦️ICE for immigration enforcement
https://www.gadgetreview.com/is-your-ring-doorbell-footage-going-straight-to-ices-massive-spy-network
Dems are the ones doing most of the rigging.
Was JUST going to post the same --what does it matter how far ahead Dems are when this admin is actively trying to suppress and STEAL our votes AGAIN. Musk's minions' meddling inside the voting machines delivered the swing states from Harris to the Orange Pedo and here we are.
The SAVE Act has the potential to disenfranchise married women who have taken their spouses last name. Women overall lean more democratic.
well in both elections where trump won- over 50% of white women voted for him so there's that.
But you hope Democrats succeed at rigging the elections, don’t you? Because that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Where is your proof of this?
My concerns are more generic. (1) I’m afraid that our president will declare martial law and cancel elections if it becomes obvious that the GOP will not do well. (2) If ICE is at my polling place I will turn my car around and go home. I’m not happy to say that, but that’s what I’ll do. (3). Why are so few people mentioning the SAVE Act? The possible disenfranchisement of 60+ MILLION female voters should be a big deal. I realize that it hasn’t passed yet, but I suspect that it will pass in spite of the fact that it is blatantly unconstitutional.
Hi Jenifer,
I’m 80 years old, and if ICE is a my polling place I WILL, vote. I urge you to do the same. They want you to turn around and be afraid.
I am worried about the so called Save act, as well. I have a Passport, my birth certificate, and my maiden name is on my children’s birth certificates, I also have a real I’d drivers license, God knows what else they will want.
Yes it is unconstitutional based on the 19th Amendment, but so is much of what they do on a daily bases.
YES! I am in my mid-70s and I WILL ALSO VOTE, no matter who may try to stop me at the polling site! I DARE them to try to stop me--I've been an activist since the 70s and will not stop in my older age...
My great Aunt was a suffragette. I’m so proud of her💙
Lisa, you go girl!!!!l
Lead on!
I’m glad you’ll be dead soon so we won’t have to deal with your poor voting choices anymore
Assuming you're not an AI person - Per your profile:
1. You don't love Jesus. Suggest you read Matthew 25 to see who He thinks will go to their eternal reward.
2. You don't love America. Your forebears are wondering what caused you to betray your heritage and everything they suffered for.
3. You do love an adjudicated rapist, proven liar, a thief, a con artist, a cheat who betrayed 3 wives, and a "man" who would step on you if he saw you bleeding in front of him.
4. And you sound just like him.
Fuck off you nasty old bag of a woman, inbred Democrat skank. You people are what’s wrong with America - your ignorance, delusion, and fucked up hormones that make you hate our country. Shame on you!! Democrats burn in Hell.
Yes I will vote ICE or not! I am also 80 years old; and, have fought through too much injustice to step back now!!
Reminds me of the 60's protest song-Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn me Around- relevant again today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPuBGcng6Tw
Please die so we won’t have to suffer under Democrat politicians anymore.
Unlike you, I don't wish the death of any man or woman. But I do want - demand - justice for victims of liars, thieves, murderers and those who glory in the pain and death of others.
And yes, I know you're a troll. I hope they pay you enough.
They want you to believe they will do that -- is all I can say. No President has EVER before declared martial law across this land, never during World Wars I and II, Vietnam as well as the Civil War itself. It is something even Abraham Lincoln refused to countenance.
Far more likely is the small-bore, lower-cost, chicken-shit stuff of challenging and demanding voting records, forcing the SAVE Act on Congress and the like. Even the limiting of polling places in Democratic areas does not depend not on them, but on state legislatures.
Most importantly, they are not banking on you opposing them. They did not bank on what happened in Texas, let alone the huge wave of public disgust that has turned "immigration" against them in the blink of an eye. They are not skilled, not smart, not far-sighted. They are fuck-ups and suck-ups and wormtongues doing the bidding of a cruel, demented moron who cannot string together two coherent sentences. That is not a recipe for success.
Take heart. We are actually winning, and they cracking right down the seams. Be wary, but be hopeful at the same time.
It's come to this.....There's always a first time. And trump is demented enough to call martial law. Let's pray I am wrong!
Remember that even in ruby-red Indiana last year, the GOP refused to go along with his bizarre demands that they redistrict before this November's elections. The response by a prominent legislator whose daughter is intellectually impaired -- "my daughter taught me to know right from wrong."
I think it's reasonable to expect a massive mutiny should he try. Let's hope I'm right.
It's come to this.......I hope you are right!!! 💙💙💙🇺🇸
Trump could declare martial law, but it requires the military to follow .. There is always the danger that they would refuse, or enough Republicans would join the Democrats to stop him. Dispite the bravado, Trump must realize it would be a big risk.
My husband and I usually use mail-in ballots to vote, but not this year, and I don't care if ICE is out in force. We are seniors who live in rural, red Texas and I will not be intimidated voting in person. Early voting for our primary starts on February 17. We are planning to vote, in person, on February 18.
Sally,
It's so great to hear other seniors like you determined to stand up for your right to vote any way you choose, and doing so in rural red Texas makes it even more impressive. There are sooo many senior citizens like us who are not going to let this fascist regime intimidate us. Oh, and aren't you thrilled that Taylor Rehmet won the state Senate seat in Texas?! Hey DJT, put that in your pipe and smoke it--LOL!
Lisa, yes very thrilled that Taylor Rehmet won a state Senate seat that before this was solidly red! And we seniors are a powerful force!
Yes, ma’am!!!
I live in Oregon (mail in voting) but am concerned about SAVE as well. Getting a certified marriage certificate, just in case I need it in the future.
Keep in mind that there are plenty of republicans running for all sorts of offices. The GOP is still raising money for candidates and yes, states still run elections. Do not comply in advance by assuming anything at this stage. More likely there will be court challenges to Republican losses kind of like what we saw in NC over Allison Riggs’ win. Expensive, time consuming and aggravating but can be overcome eventually. Worry gets you nowhere. Get in touch with your local Board of Elections and find out exactly what you will need to vote. Stay in touch for changes and always stay abreast of your registration. Take control of everything you can control and then show up to vote.
Very sage advice indeed! And I like your logo.
I’m not at all sure t can cancel elections? They are under the purview of the States, run by the states. I don’t doubt that he’ll try, not sure the law and Constitution are on his side. If someone knows definitively, please educate me as I see comments akin to this a lot.
Deb.....he thinks he can cancel our elections if we are at war like Ukraine but he forgets one small fact it is written in their constitution, it is NOT written in ours! But knowing the repugs and the Supreme Court who will stop him?
Each of us will make our own decision about what type of resistance or lack of resistance we will take. No judgement here. Over the last year my fears have grown especially with the Save Act. Questions asked like do I write letters opening myself to scrutiny. Do I march with my friends and community. Today I read a post from Walk for Peace Support. The Venerable Pannakara is having health issues requiring IV and antibiotic support and yet he still walks even though at the back of the line instead of the front. Two lines written at the end of the article is giving me the push I needed to keep going. “Sometimes the greatest journeys are not measured in distance. They are measured in the courage it takes to keep walking, when everything within you is asking you to stop.” Do what you can and be safe.
🇺🇸 GOOD for you! This is all I am able to do …
— ACLU anti-ICE letter to Congress is getting traction —
🔻STOP ICE 🔻 Now 346,448 Sent — Initial Goal 150 K
✨ 🔆 Alex Pretti / Keith Porter / Renee Good 🌺
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-ices-attack-our-communities?utm_ …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
+ Scott Galloway’s TECH BOYCOTT recommendations to send a signal to CEOs collaborating with Trump: https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/
This terrifies me as well.
On the "cancel elections" thing. The Constitution is explicit, every Congressman's term ENDS on January 3rd. If we don't hold elections, Congress just goes away. The officeholders DO NOT get to just stay there.
(20th Amendment, section 1 -
The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.)
Also, there is NO federal power that lets any federal officer set aside STATE elections. All elections for national office are held by and at the state level. Trump has zero legal basis to do this. If he tries and TX agrees, that won't stop CA or IL from holding legal elections.
For these reasons it would be very, very hard for any President to get away with trying to halt new elections.
Here's an article from ABC news that just came out- It's an eye opener:
"trump urges Republicans to 'take over' and 'nationalize' voting."
ABC News
EMILY CHANG, MICHELLE STODDART and ALEXANDRA HUTZLER
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 7:48 PM EST
The toddler-in-chief certainly WANTS this, and I'm not at all shocked he is throwing this tantrum, but he can't succeed. Even if the red states agree, the blue states won't.
If they push this one to the wall it will shatter the country. There is NO legal way for them to do this, so they could only do it by explicitly violating multiple parts of Article I and II of the Constitution as well as the 20th Amendment. Doesn't mean they won't, but it's not something they can argue in court as "their opinion".
well they certainly have been doing a lot of things that seem to violate the Constitution and getting away with it- either by suing and keep finding a judge who either delays it or goes up the chain or contorting the law or regulation to fit what they are doing.
You bring up valid questions. An article in NPR said “up to 69 million American women changed their names after they got married and therefore don’t have birth certificates that match their current names.” I suspect that not all of those women are registered to vote. I’m going to do more research. The complete wording of the SAVE Act is available online. However, the print is tiny.
The print in a computer browser is fine if accessed here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr22/text
The name change is covered in this very legalese bill by the text below. As a layman I'll try to summarize here: One would need supporting documentation to show the name change. Which could be a problem for some. I know a woman who goes by her married name (has for decades) but says she never went through the tedious process of formally getting the right documentation.
The portion of the SAVE act that is relevant:
(B)Process in case of certain discrepancies in documentation
Subject to any relevant guidance adopted by the Election Assistance Commission, each State shall establish a process under which an applicant can provide such additional documentation to the appropriate election official of the State as may be necessary to establish that the applicant is a citizen of the United States in the event of a discrepancy with respect to the applicant’s documentary proof of United States citizenship.
Thank you. I appreciate the link.
Hi Jenifer,
How do you figure that it will 60 million women voters disenfranchised? How many men do you think will be disenfranchised? Are you counting people who already do not vote, or are you saying 60 million women who voted in 2024?
Asking copilot, it reports that 104 million Americans voted in 2022 and 152 million in 2024. And it estimates that there were 86 million and 131 million, respectively, eligible voters in each election who did not vote.
Really? You would turn around and not vote that’s not the way to win this if more women feel like this then you will never be at peace. Shame on you stand up for your rights that’s what America is and he shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this
My question is “How can over 40% still approve of this stupid, mentally ill, totally absent of character, joke of a president?” Members of a cult? Effective use of propaganda via Fox News, right wing radio, and social media? A base of bigots? All of the above?
Fox. I am wondering, can we sue Fox? A class action suit brought by families who have been destroyed by their lies?
None of this would be happening without the Fox propaganda channel. I feel certain that a HUGE number of Republicans who support trump wouldn't if they knew the facts. They live with Fox on 24x7, and think that what they're being fed is what's really going on.
Agreed. I have lost close relationships over this. How can you actually talk to someone who hangs on to whatever words are spewing out of Laura Ingram's mouth? There are no topics that these people won't lie about and exploit. They people have ruined holidays, and turned family members into zombies, their brains rotting with lies. And, they laugh all the way to the bank.
Great idea! Their constant lies have helped create the cult!
Perhaps this is something to do. If he can sue the government (us) for the IRS leak, why can't we sue him?
Sue Trump for his lies too, sue him for everything, turn this darned thing around
I believe you're right on all counts: all of the above.
My question too.
Roger, I am not sure 40% do approve!
Fox News can and will say anything it wants to say including broadcasting lies.
Answer: all of the above
Unfortunately, there are a lot of immoral and/or stupid people and they're the ones who support the Trump regime. I don't think the answer is more complex than that.
Encouraged and propagandized as well by corrupt media players.
Mainly it's because overall the voting public finds the GOP leadership and policies better than the Democrats. We live in a duopoly, we generally think elections are a choice between bad and worse, and even current polls show the Democrats are more unpopular than Republicans.
Elections aren't about choosing who we like but who we dislike less. And right now, overall, that's the Republicans who come out on top. I doubt that will change in 2028.
Democrats keep running on policies the public does not like AND "we may not be ideal but look how bad the GOP are." That wasn't a winning formula in 2024, and I don't think it will be in 2028. Right now, the focus is on "do we like what the GOP is doing?" Of course, the answer is no. Just as the answer was no for the Democrats in 2024. IMO nothing has changed in the eyes of the voting public that would alter the voting assessment in a Presidential election of which party is the lesser of two evils.
The midterms regularly being a wipeout for whoever is in power suggests what you say is somewhat accurate, but it also suggests an electorate with a short term memory problem /short attention span.
That electorate failed to note that the Biden admin weathered the Covid storm better than the rest of the world & after Trump botching it badly.
They wanted insta-solutions & a return to their prev standard of living : unrealistic.
The ‘gullibles’ keep believing that republicans are better for the economy — but I’ve seen many articles & stats/graphs demonstrating that it’s actually Dems that do better for the economy.
Add in that Obama actually deported more ‘illegals’ than Trump - but humanely - and that republican voters are still ‘with Trump’ on that issue is ridiculous.
I therefore surmise that republican voters are undereducated & they vote based on their susceptibility to propaganda & the wedge/ societal issues of the day.
I appreciate this assessment. The democrats (my preferred party) need to shore up their platform and get their messages out. I’m truly not seeing a lot of the general public using this well thought out argument though. My impression is that the average person is less aware of policy differences. Most people are uninformed. It’s a cult of personality. If Trump repeatedly says things that rile up his base, it doesn’t matter whether those things are true (which we know they are not).
I think it’s a combination of the failure of dems to have a coherent message, along with the basic ignorance of most people who want to buy what Trump is selling (literally).
That ignorance is boiled down - by some - to
a) genuine ignorance or b) willful ignorance.
— in view of the incredible things happening these days is either of those relatable or excusable?
— Act in haste (or ignorance) repent at leisure.
A Forbes article several years ago noted that the stock market has performed better since the Truman years under democratic presidents. The deficit has also grown more under republicans. But, you know, Forbes is just a liberal rag😉!
There's a logical reason why new Presidents tend to have low approval in their second year: When entering office, the public gives them the benefit of the doubt, a honeymoon. The new President uses this to enact their agenda. Things they cut are immediately apparent. New programs they implement take time to bear fruit. Hence a natural drop in their approval.
To denigrate over 77 million voters is a bad idea. Not everyone who voted for Trump are uneducated. And it misses the fact that over six million Biden 2020 voters did not vote for Harris in 2024. Democrats win the 2024 election with these votes. But these were folks who saw and did not like Democrats saying the economic numbers were good when inflation had been devastating to voters; that the administration was fine with unauthorized immigrates and porous borders; that the administration had mandated vaccines and used censorship to silence debate. These are real issues. It cost the Democrats the 2024 election. And they better adjust if they want to win in 2028.
Still amazes me when any poll reports Trump has a 38% or 42% or 24% job approval. Approval of WHAT, exactly? How much cruelty, fuckupery, theft, graft and violating the Constitution and the Emoluments Clause every damn day do you need to realize you're being taken for a ride, anyway?
I suspect that the MAGA response to polling doesn’t reflects their true feelings,
— more that they don’t want to lose face & ADMIT to the realities that you mention.
They are apparently even less enthused about sporting their red hats these days.
What we need is for Dems to pound hard on the many ways this administration is WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. Every speech should point out another way the money is being MISSPENT. The new stop the steal cry should be about money being not just misspent but stolen for projects that do not help the American people, only special interest groups and big donors.
Mary Jo - As well as harping on all the money he has made off of his illegal activities (bribes, pay to play pardons, crypto, his business dealings, stolen oil, the cut he gets from his “buddies” who invest in foreign countries and wars, etc.) while the rest of the country worries about pay for groceries, utilities, the mortgage/rent, healthcare, etc. He has definitely profited while in office and all he cares about is his ballroom, making money and more detention centers. You are absolutely right about the candidates needing to come with the receipts about what the costs have been for shutting down offices/departments, doge, sending in the national guard, sending in federal agents and invading another country to kidnap their president while bombing boats. The other costs to point out are the human costs that have been caught up in their campaigns. Lives that have been either upended/interrupted or lost. Both abroad and domestic. Oh, and the fact that he golfs more than he governs and what we pay for him to have two houses - the White House and his Florida house as well as the price of protecting all of it with the secret service. Sorry, this was longer than I expected, but mainly (if we do get to have free and fair elections) the candidates need to read the room and campaign on what the voters want in their area. Listen to the voters and not the corporations.
Good points, but the message needs to be short and repeated often, so it doesn't get lost in the forest. They are WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WASTING OUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
Mary Jo - True. Short and sweet with something catchy since a lot of people seem to have really short attention spans.
Yes, ‘Human Costs’ — altho the average Trumpublican isn’t very ‘pro-human’.
Make those GOP Listen — FLOOD THEIR ZONE !!
— ACLU Letters sent to Congress 🔻STOP ICE 🔻
* NOW 🔆 344,594 ✨
🔆 Alex Pretti / Keith Porter / Renee Good 🌺
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-ices-attack-our-communities?utm_
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Scott Galloway’s TECH BOYCOTT recommendations to send a signal to CEOs collaborating with Trump: https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* Is Your Ring Doorbell Footage Going Straight to ICE’s Massive Spy Network?
— Ring partners with Flock to feed doorbell footage into federal databases
used by ♦️ICE for immigration enforcement
https://www.gadgetreview.com/is-your-ring-doorbell-footage-going-straight-to-ices-massive-spy-network
Jay Jay Eh - Didn’t know that about the Ring cameras (I have some) so I appreciate the info.
And the messages should be short, specific, and continuous. 500 million tax dollars to retrofit the Qatari golden plane that goes with Trump when he leaves office. Exactly how many millions are taxpayers paying for hundreds of extra lawyers at $300+ per hour to redact the Epstein files (and I don’t give a damn that the DOJ has them workng 16 or 24 hours a day)?
What has it cost to send and keep 3000 ICE and CBP to Minneapolis, including their gas, food, and hotels?
How much for aircraft carriers to travel to South America and Europe and wait for who knows what to occur?
Tell us the dollar amount that all these cost. Then tell us how much was saved by cutting food to low income families. Even stupid people can understand dollars.
Please turn on the audio version of the article. Thanks.
I am just worried about Trump rigging the elections. If anyone can get away with that, he and his minions can.
Candidates for what used to called the “Grand ‘Ole Party” (now more like “Gross ‘Ole Pedophiles”) need to lose “hugely” per their gruesome leader’s nonsense.
There is only one way this will go. Trump will not be a Lame Duck President. What are we prepared to do to make him one.
Zach, your piece is well-written and I appreciate your obvious instincts and ability to convey the pending political landscape in pragmatic terms. I pray that the mid-term elections will indeed take place, although we know the Mob Boss will do everything at his disposal to rig them and attempt to make it impossible for much of the population to vote. I hope and trust that governors simply will not stand for the Gestapo ICE to have a presence at polling sites.
FYI, a very intense period of planetary events is closing in on the astrological charts of the Mob Boss and his lieutenants, with things are predicted to go south for all of them in the coming few months--we should all hope this comes to fruition.
In fact the scriptures also ‘lean that way …’ Rev. 12:12.
* Make those GOP Listen — FLOOD THEIR ZONE !!
— ACLU Letters sent to Congress 🔻STOP ICE 🔻
* NOW 🔆 328,332 ✨
🔆 Alex Pretti / Keith Porter / Renee Good 🌺
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-ices-attack-our-communities?utm_u
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scott Galloway’s TECH BOYCOTT recommendations to send a signal to CEOs collaborating with Trump: https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* Is Your Ring Doorbell Footage Going Straight to ICE’s Massive Spy Network?
— Ring partners with Flock to feed doorbell footage into federal databases
used by ♦️ICE for immigration enforcement
https://www.gadgetreview.com/is-your-ring-doorbell-footage-going-straight-to-ices-massive-spy-network
I hope the shenanigans re. invading & seizing voting info in GA isn't a prelude to attempts to rig the election in Nov.
Do you think there will be real and fair elections in November?
Sue - Do you think that they were free and fair in 2024? Musk’s involvement makes me wonder. Plus, they had the stolen election information from the people like Tina Peters and others who gave them their state electronic voting machine information. A lot of red states easily handed over our voting information while the blue states are fighting back but it does make one wonder why they are so desperate to get their hands on our information. Really don’t like sounding like a conspiracy theorist but it makes me wonder. He tried to steal the 2020 election but when he got caught (and just enough people said no) he reverse blamed it back onto the other party. I would not put anything past this administration and his henchmen/women.
I can't see 47 giving up any power. He cheats.
Sue......at everything he has ever done! Including wives!
Sue - Once a person has money and power they don’t want to give it up. Yes, he definitely cheats.
Yes, I think there will be. But it's very sad that I can't say I'm sure.
Amazing that we see occasional mention of needing INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS to monitor U.S. elections !!
Jay Jay Eh - Maybe it will be his new bff’s that are paying to be on the new Gaza Peace Board. Like Russia, Hungary, his Middle East buddies and he might even try to get his love interest from North Korea. They all know how to “observe” elections. ;)
Thanks for the overview Zach -- so if only the House is flipped, what can these members investigate and stop -- then propose as a platform for 2028 on the key issues like health-care and affordability (and sensible immigration reform!). Assume the Senate will stone-wall those and the battle for 2026-28 is on? So what is the Senate Breakdown of open Senate seats in 2027 and 2028?
Tulsi Gabbard and the FBI getting access to Georgia's Fulton Cty 2020 votes is the most frightening. Poor chain of custody, DNI involvement, Maduro in custody? Trump call with FBI agents (NYT report). More grist for the election conspiracy mill. DHS/ICE at polling stations can't be far off.
I have a question: How do we keep DJT and his minions from either cancelling or seriously interfering with/rigging the midterm elections? I see many other comments that express the same worry.
This is a battle to be fought state-by-state, particularly in the swing states.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/trump-fbi-phone-call-georgia-gabbard.html?nl=breaking-news&segment_id=214672
Okay so now what? Trust is gone on all levels. The guardrails have all been removed. Any hero of moral courage out there who can and will take approriate action soonest/ Standing by.