Author: citizenstacy

Posted: Nov 23, 2016. Polls help us keep elections honest, accountable, and yet this year they were off by a lot in key counties for the Presidential election on Nov 8. Everyone strived to justify the polling gap. But now computer scientists are questioning election results from computer-reliant counties in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

1. Support Jill Stein’s effort to file for a vote audit in WI, PA and MI.  Read her press release. She has standing to file, but does not have deep pockets to pay for fees and legal support like other candidates. Let’s back her efforts to restore integrity and confidence in our elections!

2. Sign the petition to ask for an Audit of Election Results. Also see other steps you can take to ensure everyone’s voice counts, and every vote is counted.

3. Call the Department of Justice today! (DOJ)  at 202-353-1555 and ask our government to fully audit the voting results. If you get a busy signal, keep trying. Try the alternative number 202-514-2000, option 4.  I also sent a note to the DOJ using its online comment form. I tagged the category as National Security and here is what I said:

“URGENT: We must lay to rest questions of foreign interference in our election process. It is a matter of national security to investigate thoroughly the findings of computer scientists that the presidential election results for several counties in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan are suspect. This is especially critical considering our current President-Elect invited Russia to hack his political opponent and has broken with ethical standards for presidential transparency by not releasing his taxes and by not stepping aside from his personal foreign business dealings while planning for his transition to the Presidency. We cannot let our highest office in the land be corrupted or co-opted by foreign interference in American elections. Please audit the voting machines in suspect counties.”

Background:

Recall that the U.S. government has already declared that Russia interfered with the election by hacking emails, we also know that Russia has paid trolls to plant misinformation and clutter social media with an intent to interfere with American elections, confidence, and outcomes. See also. See also.

We also know that voting machines have flaws and have been under scrutiny (remember the 2000 election when Gore’s counts were impossibly going down as votes were counted on election night) and that questionable computer election results  skew toward Republicans.

See also the movie at saveourelections.org called “Free for All: One Dude’s Quest to Save Democracy”.

 

 

 

Posted Nov 23. Compassion takes center stage at Thanksgiving time and we can’t think of a better way to express it than to support Syrian Refugees, who are at risk of being rejected like the Jews and left with nowhere to turn.

These links were passed on to me for your consideration:Hyde Park Refugee Project and Oak Park Temple Syrian Refugee Project

And here is a lovely prayer for Thanksgiving Day A Moment for Grace: A Prayer for Refugees

Democratic action you can take immediately!

1.  Donate NOW or otherwise support Foster Campbell for U.S. Senate in Louisiana’s Dec. 10 run-off election. This will help to (almost) balance the Senate.
2. Book a Bus seat or use other means of transport to get yourself to the Women’s March on Washington, Saturday, January 21, 2017 (leave Friday night and home by Sunday morning)
3. Write to your Congressman (and ask your friends in other districts to do the same) to oppose the appointment of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.
4. Register to vote now. Talk it up, ask people if they are registered. Don’t wait until mid-term elections, send a signal now that we are watching Washington.
5. Read 5 Ways to Fight Against Trump

Be the change you want to see in the world!

1. Spot and Stop Bigotry every chance you get. Hate crimes are up. (See also a Chicago Tribune article). Study the Anti-Defamation League pyramid of hatred.
2. Support Freedom of the Press! Subscribe today to the New York Times, Washington Post… Follow Rachel Maddow (who does great research). Or consider supporting the Arizona Republic that bravely endorsed Hillary Clinton and then faced violent threats because of it.
3. Ask people what they think about politics. Find ways to agree. Find ways to educate.
4. Encourage non-violent protest to limit governmental clamp down.
5. Inoculate yourself against Propaganda.

Circle the wagons

1. Secure passports NOW for every member of your family
2. Consider if you need to place some assets outside the country
3. Watch your back with privacy issues, Read Dragnet Nation.

Put on your Oxygen Mask

1. Make sure to schedule fun time and/or political time to stay relaxed.
2. Write three unique gratitudes per day for the next 21 days to increase your health and happiness.
3. Sleep, eat and exercise well. You need your fighting strength. You are in training, young padawan, to restore balance to the Force.

 

My man on the street conversations today netted these two recommendations that I am passing on to you:

The New Yorker article that sums up Trumps first week as President-elect.

Mashable.com to help you triangulate the news on social media, best stuff bubbles up.

….So I am still striking up political conversations with people I don’t know, everyday since the election. I ask what they think about it all. Here is what they are saying…

With Trump supporters I share Trump’s bigotry, hate speech, propaganda. They seem a little surprised, sheepish, thoughtful. The IT, former Navy guy voted for Carson in the Primary but then, when it came to the general election he said, “well I have voted Republicans all my life”. He added, “I hope his business acumen will help”. Hope is like mere wishing about a guy whose business ventures led to multiple bankruptcies. And if he does have what it takes to be successful, that is worse because he will successfully set back gains in civil rights, income equality, and American ideals and moral authority.

Another IT guy did not admit to voting for Trump but said he could not get over Hillary’s email server. I agree, and posted previously that I believe she needed to have strengthened Department of State practices, not negotiated them for her convenience. I actually kind of ranted at him about Trump and he actually listened really well to my concerns. Ultimately he said this country is divided. So I did not win him over, but hopefully planted seeds.

My Iowa guy friend said “Trump voters are not racist,” that the media only “talked about personality, not issues.” And as to issues, he felt we should enforce laws when it comes to immigrants. I agreed that media and American commentators should have moved past personality quirks and focused on how the quirks aren’t quirks at all, but rather evidence of what kind of legal and policy issues the president would lead or enforce.

With Hillary voters I get folks who know they need to be politically active, but residing in a blue state stalls their thinking. Most are alarmed by unfolding news (like the Attorney General appointment today, more racists in power). A couple of them said, well at least he won fair and square, referring to the electoral college rules. But I say that someone who lied their way to the presidency did not win fair and square.

 

 

Ever since Donald Trump’s hate-filled RNC speech I have been on alert about his Hitler-like rhetorical style and strategy. His speech was hateful, divisive, and loaded with scapegoating. Sound familiar? He ramped up after the convention, branching out from hating Mexicans and Muslims, to hating media, American generals, Jews (banking conspiracy ads and linking Star of David with Hillary). Now that he was elected, Trump has appointed a White Nationalist as his Chief Strategist (yes, we are talking White Supremacists here).

So why am I surprised to have just learned that Trump kept Hitler’s speeches at his bedside for frequent reading?

What you can do:

A friend passed me this link which aired before the tail end of the election: Keith Olbermann’s 176 Reasons Donald Trump Should not be President. Listen. Quiver. Then get busy.

Tell at least two people you don’t know about how Trump projects his weakness as his opponents weakness, how he scapegoats, how he lies. Tell peopel how Trump has been studying Hitler for a long time, and how he is likely to abuse and exercise power accordingly.

 

 

Posted November 16. My son passed me these stick figure video links*, which are entertaining and instructive of how dictators and democratic leaders perpetuate power. Trump instinctively knows the Rules for Rulers* and thus is surrounding himself with people “dim but loyal“,  and involving his children in the transition team to manage the issues of “Death and Dynasties.*

Consider where we are in the range between Democracy and Dictatorship as we have seen the rich get richer and the poor get poorer (I love this simple illustration), making it harder for hard-working folks to spend time paying attention to politics. Also consider that if the Koch Brothers (biggest single contributor to the ruling party?) benefit from the Keystone Project, have we provided alternative sources of “treasure” (see the video) which make the interests and power of most citizens less necessary, thus leaning toward dictatorship model?

Today, as I was implementing portions of the family civics plan (first step: combat bigotry whenever you can) I spoke out loud on the train this morning: “Excuse me, does everyone know that Trump just appointed a White Nationalist as his Chief Strategist?” Many vigorous nods, some surprised faces, people of color were not even fazed (apparently this election did not come as a surprise to them). “Well we all need to know” I continue, “We can’t rely on people knowing through the internet or news. We must keep watch. Tell at least two people about it today.” I am rattled but, by saying it, I feel better all at once.

While I sit there marinating in the alarming notion that I may be devolving into a train-crazy (the other day I caught myself muttering under my breath audibly), suddenly the guy right next to me shares that his 75-year old mom has been busy every day since the election, and has him working hard too. She is an organizer. He shares a link he discovered for openlettertotrump.org and we swap contact info.

This weekend a friend mentioned the upcoming Women’s March on Washington Saturday, January 21, 2017 (please plan to join me and bring your friends!).

My husband passed me a link you will want to read: 5 Ways to Fight Against Trump (Did you know there is a Senate seat still up for election?)

By the weekend I will share more details about the family plan to hunker down for a Trump Presidency.  Some of it might surprise you…Stay tuned.

What else have you thought of to get busy?! Please comment.

Trump has named a White Nationalist as his Chief Strategist, Stephen Bannon, confirming fears that he meant what he said against people of color, Mexicans, Muslims, and Jews. This is a significant appointment. Remember how powerful Karl Rove was in the George W. Bush administration at shaping what were ultimately harmful policies and directions for America?

What you can do now:

1. My family decided that the first step in our family’s plan to brace for a Trump-and-Republican-controlled Congress and White House would be to educate ourselves and others about the pyramid of hatred used as a cautionary tool by the Anti-Defamation League. Trump and other Republicans have already transgressed several levels of the pyramid. Be watchful for laws creating systemic (legally supported) discrimination that can be subtle (disproportionately impacting minorities), rather than overt.
2. Talk about Trump’s decision to appoint Bannon every chance you get; with your friends, coworkers, family, etc. Politics is no longer taboo. It is an American right and privilege, and a necessary and civic responsibility to share accurate information and empower people to build the kind of community they want.
3. Register to vote now! Get your friends and family to register to vote now. Voting is the number one best way to change our political leaders and the direction of our country. And a high volume of people registering to vote now will send a signal to our current leaders that they will be held accountable at mid-term elections in 2018. Why do you think Republicans have worked so hard to suppress voting? #registertovote