429 Comments

I still fail to understand how insurrectionists are permitted to run for office! How can there be no accountability for treason?

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This is a question that must stay front and center! This is a very big danger!

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Agreed. Media needs to do a better job of making the case factually on what are clearly lies and facism rather than both-siding this.

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Actually-it’s citizens who should be checking the facts. Virtually every American has 24/7 access to Internet research in their hands. It’s a simple matter to check the facts/veracity of claims, & read any number of opinions to educate oneself. Like “The Big Lie” & the ridiculous people who cling to it as truth because a self-motivated rich man from NY says it’s so. This is ignorance as a choice. Where we were a nation who questioned & aired issues based in facts & opinions, we’ve devolved to an ignorant mass who think decking themselves out in the flag & wearing a MAGA hat is patriotism. When real patriotism is based on the democratic precept of “question power.” They’re too damned lazy. We’ve “dumbed down” so much in our society there’s virtually no aspiration to just try to do a little better. Doubt it? Ordered at a “use the touch-menu” drive through or had your order repeated to you where they just touch pictures-90% of the time now. they screw up the order. Which isn’t the worst of it.- When you explain they messed it up-they don’t care. There’s no “learning by mistakes.” Vast numbers of Americans won’t be responsible for themselves or their decisions. They assume “someone else will fix it.”

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I read not too long ago, that the average IQ in the U.S. has decreased several points, to 98. Think of the bell curve with 98 being the mid-point. What falls below & what falls above that mid-point. Critical thinking skills seem at an all time low. This suggests to me that many folks would be ok, even desire a " plug & play" life; thus in some circles choosing demagogues to run your country might have an appeal. Sad! The interesting thing about dictators & demagogues is that they tend to rule by whim. Today heads roll for someone else. Someone else's religion, someone else's political philosophy, sexuality. Tomorrow they may come for you. Very ego driven with no checks & balances. (Fragile as we've seen those " checks & balances" are of late. )

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The average performance on an IQ test is assigned the score of 100.

The average IQ is always 100.

If a population performs poorly on the test, the average performance is 100 and half the population is above 100 and half is below 100.

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Well put. Perfect description. Didn’t know about the drop in IQ avg. 2 points doesn’t sound like much, but with IQ, it’s considerable! Sheeple who just don’t get the idea that demagogues prefer non-thinkers & if they take away someone’s else’s rights that you don’t like-LGBTQ+, etc.-your freedoms are fettered too. I keep telling all the anti-choice pols that if they truly believe what they preach, they & everyone else who claims the same would immediately get themselves sterilized. That would go far to stopping abortions…

That’s what ye olde “checks & balances” actually come down to-the flip side of every coin.

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Those in power need dummies. They need young people so desperate that the Armed Services is there one choice out of poverty or a path to jail.

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Why do so many people assume that the issue is "other" voter's IQ's?

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Well, I don’t know, but it may be that there’s been an increase in the last decade of people who are voting against their own best interests. Some people try to justify that observation by saying people who vote against their own interests must not understand what they’re voting for. Example-

fascism. Republicans call it authoritarianism because fascism has a negative association with Hitler & Mussolini.

But, whatever you want to call it, it’s a very oppressive, unfair and punitive form of government & it’s what republicans intend to

force on us. Fascism only works for the people in charge, like the President and members of Congress. They get rich and the rest of the population is poor. When people vote for republicans they’re voting for fascism that will remove the right to vote so we have no input on how we are governed.

How do we know that? We know it because republicans (more than democrats) are in favor of banning books, want to control the curriculum, want to control women by forcing them to give birth, won’t protect our right to vote, don’t value education, etc. Fascism is all about control.

It requires a population that isn’t highly educated

because the uneducated are easier to manipulate and control. Fascism requires the government to control all information, including what children are taught in school & banning books to control what they read. The primary purpose of fascism is to control the “masses” while exploiting them so the few richest people at the top get richer.

Bottom line is people who vote for Trump & republicans are voting for a regime that will create a fascist government & that’s not in anyone’s best interests except for the republicans who are in our government.

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Well, unfortunately, “Conservatives are less intelligent than left wingers, says controversial study - and right wing politics lead people to be racist”…” Right-wingers tend to be less intelligent than left-wingers, and people with low childhood intelligence tend to grow up to have racist and anti-gay views, says a controversial new study.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095549/Right-wingers-intelligent-left-wingers-says-controversial-study--conservative-politics-lead-people-racist.html It’s from 2012, but it’s underpinned by Social Psychology findings that show the same: less intelligent people tend to want someone else to make their decisions (Evangelists/Jim Jones & Guyana), and when those or a decision they make on their own go wrong, they blame anyone but themselves. Trump & his followers demonstrate this all the time. And when questioned about something like “The Big Lie,” that’s been roundly disproven-even by Repub groups, they’ll deny the facts of it. Someone commented to me recently that those conversations tend to then be driven off-topic in kind of the way the old children’s game of “I’m rubber-you’re glue” to distract and turn around the conversation to where it’s about accusations, not discussions. That trait, again, is common among the less-intelligent who tend to be more childish. Trump’s legacy. He brought them out from under their rocks & told them that gross lying & threats are “free speech,” - with no-one correcting that there are limits-albeit extremely flexible. Bottom line is that we value free speech to the point where, as a democracy we’d prefer the boundaries get pushed all the time than quashed. Trump & the far right have exploited that maximally. Amazes me that when something happens like men in balaclavas w/guns is justified as free speech, when it fits the definition of voter intimidation. Threats aren’t classified as what they are-terroristic threats. Unfortunately, a lot of that is now coming from McConnell’s long list of “anybody will do if they toe the party line” & rammed thru numerous fed judge appointments under Trump. We’re seeing that play out now. Ex: Cannon who blocked the DOJ Mara-Lago investigation. She had absolutely NO law to justify what she did-and way overstepped her jurisdiction. I’ve yet to hear of her being censured as she shod have been. They have rules too. But now it’s politics. Not laws. Not rules. Not responsibility. Not good sense. And not even common decency. And the corporate world & wealth have it just the way they want. Our electeds serve them-not us. And few challenge that status quo. Government serves them. Not we the people.

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https://citizenuniversity.us/ is an organization training folks to conduct 'Civic Saturday' events, to revive the process knowledge that has been so long suppressed. My husband stepped up to serve as the Democratic election observer, to learn every minute step of ballot processing. On election day, a volunteer from the Republican side finally showed up, and expressing her well ingrained suspicions, Mike engaged her quietly with the information he got from the day of training from the week before. Suffice to say, she came away with far more confidence in the system than she rode in on. That training would be an excellent step for every voter.

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Thank you! And thank your husband! I’d considered volunteering, but my health has been so iffy of late, I couldn’t have been as responsible as I’d have needed to be. I’m bookmarking the site; hopefully I can get settled down enough to do later.

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I don't think that is the problem.... why are false, shady, flat out lies allowed to be aired. Americans especially the trumpster's do not care about facts therefore would not check them.

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I think it is more about WHO is spreading the lie rather than the lie itself. A "personality" such as Tucker Carlson develops a following where he portrays lies as facts and then proceeds to be absolutely incredulous about the actual facts when they are presented. Many people choose to go down the rabbit hole with "their guy" instead of hearing what a person has to say UNDER OATH... THIS SCARES ME THE MOST!!!

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Agree. Those people think there are still rules against media lies - but there aren’t. Carlson & others picked up where Limbaugh left off with lying & hate mongering & took it to a whole new level. Sad part is that even when you point out what a verifiably horrible “news sauce” they are with apparently rational people, they’ll argue with you. Or worse-tell you they have their preferences just like we have ours. The childish “I’m rubber & you’re glue” comebacks-as if objective fact finding is just calling names.

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Well the Reagan era decision to abolish the FCC Fairness Doctrine meant that different viewpoints no longer needed to be included on radio and TV stations using the airwaves. That decision made Rush Limbaugh's career and spawned many more. Cable and the internet then spawned a completed unregulated free-for-all. I remember being initially excited about the 'democratization' of the news and 'citizen journalists.' Now many Americans have grown up on a Fox and right wing junk food diet. No wonder we are sick and divided.

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Point well made!

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The people who crowd in to see Trump-ever watch them being interviewed? Facts simply don’t interest them. As I’ve said, it pretty much always comes down to whether an individual is willing to be responsible for themselves & their choices. Trump followers are literally no different than the people who have trouble paying bills but flock to see an evangelist who’s so obviously ripping them off. Or the people who followed Jim Jones to Guyana. It’s the price they’re willing to pay to have someone else make their decisions. Being grown up is scary. If a grifter offers an option-too many people will do whatever it takes to unload that burden in someone else. Exploiters abound.

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Why are lies allowed to be aired?

Because, and I quote, Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. You can bet that the Supreme court will find some 12th century or Tudor rationale for establishing religion..

The only way to stop a lie is by suing in civil court, and then you ,must show injury and also have the big bucks to pay the lawyers.

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Beyond that-the congressionals who deny the 2020 election & supported Trump & Jan 6 mob-their oath of office is “I shall support the Constitution…”. Why can’t we the people demand they be removed for violating their oath - & some for outright sedition. Why is that big mouth hillbilly from GA still running around shouting her stupidity?

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The De,Democratic party has been, till now, the loyal opposition. The opposition has been titular, pro forma, for both parties drink at the trough of corporations and the wealthy.

The Democratic party when I first voted in 1960 was called, Dixicrats, a party of blue collar and southern racists. Joe Biden was mentored by those racist senators, like Eastman and Thurmond, Eastman all but wore KKK robes to the Senate.

When LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act and his Great Society Program, there was shock among the racists in the south, then they started to re register as Republicans, the Republican party took note, and Nixon and his advisors started using dog whilstles, code, It got more refined with Reagan, whose first rally was in Philadelphia, MS just miles from where the three civil rights workers were killed and buried in a dam.

The Democratic party did not break stride, for it was still controlled by the same old foagies who had laid down with racists. Lay down with a dog, get up with fleas.

Little has changed, the Democratic party talks about equal rights, but does nothing. The Equal rights amendment can still be passed, it only needs one more state to approve it, and it had that state in 2020 but it needed the Senate to extend the cut off date, which it can do.

I will wager that you have heard nothing in the media or from the Democratic party about that.

The Democratic party slops at the trough of Wall Street, Chamber of Commerce, PhrMA, AHIP and I learned yesterday from James Carville's own lips, tha the foundations, especially the Ford Foundation, have a veto on messaging and platform, as they vetoed the Democratic party even talking about crime and how Republican policies exacerbate crime.

My in box has been overloaded the last couple of weeks with pleas for money from the Democratic Party, and the pleas were for conservatives like Hassan and Masto, only one time did a plea come in from Mandela Barnes.

Hassan voted against raising the minimum wage to $15, Masto is a buddy of Joe Manchin and was seen partying with him, along with Carper and Coons of Delaware on his Yacht, he calls a houseboat, named Almost Heaven.

Like pogo said, I've seen the enemy and it is us. The Democratic party would exorcise progressives, they do anything and everything to get rid of them. In 2020 the only losses were conservative Democrats, the progressive's held their own and picked up 2 new seats.

The Democratic party selects and backs tired old race horses like Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Terry McAuliffe,and loses. The only reason that Biden won was because 81 million people were fed up with Trump and turned out to vote. A cabbage could have beat Trump in 2020. Biden did not so much win as Trump lost, and he still can't get over the fact that he was rejected.

Meanwhile the party of the amygdala has no problem putting up fresh, angry faces, that can excite the amygdala, and the party of the pre frontal cortex thinks that people are rational actors who vote in their own economic interests.

Well regardless of what the pollsters and Wall Street want you to think, inflation was not the reason that the Republicans vote, it is the culture war,.

Because in the minds of the MAGAt crowd they fear their loss of personal power, more than their loss of spending power.

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I disagree. You imply the Democrats are the opposition in name only. Yet you point out that LBJ, a Democrat, signed the Civil Right Act and ushered in “The Great Society.” Don’t forget that President Obama, another Democrat, passed the Affordable Care Act.

President Biden, whom you say was mentored by racists, named a Black & mixed race woman as his running mate & enacted the American Rescue Plan that provided cash relief directly to low- and middle-income families and cut Black child poverty by 33.3%, lifting more than 1 million Black children out of poverty.

Furthermore, Pres.Biden’s Infrastructure Law permanently authorizes the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) for the first time and elevates the agency head to the position of Under Secretary, giving the agency expanded power to support Black and other minority-owned businesses.

More than one in four Black Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site– a higher percentage than for Americans overall. The Infrastructure Law provides funding to clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land, and cap orphaned oil and gas wells.

Biden has also directed agencies to use federal purchasing power to increase federal contracts with underserved small businesses & set a goal to increase the share of federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2025— projected to assist an additional $100 billion to minority-owned businesses.

Pres.Biden directed an interagency effort to address inequity in home appraisals to combat housing discrimination. It’s led by HUD Sec. Marcia Fudge & Policy Advisor Susan Rice, who are developing policy and recommendations to redress racial bias in home appraisals.

The Biden admin is also assisting Black land owners to resolve Title issues. An estimated 60% of Black-owned land in the South is property that passed through inheritance without a will, rendering those land owners ineligible for U.S. Dept.of Agriculture (USDA) programs, including lending programs.

Those are just a few examples of what the Biden admin. has done to level the playing field for Blacks and other minorities. So I’d say it’s pretty obvious that Democrats are NOT controlled by racist old foagies now, nor were they controlled by racists during the Obama admin.

I don’t agree with every decision made by Dem leadership, but giving a couple of examples of a dem who voted against raising the minimum wage, dems who attended a party on Manchin’s boat and implying that only white dems solicit campaign donations from you isn’t even remotely convincing that democrats and republicans are the same in any way.

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Excellent commentary. Reinforces why history has to reviewed in full. Don’t remember commentary about Dems being racist. I started voting Dem 40+ years ago in no small part bec their history is one of support. No matter what any Black Repub might claim about the “future of the party”-I’ve heard that repeated through the years, only to then heard of a “Tuberville” rant that’s met with silence by the party. Their history is such that I consider Blacks who vote/are Repub as betraying their culture. https://medium.com/the-new-standard/black-history-a-history-of-permanent-white-oppression-from-1619-to-2016-8bcfa38dfce Women Repubs the same. They don’t read the facts of history that the party continues. That said, I do agree the Dems have stopped listening to voters. Both parties are beholden to billions in dark money from special interests. Our congress has reached a point where those are too often the interests they serve. Nor have I ever asserted only white Dems solicit from me. Perhaps there's commentary in this thread I’ve missed. I strongly feel it’s past time to hand off to younger generations. The embedded geezer factor plus the billions is crippling our democracy.

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WOW! Just WOW! THE best summary of the Dem party I have every read. On point, insightful, historically accurate & sums up what goes on w/hypocrisy (Manchin-chair of the ENERGY cmte? C’mon!!) -No matter how righteous voter objections over it-or how many times he supports the filibuster!) -But you def support my point they talk the “people” talk-but they don’t listen at all - & as you said about progressives being shunned/shut down: the party “rules” require mediocrity & sucking up. They cannot allow true leaders or the charismatic who would become good leaders. Mediocrity & “following the herd” are the rules. Was active in my late 20’s/early 30’s-worked for Bill Clinton when he was AG & just elected gov. It was clear that you weren’t welcome to state opinions or ruffle feathers. Both of which I’ve always been inclined to do-as well as question. Their party rules are Byzantine & ridiculous & designed to promote only the homogenized. You’ve hit it exactly right!

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I appreciated William's party history synopsis too. I also agree that Dems continue to roll out a treadmill of familiar faces, and that many positions Democrats take aren't very progressive, yet get supported because the alternative is so much worse. Despite the tired candidate pool and positions that aren't that progressive, more of their platform helps average people than their opponents.

I remain mystified at how terrible Dems are at messaging. They are always flat-footed playing defense, often against mendacious narrative or outright lies. Dems addressed the economy without any significant Republican support. They unilaterally passed Medicare bargaining for lower cost drugs for seniors; stimulus payments to support working people during the pandemic slowdown; funding the IRS to staff up and crack down on wealthy tax evasion to reduce the deficit and expanding child tax credits for working families. POTUS turbocharged the availability and distribution of COVID vaccines, in stark comparison to TFG, as soon as he got into the building (although many anti-vaxxers opted for Ivermectin as a result of "research"). POTUS intervened in the shipping backlog crisis, communicating with shipping firms to try to unkink the supply chain. After doing all that, Dems allowed themselves to be painted as enemies of working people, jobs and the economy in attack ads and on cable news. Dems passed the first gun legislation in 30 years, admittedly a feeble attempt, but an attempt nonetheless to address the epidemic of mass casualty gun violence. Then they allowed themselves to be attacked by ads claiming they are "soft on crime" and that bail reforms they support are the things making every American unsafe and vulnerable to being murdered in their sleep. Dems passed legislation with funding to get shovel-ready, trades-centered projects going, while Republicans sat with their arms crossed, wagged their heads and voted no. Then Dems sat back idly while Republicans took credit for the same projects and funding they voted against. There are more examples but this is already too long.

It's about time the party stood up, went on offense, explicitly detailing in plain language how the things they've done help average people. Don’t wait to counterpunch against simplistic ads built on misinformation and fearmongering. Announce your accomplishments, say it simply, say it often, use catchy slogans and don’t wait until election time to alert constituents to your accomplishments. Use a bit of the Trump playbook, but know you’re actually telling the truth.

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“They cannot allow true leaders or the charismatic who would become good leaders. Mediocrity & “following the herd” are the rules.”

Adrienne, I think Barack Obama was and is a charismatic and true leader. People like him don’t come along very often. He provided true leadership and it wasn’t that long ago. I do believe democrats are the party that still cares about America & all Americans. President Biden absolutely cares about all Americans as well and although it may not seem like it, he is getting us back on track. He’s just not shoving in republicans’ faces. (which we’ve gotten used to from republicans)

Every leader has flaws, but Trump was by far the most flawed American President I’m aware of. If you step back and look at the big picture, you’ll see exactly where America started “going off the rails.” It was about 40 years ago.

That was when the republican party literally created a plan to knowingly deviate from what has always been our American values: separation of church and state, making money more important than character, deliberately dumbing down the population in order to more easily deceive them, to name a few. The republicans who came up with this plan intend to rip up our Constitution and replace it and that would be a disaster.

Don’t give up on democrats. I don’t always agree with dem leadership but they are dealing with a state of affairs no one could have anticipated in the best way they can. As many have now said, we are at a crossroads. Dems need support and constructive criticism. It may seem like they aren’t open to it, but they are.

If anyone is interested in how I reached these conclusions I’m happy to provide a list of sources. Just let me know.

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Agree. I’m sick of congressionals whom it’s been proven committed sedition w/Jan 6th-like that demented hillbilly Marjorie Big Mouth-who apparently aren’t even being investigated. Our own legal structure is allowing them to be above the law. It only encourages them to continue to flout the law-not to mention just plain decency.

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I'm not so sure Margie Trailer Trash isn't being investigated. Wouldn't it suck for the MAGAs if a whole bunch of indictments drop now that the mid-terms are over?

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That would restore so much of my faith!

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My dream come true! HaHaHa!!!

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All in good time, my pretty. All in good time.

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Yes. It's insane! There's something very wrong with the laws ...

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It’s not the laws-it’s that when our legal institutions try to move on the criminals among us, the political pressure makes them back down. Effectively creating an elected class that’s above the law. Biden tried to set up protections for election workers who were being threatened with violence & death for them & their families. Repubs, led by opioid queen Marsha Blackburn, brought so much pressure-citing “freedom of speech,” the administration backed down. Instead of standing on laws that define such as incitement to violence & terroristic threatening. Leaving thousands of election workers twisting in the wind. The short of it is the massive dark money being poured into our government at all levels, to the point that we the people have simply lost our voice. Our government serves big money-not us.

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Yes, I agree. As things stand now all republicans in Congress and some dems as well, pass legislation favorable to corporations & scapegoat the other party for legislation that fails. That’s why we can’t get legislation to rein in the cost of prescription meds, why we have a perpetual “war” over regulations for ANY industry from Wall St. to the oil & gas industry.

Healthcare insurance companies give large donations to prevent things like Medicare for all. (The republican argument that we can’t afford Medicare for all just isn’t true.) Huge campaign donations are why the GOP keeps giving tax breaks to corporations and why they pretend climate change is a hoax—They won’t do anything that might jeopardize those campaign donations from corporations. In other words, campaign donations = sanctioned bribes.

Although President Biden is addressing climate change with several projects now in the works, there’s a lot more we need to do. We’re at a point where, if republicans and democrats can’t work together on things like climate change, we could find ourselves in dire situations in just a few years. But many republicans still refuse to acknowledge climate change.

The way I see it we have no choice but to remove the incentive that drives their denial—money in the form of campaign donations. Different people will have different ideas on how to do that, but one way is to make campaign donations illegal and give candidates public money to campaign with. Each candidate would get the same amount of public money. The fec would collect receipts from expenditures to monitor spending and when the money is gone, that’s it. There’s no more.

We spend billions of dollars on campaigns.

In fact, an enormous industry has developed to facilitate it. There are campaign consultants, polling companies, videos of the candidates, commercials, branded t-shirts, coffee cups, baseball caps & other miscellaneous items with the candidate’s name. I don’t know about you, but to me it seems like a colossal waste of money. Our government should not be for sale. Policy shouldn’t be decided by people or businesses that spend the most money, but it is. We simply can’t afford to keep doing it. It should always be ‘country over party’ and ‘people over money.’

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Well said! You hit the nail(s) on the head! I’m now curious about the turn out of women (prochoice). Gen Z, & student loan debtors. Read more anti-choice women would turn out to vote than pro-choice. My observation thru the years is they’ve right. Women march, demonstrate, make noise-but fall down with turning out to actually vote. I’m curious about the follow up stats. The close votes seem to support.

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Campaign finance reform. Nothings gonna change as long as politicians can be bought. Seems pretty obvious to me. Nothing would have as much impact. And that's why its RARELY brought up

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Yes!!! Absolutely!

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I think the criminals in power are the true criminals.

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Exactly. And the Dems just SUCK at leadership. Biden should have been out stumping for the last MONTH at least. They have no presence on soc media-but you see the usu dreck of the GOP on there lying constantly. You can tell their leadership tells them to get on it & don’t ignore. Only a few Dem congressionals are regulars at pushing back. Dems should require quotas from congressionals-answering back & calling out the lies. Instead they do big ad buys & expect that to suffice. The leadership is far too distant from voters. Used to be the “poor party” so HAD to get out among people. So many races so close-where the hell was leadership on the stump for them? Obviously helped Fetterman! Tends to look like leadership writes them off-so the voters do too. They really suck at this.

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Not so much the laws as the people refusing to apply them.

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I cannot profess to know enough about the possible laws governing these things so I really don't know whether they're being followed or not! But If there aren't certain laws that would be applicable it would be nice if they could be created! But I certainly agree there seems to be certain laws that seem to exist that are not being applied to certain individuals; a situation I TRULY HOPE gets rectified!

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The laws require the investigations to maintain media silence so as not the tilt the process. The targets have a way of slipping up most tellingly, when inured with false confidence.

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Absolutely agree.

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Because those running for office were neither indicted or convicted of any crime for Jan 6th. Being present at the capitol to protest the election and make a lot of noise is not insurrection. I am aggravated like hell over their fake election claims, but it does not make them legally ineligible to run for office.

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Unfortunately true! BUT it SHOULD!

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EXACTLLY.

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I agree the bar should be very high. I am happy they took MTG to court for it and accept that she was not found to meet the bar.

That’s where we fight. At the polls. In the courts. Our institutions can work if we support them.

This election clearly shows that the most extreme candidates in the most important positions lost and people took it seriously enough.

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True. A vote is a sort of boycott where applicable!

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I agree 100%

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Because the current laws don't specifically bar them from running. If they had been charged and convicted of insurrection that would be a different story. We could hang them all!

I don't know if I can do this but here is a link to follow up on your question:

https://www.politifact.com/article/2021/dec/03/how-many-newly-elected-officials-and-congressional/

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Thanks Susan. That is a good link. I think criminal trespass is usually a misdemeanor but at the capitol its likely a felony. So this could affect those implicated with that behavior. But you still have to be convicted to prevent you from running for office. I had an uncle who defended Jerry Brown for being arrested at a protest rally. This was in the 70's in Mississippi. Didn't affect his political future. Then again this may be a non sequitur.

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To start with Congress has no power, and the little power that they have they were afraide to use, For instance Congress has the power to arrest, not just subpoena and they used it twice in the early 20th century, but wimped out and handed the job to DOJ, which was led by a man that worked 10 times as a moderator for the Federalist Society and was vetted to SCOTUS by the most right wing extremist Senator at the time (Orrin Hatch)

Finally Trump signed EO 13957 that enabled him to embed his political appointees in DOJ, DOD, NSA, DHS, even labor as protected civil servants, which pushed out/replaced the long serving civil servants because that same EO converted them to at will.

Biden revoked EO 13957 the second day in office with EO 14002, which you would think is a good thing, but he could have used Trump's EO and precedent to cleanse the DOJ and other cabinets of Trump appointees turned civil servants. Instead he voluntarily disarmed himself, just like he did when he appointed a Republican to the Board of the USPS, thus maintaining a 50/50 Democrat Republican split, thus ensuring that Dejoy would remain Postmaster General.

I have to ask why Biden did not appoint all Democrats to get rid of Dejoy, the only conclusion I can come to is that he didn't want to fire Dejoy. Maybe because Dejoy canceled a contract for electric postal vehicles and gave it to Oshkosh in Wisconsin for gas powered vehicles and Oshkosh is the prime provider of military vehicles like the Humvee.

If keeping the Oshkosh vote was the Democratic party goal, it failed, because Ron Johnson Republican is the elected Senator.

Instead of doing the right thing, the Democrats try the old tactics, back old tired race horses, like Catherine Cortez Masto and neglect places like Florida and Texas which they surrender to the Republicans.

From the pleas that clogged my inbox, the only candidates that they cared about where the conservative Masto and the Conservative Hassan (Hassan voted against raising the minimum wage), they did not support any progressive, and in fact in primaries that support conservatives (who lose in the general) against Progressives, such as Joe Kennedy Jr which Pelosi supported against Senator Markley of Mass in 2020 primary. She did the same supporting a homophobic congressional candidate against a gay congreggional candidate in the Primary of 2020.

Both parties slop at the trough of Wall Street, PhRMA, AHIP and Chamber of Commerce. Both hate and fear true Democrats.

AS president Truman said:

If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign." Harry S Truman, May 17 1952 trumanlibrary.org/…

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At this point, it seems POSSIBLE that the Democrats will somehow retain control of the Senate (the importance of this cannot be overstated), and the feared "red tsunami" in the House will not materialize, though the Republicans will unfortunately still likely retake control (get ready for lots of impeachments and investigations, people). If the Democrat losses are limited, I must say, "Thank YOU, Gen Z voters. Thank YOU, women voters." You may have saved this country from a complete disaster of an election.

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Well said. But honestly, I have to ask-DID women voters turn out? Not only did inflation overwhelm so many social issues, but I don’t see any reports of the pro-choice movement mounting a huge turn-out. Hate to criticize fellow women-but all those who matched-all those who demonstrated-I see nothing citing to them turning out en masse to vote. The entire history points to that very problem-lotta noise, not much delivery. I hope I’m wrong-but seems it’s been a big enough focus-something would be said.

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The decisive pushback earlier in (red) Kansas now also happened in (red) Kentucky, and Wisconsin.

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From what I've read, yes, women did turn out to vote in very high numbers. I don't know what you mean by "lotta noise, not much delivery" since reproductive rights guarantees won in several states. I'm sure Judd can tell us the numbers.

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Thanks!! You’re right! Found it just awhile ago! WOO HOO!!

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Fair questions, but if not for what I believe was the "Roe v. Wade Pushback", combined with some definite "candidate quality" issues (though that didn't help the Democrats in Ohio or Nevada, unfortunately, and it may not help them in the Arizona Governor's race), I think that the underlying fundamentals of this election (an unpopular President from the party which controlled the House/Senate, high inflation, etc.), we would have seen the Republicans pick up 25-35 House seats and at least 2-3 Senate seats.

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Predictions for pro-choice voters were that more anti-choice voters would turn out. I’m old enough to have watched the ERA still not be incorporated-despite the work we’ve done since the 60’s-and the work of our female ancestors for decades prior. Given that any woman who votes Repub (or Blacks or minorities-as proven by our history)-vote against their iwn interests, it still never ceases to amaze me how we can drop the ball.

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I think pro-choice women DID turn out and that is the reason there was no red wave.

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They did-along w/Gen Z. The final group about whom I’m curious is LGBTQ+ & Trans. Given the GOP open attacks esp on trans youth-they’re losing as much as women-I wonder at their voting. I would hope it’s a high percentage-but I don’t see indications. Still looking.

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And a tip of the hat to little Sammy from Trenton for inspiring so many.

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Who? I'm from NJ and have no idea who that is.

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Justice Alito.

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OH! Big fat ugly Samuel.... (sorry)

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I shoulda been more Jersey in that characterization. Yours sings. As a lifer (Red Bank/Manasquan) I hang my head in shame.

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Nov 13, 2022
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Borders: Biden continues Trump’s policies-BUT-under Biden, apprehensions are up 330%. The influx of Cubans has been the main surge; while Mexican & most other S. American countries have fallen about 175%. 1% of Cuba’s population have fled to the US: “ U.S. authorities made more than 2.2 million migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022, higher than any year on record. Of those, about 1 million were quickly expelled to Mexico or other countries under a pandemic-era order known as Title 42. But just 2 percent of Cubans apprehended at the border were expelled in the 2022 fiscal year.” -That’s because CONGRESS HAS DIFFERENT IMMIGRATION LAWS FOR CUBANS & Venezuelans, based on being from Communist countries, they’re considered refugees. If they make it over the border, they aren’t deported. After a year, they can apply for green cards.

Drugs: Oct 4, 2022 “ Most fentanyl is seized at border crossings — **often from U.S. citizens** ...—In the period from the fourth quarter of 2018 to the end of August 2022, an average of **87 percent** of seized fentanyl was stopped at the southern border.” “https://www.washingtonpost.com › politics › 2022 › 10 › 04 › border-fentanyl-seizures-americans. - Thanks to TN’s Sen Marsha Blackburn, “ https://www.addictions.com › opiate › the-role-of-pharmaceutical-companies-in-the-opioid-epidemic

The Role of Pharmaceutical Companies in the Opioid Epidemic - Addictions

Sep 15, 2021The major players who took part in creating the opioid epidemic include: Purdue Pharma Abbott Labs Johnson & Johnson Pfizer Novartis Covidien Watson Pharmaceuticals Endo Pharmaceuticals.” Her legislation in 2014 stopped the DEA from investigating US Big Pharma & prosecute them. They flooded our streets w/opioids funneled through fly-by-night dr’s & pharmacies, using the homeless in huge prescription scam, putting millions of pills into rural & small town areas, often far outnumbering the number of people living there. Blackburn has received huge money from pharma to stop the DEA &’protect them. That’s not the border-it’s mid-America.

Student radicalization? Seriously? Give sone EXAMPLES based on FACTS. Otherwise you’re just parroting GOP propaganda & lies.

Domestic terrorism reached a zenith thanks to Trump & the far-right GOP, including congresssionals, culminating in Jan 6th attempt to overthrow our government. The left was now way involved. Call Hillbilly Marjorie Greene, Trump’s own AG, William

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Barr & GOP activist Ginni Thomas-SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas’s wife who was urging Mark Meadows to stop Trump leaving the White House in a lawful transfer of power-and instead take control of thevgiv’t-treason. https://www.newsweek.com › marjorie-taylor-greene-calls-jan-6-little-riot-defends-protests-witchhunt-1725238

Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Jan. 6 'A Little Riot' As She ... - Newsweek

Jul 16, 2022Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Repub) has said there was a "little riot" at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021 and defended those who attended.” She egged on the riot & in the face of overwhelming PROOF there was NO STOLEN ELECTION-according to numerous state investigations & 14 legal proceedings-continued to insist the election was stolen. This violates her congressional oath to defend & protect the Constitution of the United States, & has promoted fascism. As this election showed. Which is why the Americans LEFT stopped it

So tell me-with researched proof from credible sources-just WHERE the LEFT has endangered our country. You have it EXACTLY. BACKWARDS. If you love our country so much-use that phone in your hand & access the WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE OFFERED BY THE INTERNET-which can also educate you on where your sources lie on the political continuum & how reputable they are for facts & truth.

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Nov 13, 2022
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Marek, to have more power and facts in your writing, use standard forms of verifying your claims. For instance, track down work by a reliable news organization, or even empirical research into progress in creating a wall on the border. Then at the end of your sentence “Trump built the wall and instituted remain in Mexico” (Put a link to your source here). This is how you show your words - which are verifiably only eight words in that sentence - are backed up by a whole article or report that looks for the ground-truth of the situation you claim to know. If it is true that “By all accounts, thousands of immigration frauds are pouring across the border daily”, this is a big claim about human beings by the thousands crossing the border - surely you can view newspapers online from Nogales/Tucson, or Tijuana/San Diego, or El Paso to verify this “all accounts” idea. News organizations on the border would definitely report on such large numbers of people crossing the border. You suggest “by all accounts”, so I would put a link to several current articles because ‘by all accounts” is a broad statement that requires accountings from many newspapers or other sources (like 10 sources). Does this help?

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When we finally get results from Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Georgia, I'll be able to plan next year's vacation, avoiding states that elected MAGA authoritarians and Q nutbags. I will not spend my money in any red state, where they will use it - and the power of the State - to strip away civil rights, rig the electoral system to stay in power, and terrify their residents.

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Ha! I thought I was the only one who felt this way. I refuse to travel to certain states for this same reason. I don't want to be surrounded by people who think that Ron DeSantis or Ted Cruz are a good idea.

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Agree - maybe Disney should move

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With the way DeSantis has abused them, they absolutely should move.

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Maybe people who love Disney and Universal Parks should go to California rather than Floriduh. You still get to wear the silly ears, but you don't waste any dollars in DeSantistan.

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There’s an idea!

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And take loads of money they bring to that state with them.

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Moving is easier said than done. Although climate Change may accomplish the deed. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/possible-tropical-system-headed-for-florida-during-last-month-of-hurricane-season-morales/2901636/ That said, Disney has a much longer perspective than any of the temporary employees in office.

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Disney is talking about moving a couple thousand employees from Anaheim to Orlando. What do they do if a sizable percentage of those people refuse to relocate?

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DISNEY isn’t the problem except for their low wages. DeSantis is the problem.

Orlando was a sleepy little town prior to Disney.

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But Florida, especially Orlando, depends on the tourist trade. If the tourists don't come because they are sick and tired of DeSantis' bullcrap, Disney may really step up their game to fight the fascists.

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Exactly why I’m heading to CA this year instead of FL or Tx!

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Thanks Julie. We’ve got to make things happen now. And I hope we keep letting these people know that we reject their insanity. And we will not allow our country to sink deeper into Fascism. I hope everyone follows your actions!

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How CAN we start a nationwide boycott???

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JoAnn I think we’ll hear about those options soon. Get in touch with some LGBTQ+ groups…they know how to do it. Women have a lot of power, a lot of numbers…we’ve done it before, Talk to union members, they’ve done it!

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Thank you. Ii will!

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We need to start with PUSHING BACK ON CRAZOID ELECTEDS-stop ignoring their lies & misrepresentation! Call them out. Just imagine if hillbilly queens Marsha Blackburn & Marjorie big mouth, along with McCarthy, Cotton & other liars got a million phone calls for a lie…

Senate: 202-224-3121 House: 202-224-3121.

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they can't be the same number...

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What a great idea!

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Welcome! I tell my family and friends that CA has a lot of problems but, after all, it is the 5th largest economy in the world and what large diverse economy doesn't have problems? It is an amazing mix of diversity, vibrant economic growth, cutting edge culture, etc. I love it here. Many of the people leaving, including family members, just can't make it here - it can be tough. For the folks boycotting Fla: come to So Cal! As Arnold's advertisement of old said "We're Open!".

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Be sure to take I-80! Southern route is WAY too Red. But even then, may have to use an old-fashioned map to still avoid some places like NV!

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Sunset & Fire, that’s my thought Get the list of red states and Boycott, Boycott! That means no trip to Disney.

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Same for me. There are many states I won’t be visiting as long as state governments are red.

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Me too. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this.

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Unfortunately, I'm moving to one. From MI to IN. IN isn't the worst of them, and we'll be in the Indianapolis are, which is really progressive, but still..... sucks.

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I'm a transplant from Michigan to Indiana 35+ years ago. Indiana is awful - the only areas heavily D are Indianapolis/Marion Co. and the Gary area. Count up the senators and reps - it's about 8 R's to 2 D's. It takes 2 separate general assemblies which equates to 3 to 4 years calendar years - yes 3 - 4 years to amend the constitution. Indiana also does not allow referendums. Very frustrating for those of us in the minority here.

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I'm sorry 😞 I live in Indiana and unfortunately the rest of the state gives R's total control over what happens here. It's bad.

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We need a coalition of people to move from the safest blue states to swingy red states. IN May not be the most swingy state, but hearts and minds can change on the ground, one voter at a time.

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I understand the reasoning behind this sentiment, but I want to also point out that a lot of red states are more purple than you realize and are red in large part because of gerrymandering. Please don't generalize us all into MAGA authoritarians and Q nutbags - of course those people exist, but they exist everywhere. The mindset of boycotting entire states gets dangerously close to the mindset of letting red states just destroy themselves, which ignores the fact that the people in those states still need to be taken care of (and can't necessarily do a lot to change the redness of our state, because we've been trying to survive under it for so dang long).

I think there's a balance to be had between voting with your dollar and not completely writing off those of us in red states. If you still want to travel to a red state, one suggestion is patronizing local small businesses, especially ones that are minority or LGBTQ owned. It takes a little more work and research, but it's doable.

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You're so right Sarah! And Thank You for your compassionate reply! It would be terrible to boycott entire states because of a minority of people. Perhaps there's a more targeted way to make our displeasure known?! Yours is a good one!

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That's an excellent point, and it is the dilemma between not wanting to punish the people but also not wanting to give authoritarian-leaning state governments more tourism tax money so they can keep cutting property and income and business taxes for their donors (while blocking Medicare funding for those who need it most). There are local, regional, and national organizations that help elect liberal candidates, assist with abortion access, legally defend parents and teachers who run afoul of draconian "parental rights" laws, etc., and I donate to several of them. I support organizations that lobby and go to court for fair redistricting laws, to try to stop the partisan gerrymandering. We'll have to pursue many strategies to claw back our rights and throw the bums out. But if I ever find myself in a red state before then, I will look for the local small businesses you suggest, and spend my money there.

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Excellent point, you're right. We should probably do as much to empower the blue pockets so they can keep fighting the good fight!

West Texas, here we come!

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A nationwide boycott would be a good idea!

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we've been trying to take a trip to Texas for several years, but I cannot support them. And now my beloved Miami is also off the books. Thank goodness for California

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