Tag Archives: Elections

The Mason Missile, August 27, 2020

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Greetings, Americans!

I have been active in demonstrations to support the United States Postal Service (USPS) from its own Postmaster-General, Louis DeJoy-a big Republican donor and investor in several private delivery services, and who would profit hugely if the USPS was destroyed, and not compete with the private firms. That is the common capitalist tendency, to think that if it can’t make a profit for already rich plutocrats, it’s no good; they can’t think beyond lining their own pockets, no matter what it does for, or to, the public good.  

The Postal Service is OURS, it is the means by which veterans attain their medicines from the VA, people send letters and cards to their loved ones, paychecks are sent out, and businesses send their products. But the charlatans and money-grubbers in the trump regime can’t see that; trump has FLAT OUT said that he wants to prevent mail-in ballots from going out, so people afraid (justifiably) of the COVID still in the atmosphere. The public welfare in being destroyed due to one sorry-ass excuse of a man’s paranoia; just another reason to vote him out, and however you can do it, do it, in person if you have to; the nation’s live is at stake.

People are rallying behind the Postal Service, in localized rallies like the one I participated in. (https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/usps-mail-voting-delays-ballots-philly-rally-dejoy-trump-20200822.html) The Postal Service is great for hiring veterans at good wages. To find out how you can help save the Postal Service, please contact the real experts on the postal system-the postal workers themselves, in the form of the American Postal Workers Union (https://apwu.org/)

There is the weird movement QAnon, the crazy idea that there is, in the US intelligence apparatus, a person named Q, who passes along information about trump fighting against a global elite of Satanist pedophiles comprised of Democrats and Hollywood stars. (https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/04/23/qanon-conspiracy-increasingly-popular-antigovernment-extremists) trump has refused to directly refute it-the believers are his base, after all-and a number of Qanon believers are running as Republicans for congressional seats, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia, Mike Cargile and Erin Cruz in California, Theresa Raborn in Illinois, and Lauren Bobert in Colorado, and Jo Rae Perkins, running for the Senate in Oregon. The FBI has declared Qanon a domestic terrorist threat- but our commander-in-chief (gag!) wont’ turn against them or call them out; people carrying Qanon signs, t-shirts, and caps have congregated trump’s rallies. (https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/politics/qanon-congressional-candidates/index.html)

The Republican party has sunk to an even lower low; this is a continuation of the tea-party AstroTurf “movement” electing their candidates as Republicans, which the party leadership accepted, just so they can undermine Obama’s Presidency and implement tax cuts for corporations; I also can’t help but remember Arthur Jones, a total, balls-out, Jew-hating Nazi, running for Congress in Illinois as a Republican, and the party leaders not bothering to run anyone against him, instead saying “He doesn’t speak for us.” 

Added to this is the Republican National Convention; instead of drawing up a platform outlining the party’s policies on defense, the economy, and welfare, the convention put out a resolution stating that it would just support trump and everything he does; they would “reassert the Party’s strong support for President Donald Trump and his Administration.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-party-platform-2020-trump_n_5f4353bac5b6305f32597ec4?fbclid=IwAR3dua9EViaMQ96Bi06rug56QIUzqrWjesPiHg86qyyLt0vHqJVUy7a3YfQ) The Republican Party, once a breeding ground for great statesmen, has rotted into the Cult of trump.

Contrast this to what going on in the Democratic Party; the progressing wing of the party is growing and making an impact, unseating long-serving placeholders. One is Cori Bush, a registered nurse and leader of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Missouri, who was hit with teargas by police during a BLM demonstration; she beat 20-year incumbent William Lacy Clay in the congressional primaries, in a Saint-Louis-area district. (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cori-bush-black-lives-matter-activist-congress_n_5f2c32e9c5b6b9cff7eeaded) In New York, in a congressional primary in the Bronx, Jamaal Bowman, a middle-school principal, defeated Eliot Engel, a 32-year incumbent who had largely been absent from his district. (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bowman-defeats-engel-new-york-democratic-primaries-2020_n_5ef22705c5b663ecc8544563) If they win their general elections, they will join “the Squad” of congress-members already making an impact-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York), Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Rashida Tlaib (Michigan), and Ayanna Pressley (Florida).

These and many others were endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), who, in spite of losing the primary to Joe Biden, has inspired a new generation of young progressive activists, to challenge the system, and that in itself is a victory. The party leadership-Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer come to mind-must pay them attention and respect, for they have ideas and energy we the American people so desperately need.

The fight is on, Americans, for the life and soul of our nation. We must educate ourselves on the issues of the day, and how we got there; we must realize we don’t have to be put down and abused by fools in power, that we have rights and we can and will utilize them; we certainly don’t have to accept our own demise from the Coronavirus, no matter trump’s “It is what it is” attitude showing he care zero about us. AND, we must get out there November 3 and vote, and don’t let ANY one take that right away from you.

Stay safe stay together, and stay strong! America will be free! Bye!  

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Crowd of Protesters Holding Signs

Election Work, May 21, 2019

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Yesterday I spent all day at my division polling station, in the Election Board of my division of my ward in Philadelphia-I served as Machine Inspector. I helped set up the voting machine and turned it on, to help people get ready to vote, the most basic and simple-and essential-function of a democracy (what’s left of it in this country). I showed people how to use the machine if they were a little confused; and when the polling station closed I helped take the cartridge out of the machine, along with the tape that counted the votes, and closed the machine. It was a great day, rough in spots, but I enjoyed my work in advancing the democratic process. I hope all of you voted, and I encourage you to play a role in your own communities.

Reclaim Philadelphia Meeting, February 9, 2019

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On Saturday, February 9, I took part in a meeting of Reclaim Philadelphia, held at the Friends Center, 15th and Cherry streets in Philadelphia. This is the political movement that encourages progressive activists (like me) to run for local offices-committee people (like me), City Council, and state legislature.

Among the candidates present seeking endorsement for the May 21 primary election were Luigi Borda, Omar Sabir,  and Marwan Kreidie, running for City Commissioner; Ethelind Baylor, Sherrie Cohen, and Justin DeBernardinis for City Council at Large; Tonya Bah, running in the 8th Councilmanic District; and Wade Albert and Gregory Weyer, for Common Pleas Judge. Candidates were asked questions about such real issues as ending the ten-year tax abatement for real estate developers (which siphons money the City needs for services), the police advisory board, a moratorium on charter school development (and focusing on strengthening the public schools), housing as a human right, supporting workers right to organize, and climate change and renewable energy.

Kelly Morton, organizer for Reclaim Philadelphia, and Chair of its Democratic Party Transformation Taskforce
Madusa Carter, Mass Liberation Organizer, who gave a rap performance and spoke of her life and how it affected her activism and art.
Amanda McIllmurray, Lead Organizer, who spoke of how low-income and working people are need to unite across boundaries of race and ethnicity.

Their website is https://www.reclaimphiladelphia.org/.

Philly For Change, February 6, 2019

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This Wednesday, February 6, I joined in the meeting of Philly For Change, held at Tattooed Mom, 5th and South streets in Philadelphia. Philly For Change is a progressive group, borne out of the Howard Dean campaign in 2004.

We listened to candidates for various municipal offices, who are running in the primaries on May 21. Addressing us were candidates for Common Please Judge: Wendi Barish, George Twardy, and NIcola Serianni. For City Council at Large, there was Beth Finn, and for Sheriff, there was Rochelle Bilal, President of the Guardian Civic League, the association of African-American law enforcement officers in Philadelphia. For City Commissioners 9responsible for the election system in the city), addressing us were Luigi Borda, Jen Devor, and Marwan Kreidie (full disclosure, I know Marwan from back at Temple). All of these candidates spoke to us how their lives affected their decision to run for office, not for their benefit but for the good of the community. These were everyday people having to deal with the social system, and they want to make it better for all.

Lisa Deeley, Chair of the City Commissioners, spoke to us about the Commissioners’ web site, https://www.philadelphiavotes.com/ .The deadline for registering to vote in Pennsylvania i February 11. Eric Thut, Executive Director of Netroots Nation (https://www.netrootsnation.org/), told us about the group’s upcoming convention on July 11-13, to take place in Philadelphia.

Philly For Change, January 2, 2019

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Tonight, I will attend the monthly meeting of Philly For Change, at Tattooed Mom, at 5th and South streets in Philadelphia (https://www.tattooedmomphilly.com/). Featured speakers tonight will be candidates for this years’s municipal elections:

Melissa Robbins, and Fernando Trevino, running for City Council;

Jen Devor, running for City Commissioners;

and judicial candidates Gregory Weyer, Kay Yu, and Henry Sias.

Please attend and ask questions.

Election Time 2018

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As a committeeman for my ward in South Philadelphia, and as an American, I urge you to get out there and VOTE in the general election. The last day for voter registration is October 9; the last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot if October 30; and the election itself is on November 6. Here are the candidates I endorse:

US Senate from Pennsylvania, Bob Casey; and

Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolfe.

Not only must we get out and vote, but we must do so in record numbers, to show the politicians of both parties that we the people are conscious of what is going on in our nation and in our communities, and we want to hold them accountable and not take us for granted.

Later on the Presidential elections will come up; and hopefully the Democratic party leadership will have learned not to cheat the progressive element of their voice or votes, that the progressives of the party are raising serious issues:

trade treaties that move manufacturing, and the jobs that go with them, out of local communities and cause unemployment for workers, with its accompanying sense of hopelessness;

gun violence that kills young lives;

banks receiving virtual welfare-such as grants from the Federal Reserve-while delivering perks to executives and buyout deals for incompetent CEOs;

tax benefits for corporations and the wealthy which, in spite of the myth, do NOT simulate the economy, but stay in the foreign bank accounts of billionaires;

and the racism crawling out of the woodwork, thanks to (sarcasm alert) the wonderful example set by our commander-in-chief.  This list just scratches the surface.

Not only must you vote, but inform yourself of what goes on in the community an the world, so the politicians see you are paying attention to what is going on.

 

 

 

America’s Shame, July 16, 2018

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Donald Trump, supposedly the President of the United States, went to Helsinki to meet Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia and the man helpful to donnie’s getting elected, with the Russian intelligence agents hacking the DNC and the Clinton campaign. In the press conference after the meeting-where there were no one else but interpreters, no foreign policy advisers-donnie commended Russia’s hosting the Word Cup, and took the word of Putin, the former KGB agent-you remember form the Cold war era, the KGB were the villains- over the findings of US government intelligence agencies-the same government donnie is supposed to be running-whether or not the Russian intelligence agencies sabotaged the election of 2016, jeopardizing what’s left of our “democracy,” thus installing a business failure-racist-misogynist-realty-show clown as president.

(Plus in the press conference, trump once again went off on a tangent about beating Hillary Clinton, like he’s campaigning again-but when does he ever stop campaigning?)

trump always had a soft spot in his “heart” for dictators and authoritarians, whether they be Kim John-Un, Erdogan, Recep Dutarte, Ix Jinping, or Putin. “Like takes to like,” as they say, and THESE are the role models trump is trying t follow.

Americans! Let’s stand up for our rights! Don’t wait until November, start NOW! Hit the streets, write to your editors, visit your elected officials!