Oh for the good ole days
Yesterday saw a piece of history made and not a piece of history to be anything but ashamed of. Governor Kemp fired the starting pistol on a race war for the 21st Century. What's more, he did it behind closed doors. Why did he do that? He did that because he knows what he signed was nothing short of a declaration of war on democracy.
The laws passed in Georgia yesterday, will be marked in the history books, as the beginning of a dark chapter for voter rights, in the state that the late great John Lewis shed blood for, in the hard fought battle for the rights of minority voters. As an advocate for racial justice and social betterment for all, regardless of the color of your skin, who you love, or who you pray to. I shake my head and breathe a sigh of despair, as I see a crime against humanity being perpetrated on minority voters.
Be worried, be very worried. Georgia marks the first of many new laws set to be passed where a Republican trifecta exists. This is not one of those, 'Don't worry, it will all work out in the end' moments, it's a 'WTF are we going to do?' moment. Time and time again, it comes back to the FILIBUSTER. If ever there was a time to fight for democracy in America, that time is NOW. This voter suppression campaign is coming from the very top. McConnell is directing operations with the leadership of the party. They know that without it, they are consigned to opposition for the foreseeable future.
For the Dems, all roads lead to the filibuster, but they simply do not have the votes and therefore this is a BIG PROBLEM. If federal voter laws can't be enacted to counter the onslaught of state voter suppression, then the only option is to put together the most comprehensive program of voter engagement in history. It's time to register voters, constantly monitor purges of voter rolls and ensure that every minority voter knows their voter rights off by heart. Stacey Abrams has been doing it for over a decade, but her model needs to be adopted across the country. I can't even begin to imagine the resources this is going to take, but I would respectfully suggest, it would be the best investment the Dems could make in the future of both the party and democracy itself. I designed databases for a decade for a living and I'm telling you that with the right team and the right resources it could be done. Dems need to make it so that no matter how the GOP try to exclude voters, there are countermeasures in place to deal with them.
The stark choice is, pass HR 1 and other federal voting rights bills, or put together the biggest voter suppression countermeasures campaign in US history, to keep the path to the ballot box clear from impediments. The GOP is now on a campaign of obstruction and objection to all and any legislative paths. They cannot afford for Biden to get any wins in the eyes of the American public, so they will stand in the way of any progress. Politics is a zero sum game and Republicans know that they are on the edge of political disaster. As with any animal in a corner, this makes them very very dangerous. We are at the rallying point for a ground war that will be politically bloody and relentless. Make no mistake, this is a fight for democracy, it's a fight for the soul of a nation, it is not a fight that the Dems can afford to lose.
I am so frustrated that I have the skills and the foresight to be able to really help make a real difference, but remain largely unheard and impotent. There is a chance to make a huge difference here, I just need someone with the resources to put some faith and resources in Politicsrus to help move the dial.
I'll end the day on a positive note. I listened with great interest to Joe Biden's press conference last night. There is no bigger sceptic than me of politicians and shallow leaders, God knows, we've had a stomach full of them over the years. Let me make this point. I believe that Joe Biden, given the support, will be one of the most consequential presidents in US history. Believe me, coming from me that is praise indeed.
There was much talk about why isn't he answering questions to the press? What is he hiding? Is he scared? Can he deal with hard questions? etc etc. Well yesterday you got your answer. Hell yes, to all. He was not my choice for the Democratic nomination, Pete Buttigieg was my man. However, after I had time to reflect and better get to know who Joe was, it was immediately evident he was the man for the moment. Much is said about his sometimes bumbling style and his ability to talk the hind leg off a donkey, but yesterday, he delivered a masterclass in statesmanship. He was self deprecating, not fearful of directly attacking Trump for his incompetence and above all, confident in his beliefs and his policy agenda. If you watched that as an American, it should have made you feel warm inside, because it tells you, whilst the guy at the top might appear to be the favourite grandpa, behind that facade is a political mind second to none, who knows exactly what he's doing and where he's going.
Every country needs a leader that can reach out beyond the political bubble in which they live, to resonate with people beyond the political divide. Biden knows that he can make a difference. He has learned the hard lessons of the Obama years about opposition obstruction and the need to talk directly to Republican voters to say 'I hear you and I'm here for you too'. Republicans are terrified right now, because they know he resonates and that is a BIG problem for them. His calm steady approach to progress is quietly bringing along the progressives, who know he believes in the $15 minimum wage and other progressive ideas. I tell you ladies and gentlemen, he is a man for our time and America is blessed to have him.