America the Beautiful: An American Political RP (IC)

[Jovuistan]

Election Night in America: Wisconsin Whiplash

Booker: "My name is Booker Washington, and I hope all of you are comfortable at home as we settle in for what could be a long night. Welcome to Election Night in America as we are currently in a decisive Senate clash that will determine the fate of the United States, and not to sound too overly dramatic, but the fate of the United States itself. President Richardson won the State of Wisconsin narrowly in the general election by less than half percentage point state, a reduced margin to President Arnold Wolf in 2016. The Democrats performed very strongly in the Senate election in 2018 winning by a double-digit margin, and winning the Governor election by a lesser amount. After the passing of Senator Ronson, it caused a special election in the otherwise sleepy season in American politics. I am joined by Democratic campaign strategist James Maville, and Republican advisor Madison Crowfoot. Good evening to you both, as we wait for the results to pour in I am wondering what the two of you think went right, and what went wrong for your respective parties."

Madison: "I will go first I guess. I think that Mayor Gundersen spent far too long going to embrace President Richardson, who is currently very popular with the American people. It was only the last few days that Gundersen campaigned with the President, in the debate the name Richardson was conspicuously absent from the lips of both candidates for the most part. I think that he corrected the strategy in the last few days, but I would not be certain of whether or not that was enough as campaigns are not a sprint but a marathon. He did very well in the final portion, but the portion at the beginning I think he definitely lacked messaging discipline. It was not entirely clear to me what he was running on."

James: "I think that Boyd in many ways had the opposite problem. It was very clear to me what his message was, but he needs to remember although Wisconsin as a progressive history, and very proud history at that, it is not the State that it once was. You know we won the State by a 17 point margin in 2008, and many voters in the State have voted for a Democrat in recent history. However, there were also a lot of voters that voted for Republicans twice in a row, and I think that Rep. Boyd ran very elbows up campaign antagonizing some former Republican voters that we hoped to win back. If I was advising Rep. Boyd I would have suggested that he run a campaign that did not implicitly insult Republican voters as complicit to fascism."

Booker: "I would have to interrupt both of you, but the results are rolling in fast, and we want to see what the results are shaping up to be."

Waukesha County
Est 87% Reporting
Gundersen(R) - 70.4%
Boyd(D) - 29.6%

Milwaukee County
Est 29% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 67.1%
Gundersen(R) - 32.9%

Ozaukee County
Est 63% Reporting
Gundersen(R) - 66.3%
Boyd(D) - 33.7%

Kenosha County
Est 51% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 52.9%
Gundersen(R) - 47.1%

Wisconsin Senate Election
Est 27% Reporting
Gundersen(R) - 59.4%
Boyd(D) - 40.6%

Booker: "These are truly astounding. Mayor Gundersen has performed not only President Richardson's margin in the Milwaukee area but has done better than almost every Republican in recent memory. If we zoom in at Waukesha County, Mayor Gundersen's home County the Republican has won more than 70% of the vote. There is of course a long night to go, but the Republicans have got to feel good after a start like that. And from the early returns out of the Milwaukee area, it looks like Mayor Gundersen has made gains there as well. In Kenosha County, one of the few bright spots for the Democrats, Rep. Boyd has retained considerable strength outperforming Vice President Diehl in the last Presidential election. Now I would like to ask both of you, Madison and James, what do you guys feel about the results thus far?"

Madison grinned, "It's pretty clear that Boyd's strategy of inciting racial conflict and assailing gun owners and hard-working police officers through his rhetoric is pushing voters out in the suburbs - for Gundersen, ironically. Suburban families want to know how their politicians are gonna fix the economy, they wanna know if their kids are gonna get a good education, they want to see America stand strong against communist China. They don't wanna hear all this virtue signaling and critical race theory coming from the left. These people aren't racist, they want a better future for their families and Dairy Dan's message is clearly resonating with them."

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Everson Boyd
@HeartlandDemocrat

Tonight, those who say the Democratic Party are the party of the elites have been proven wrong. We have made great progress in the American heartland, and will hopefully keep pushing on as the night goes!

[Democratic Peoples republic of Kelvinsi]

Wisconsin: Whiplash Part III

Booker: "In a night full of surprises we are going to unveil another wild card as the heavily Democratic precincts around the Madison area begin to report. Let us see what surprises they have in store."

Dane County
Est 89% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 70.9%
Gundersen(R) - 29.1%

Rock County
Est 99% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 58.0%
Gundersen(R) - 42.0%

Iowa County
Est 79% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 61.4%
Gundersen(R) - 38.6%

Wisconsin Senate Election
Est 70% Reporting
Boyd(D) - 51.9%
Gundersen(R) - 48.1%

Booker: "For the first time tonight Rep. Boyd has taken the lead as massive margins in Dane County and the surrounding counties that are very blue finish reporting their margins. Rep. Boyd is performing on par with President Baharia in Dane County, but underperforming Sec. Clifford. We want viewers to keep in mind that Dane County has grown considerably since 2012, meaning that Rep. Boyd can expect to net out around 15% more votes from the heavily blue and fast-growing county than Democrats did 9 years prior. For the first time in the night, the mood in the Gundersen camp has soured while the Boyd camp appears confident of their imminent victory. Now with only Green Bay left to report, there is only one potential surprise left in the evening."


Headlines:
Rep. Boyd takes the lead after heavily Democratic counties near Madison finish reporting
May. Gundersen must outperform in the Green Bay Area to win the election

[Democratic Peoples republic of Kelvinsi]

Wisconsin Whiplash Finale

Brown County
Est 99% Reporting
Gundersen(R)- 55.4%
Boyd(D)- 44.6%

Winnebago County
Est 99% Reporting
Gundersen(R) - 57.2%
Boyd(D)- 42.8%

Outagamie County
Est 99% Reporting
Gundersen(R)- 55.3%
Boyd(D)- 44.7%

Wisconsin Senate Special
Est 99% Reporting
Gundersen(R)- 50.15% -Apparent Winner
Boyd(D)- 49.85%

Mayor Gundersen narrowly defeats Rep. Boyd in Wisconsin with overperformance in Green Bay area tipping him over the top, Republicans gain control of Senate, cementing trifecta.

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Everson Boyd
@HeartlandDemocrat

We might be down now, but we're not done yet!

[Meretica]

[The Free Territory of Makhnovia]

Titus Gaddie
@Gaddie4GA

Congratulations on fight well fought, Congressman Boyd. It ain't easy to run against POTUS in a Senate battle. Trends aren't lying, WI is ours in 2022.#bluecollarparty #Boyd2022

RETWEETSFAVORITE
2556

(Image)

[Madrinpoor]

Sal Carmi
@NYCarmi
salcarmifornyc.org | New York City, NY

---

@HeartlandDemocrat had the race in his hands — and then he slipped up. Still quite a strong campaign in a state Richardson won last year — the Republicans barely held on! Voters are getting tired of a Republican-induced economic recession. I think we'll see Boyd again in 2022! #VoteBLUE2021 #BlueWave

[Latvijas Otra Republika]

Senator Ellis Mackay
@MackayMO
Ellismackay.com

---

An early congratulations to Gunderson - a true Patriot and Conservative! We are already seeing many cases of radicals indulging in future-victory fantasies, they can't stand America being put on the right track. #Maga

[Dentali]

President Richardson
Endless Frontier Bill Signing
Two Days after Wisconsin Result, White House

“Good morning… Before I begin I would like to offer my congratulations to Senator-Elect Dan Gunderson, who will do his state and his country proud in Washington...

"Today I have the great pleasure of signing the Endless Frontier Act into law thanks to leaders like Senators Freyer, O’Halloran, Rogers and Vichter… House members Earl Tenson, Caroline Simone, and Phillip Crawford… and the support of the American people. This bold and bipartisan act is not just about taking on the threat of China, this act is about investing in the American people and the fields that will define the global economy for decades to come.”

“Our nation will once again assert itself as the leader in scientific and technological innovation, which is absolutely critical not just to our national security but economic security and competitiveness. This bill will accomplish this through building up regions across the country to lead in the innovation economy, creating good-paying American manufacturing and high-tech jobs, and strengthening America’s research, development, and manufacturing capabilities.”

“This bill is how we strike back against the Chinese Communist Party which has spent decades stealing intellectual property and engaging in industrial espionage, while exporting millions of good paying jobs from the United States. It is well beyond time that we make this investment in our own survival as a nation… and I would like to thank those who supported this act for not allowing partisanship, or pork barrel politics to stand in the way of our national security”

“Endless Frontier and other bills like it will be the necessary down payment in jobs, wages, and a higher standard of living for the American people… But we are not done… I intend to work with Congress to continue to combat the Chinese Communist Party for as long as they are engaged in the aggressive military-civil fusion program designed to leverage intellectual-property theft for its military buildup.”

“Specifically I intend to pursue more concrete measures to combat forced labor of the Uyghur people, to apply more stringent national security reviews, double funding to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and to more directly address semiconductor production.”

“This bill… does a lot of good… It is a win not just materially for the American people… not just materially against the Chinese Communist party… but it is a win that proves that the American experiment still works, that we don’t need to be stifled and stunted by our differences, that we can still come together and move forward as a nation. That we can make this work.”

“You all have my thanks… and the thanks of the American people.”

“God Bless”

[New Provenance]

Frank Taylor
@RepFrankTaylor
taylor.house.gov | Washington, DC

---

Congratulations to Congressman Boyd on his well-fought battle for the Wisconsin Senate seat. His battle was hard-fought, his dedication certain. I look forward to potentially seeing him in 2022! #BlueWave #VoteBlue

[Yaruqo]

Washington, DC
Representative Oliver Miller [D-KS-3]
April 1st, 2021 - Two Days After the Special Election

Oliver had been wracking his brain ever since he saw that narrow Gunderson victory over his Congressional colleague. As he had milled about the House and his office trying to push through the ALLIES Act, his mind wandered. The census showed that the counties in his congressional district had grown, enough to prevent downsizing the Kansas congressional delegation by one district. But he was hearing from Democrats in the State Legislature that the Republicans on the redistricting commission were aiming to make his district more friendly to Republicans. Without a map, he had no way of knowing his chances at re-election in 2022, and that would take months, especially with a Democratic Governor and a Kansas Supreme Court that was willing to do battle with the State Legislature. Miller wanted to continue his political career, but for a Democrat in Kansas, those options were severely limited. When Miller had a quiet moment, he emailed the one person he thought who could give him clear, unbiased advice on the matter.

To: Hertzog, Benjamin
From: Miller, Oliver
Subject: Penny for Your Thoughts

Dear Senator Hertzog,

I hope you are well. I would like to preface this email by stating that this is not my idea of an April Fool's joke. If you have a moment, I would like a chance to sit down with you and run some ideas by you, mainly pertaining to my career. I'd rather not put anything else in writing at the moment, but would enjoy the chance to speak to you in person about this. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Oliver Miller
Representative for the 3rd Congressional District of Kansas

[Meretica]

Ad Played in Virginia, Especially the Suburbs
My name is Cassie Hepburn-Smith, and like most of you, I'm a worker trying to make a living. I'm running for governor, not to keep distrustworthy anti-parent elites in office, but to give the people of Virginia a new, fresh voice in our that holds American values to heart. Our creative economy, cultural industries, and agricultural facilities have taken a hit in recent years thanks to ineffective Democratic policies in schools, businesses, and healthcare. This is not the path we need to take. Join me in seeking a brighter, happier future for our great Commonwealth: let's put Virginia First.

[New Cobastheia]

Washington, DC
Representative Oliver Miller [D-KS-3]
April 1st, 2021 - Two Days After the Special Election

Oliver had been wracking his brain ever since he saw that narrow Gunderson victory over his Congressional colleague. As he had milled about the House and his office trying to push through the ALLIES Act, his mind wandered. The census showed that the counties in his congressional district had grown, enough to prevent downsizing the Kansas congressional delegation by one district. But he was hearing from Democrats in the State Legislature that the Republicans on the redistricting commission were aiming to make his district more friendly to Republicans. Without a map, he had no way of knowing his chances at re-election in 2022, and that would take months, especially with a Democratic Governor and a Kansas Supreme Court that was willing to do battle with the State Legislature. Miller wanted to continue his political career, but for a Democrat in Kansas, those options were severely limited. When Miller had a quiet moment, he emailed the one person he thought who could give him clear, unbiased advice on the matter.

To: Hertzog, Benjamin
From: Miller, Oliver
Subject: Penny for Your Thoughts

Dear Senator Hertzog,

I hope you are well. I would like to preface this email by stating that this is not my idea of an April Fool's joke. If you have a moment, I would like a chance to sit down with you and run some ideas by you, mainly pertaining to my career. I'd rather not put anything else in writing at the moment, but would enjoy the chance to speak to you in person about this. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Oliver Miller
Representative for the 3rd Congressional District of Kansas

Senator Benjamin Hertzog was still dealing with the loss himself. Throughout the campaign, he was expecting Boyd to be able to narrowly take it, but in the end due to a flub or two on Boyd's side and Richardson coming out to help get people excited for Gunderson. He could definitely see that the energy for taking back Wisconsin come 2022 was there though and that was definitely something to look forward to and something that the party would aim to accomplish.

TO: [Rep. Miller}
FROM: [Sen. Hertzog]
SUBJECT: Re: Penny for Your Thoughts

---

I'm doing well, hope you are too, and thanks for asking.

And I'm always willing to sit down and talk with any member of the caucus, whether they're a Senator or a Representative. If you're in DC right now I'm planning on getting some work done in my office in the Capitol Building for a few hours before a committee hearing later today. Feel free to come by and discuss whatever you need. If you're not in DC you can have your secretary reach out to mine, she's great at fitting people in.

Talk Soon,

Benjamin Hertzog
U.S. Senator from Michigan
Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus
Senate Majority Leader

[New Cobastheia]

Benjamin Hertzog
@SenBenHertzog
Michigan | democraticleader.senate.gov

---

We may not of won in Wisconsin this time around, but the numbers don't lie. We know that with a trifecta, the Republicans will purse policies that'll hurt average Americans and only help those at the top, things like trying to destroy the ACA and appointing Supreme Court Justices that won't respect the constitutional rights of millions of Americans, and we'll be ready to fight back every time #VoteBlue #VoteBlue2021 #VoteBlue2022

[Lavan Tiri]

From: Senator Max O'Halloran
To: Senator Benjamin Hertzog

Ben,

With the Senate evenly divided, we should sit down to work out an agreement for day-to-day business and functioning. Let me know when you're available to chat.

Regards,
- the guy about to take your job

Max was...not thrilled. Not upset, but certainly not thrilled. Mayor Gundersens victory in Wisconsin had taken the prospect of at least another year in the majority from a dream to reality, while Max had just begun settling into the role of Minority Leader. He would need to sit down with Hertzog at some point soon, and also Gundersen himself. And he still had to try and bend the President's ear on Afghanistan, to at least influence the speed of withdrawal.

He sighed, taking a long drink of Guinness. His fingers drummed on the hardwood of his desk, while early spring sunshine flooded the office he'd spent so many years in. For the millionth time, he thought of a million things he'd rather be doing. Sitting at home on the ranch, tending his cows and playing with his grandchildren. Getting closer to his children as adults, after spending their whole childhoods working. Visiting his father's grave, on the banks of the river, beneath the old tree. He felt the weight of his years once more, a terrible cloak about his shoulders.

The old man stood, drink in hand, and gazed out the window. Below him, Washington spread out in a vast sprawl of concrete and asphalt, every inch of it soaked in history. Max had his own place in the city's history; the Majority Leader who had almost killed Bahariacare, who had almost gotten a wall built on the border, who had almost lost his whole life here, in these dismal halls in this awful city.

He had his place in history, and knew that many saw it as the place of a villain. It bothered him, sometimes. He was doing what he had been elected to do. Following what he knew to be the right course.

Max sipped his drink again, watching storm clouds roll in over Washington.

[Yaruqo]

Senator Benjamin Hertzog was still dealing with the loss himself. Throughout the campaign, he was expecting Boyd to be able to narrowly take it, but in the end due to a flub or two on Boyd's side and Richardson coming out to help get people excited for Gunderson. He could definitely see that the energy for taking back Wisconsin come 2022 was there though and that was definitely something to look forward to and something that the party would aim to accomplish.

TO: [Rep. Miller]
FROM: [Sen. Hertzog]
SUBJECT: Re: Penny for Your Thoughts

---

I'm doing well, hope you are too, and thanks for asking.

And I'm always willing to sit down and talk with any member of the caucus, whether they're a Senator or a Representative. If you're in DC right now I'm planning on getting some work done in my office in the Capitol Building for a few hours before a committee hearing later today. Feel free to come by and discuss whatever you need. If you're not in DC you can have your secretary reach out to mine, she's great at fitting people in.

Talk Soon,

Benjamin Hertzog
U.S. Senator from Michigan
Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus
Senate Majority Leader

Luckily, Oliver was still in DC. After having his Secretary give Hertzog’s secretary a heads up that he was heading over, Oliver went down the stairs of the Cannon House Office Building to the tunnels that linked the Capitol and congressional office buildings together. He liked walking through these tunnels, stretching his legs like this. He took the underground shuttle to the Senate buildings, and made his way up and into Senator Hertzog’s office. After politely announcing himself to Hertzog’s secretary, he knocked on Hertzog’s door.

[Meretica]

Event in Richmond

Good evening, Morgantown! I’m sad to say that today, 38 people will die from an opioid overdose. That’s 38 families that will be in mourning for loved ones in the coming days, months, and even years. Lives are unnecessarily cut short. By the end of the year, more than 14,000 deaths will be registered by the CDC as a result of prescription opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement. Frankly, if you take a good look at the field of candidates, you’ll see that the only candidate that has brought up this issue is me. I’m not sure if some of the people running truly understand the impact that this crisis has had on working families across this country.
Luckily, we currently have treatment for opioid use disorder to help reduce both overdose deaths and the use of high-cost medical services, but only 12% of people with opioid use disorder are treated with these life-saving drugs. However, we currently have many barriers to the distribution and use of these medical treatments. Removing these unnecessary barriers, that don’t exist for most other chronic illness medications, would improve access. We need to create national standards for behavioral health services. Individuals seeking care should have access to information about the quality of a treatment facility and whether it offers evidence-based services. I can pledge to you right now that if given the chance to serve, I will do whatever I can to reduce the number of overdose deaths as much as possible. We have lives to save.

Event in Arlington

It is not news to anyone that drug prices are skyrocketing all across the country. Patients can no longer afford their medicine and subsequently, some get sicker while others die. Americans pay the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world. Just last year, we had drug cost increase by 12.6 percent, double that of the rise of overall medical costs. Folks, this isn’t a partisan issue. Most of us can agree on the fact that something must be done to lower the price of Prescription drugs. The prices of brand-name prescription drugs are typically much higher in the United States than in other developed countries and there are strict limits on when and how consumers can buy drugs from other countries. I am committed to working on setting up a system that would ensure the safe and legal importation of less expensive prescription drugs could help put pressure on drug prices and allow consumers to save on medications. I will also strive to create transparency in drug pricing since there is no way now to verify the claim by drug companies that high prices are linked to the costs associated with research and development. The public has very little information about how drug companies set the initial price of a drug or decide on subsequent price increases. Improved understanding of how drug companies price their products could help us determine whether high costs are justified.

Event in Norfolk

One-party control is failing Virginians: our recovery from the trade war ranks in the bottom 10 among states, our students are behind in school, violent crime has risen to 20-year highs, and much of government, like the Virginia Employment Commission and Department of Motor Vehicles, is broken. People are voting with their feet and leaving the Commonwealth.
It’s time for bold leadership. I will make sure Virginia has better-paying jobs, the best schools, the safest communities, and a government that works for you. My game plan will create 400,000 jobs and make sure every student graduates career or college-ready.
I will cut exploding costs for families and relieve the burdens of inflation and taxes. I will cut regulations to create jobs and make it easier for innovators and entrepreneurs to get small businesses moving again. I will restore our high standards for schools and our students, ban critical race theory, invest in our teachers and schools, and empower parents with real choices.
I will defend - not defund - our law enforcement heroes, end human trafficking, and rescue our failing mental health system. And I will make state government honest, efficient, and modern.
While moving forward on these priorities, I will protect our constitutional rights.
The result will be a Commonwealth where businesses can prosper, students can thrive, communities are safe, and people – not politicians – are in charge.
It’s going to take a new kind of leader, not a failed politician looking for a second chance, to make it happen. When I am Governor, we will get it done together.

Ad in Virginia

A mother named Diana Stone sits in her living room with her three children; one is a teenager, one is around ten, and the other is almost school-age. Somber music plays in the background.
"As a parent," she says, "it is tough to catch everything, so when my eldest son showed me his reading assignment, my heart sunk. It was some of the most explicit material that you could imagine. I met with lawmakers, and they couldn't believe what I was showing them. Their faces turned bright red with embarrassment. They passed bills requiring schools to inform parents what explicit content was assigned. It was bipartisan. It gave parents a say. The option to choose an alternative for my children-- I was so grateful. But then our Democratic governor vetoed it-- twice. Democratic leaders don't think that parents should have a say. They shut us out of the process.
The music shifts to a more hopeful, positive tone.
Cassie Hepburn-Smith? She listens. She understands that parents matter. Join me in voting for CHS.
A photo of Hepburn-Smith appears on screen, followed by her voice.
I'm Cassandra Hepburn-Smith, and I sponsored this ad.

[New Cobastheia]

Senator Benjamin Hertzog was still dealing with the loss himself. Throughout the campaign, he was expecting Boyd to be able to narrowly take it, but in the end due to a flub or two on Boyd's side and Richardson coming out to help get people excited for Gunderson. He could definitely see that the energy for taking back Wisconsin come 2022 was there though and that was definitely something to look forward to and something that the party would aim to accomplish.

TO: [Rep. Miller]
FROM: [Sen. Hertzog]
SUBJECT: Re: Penny for Your Thoughts

---

I'm doing well, hope you are too, and thanks for asking.

And I'm always willing to sit down and talk with any member of the caucus, whether they're a Senator or a Representative. If you're in DC right now I'm planning on getting some work done in my office in the Capitol Building for a few hours before a committee hearing later today. Feel free to come by and discuss whatever you need. If you're not in DC you can have your secretary reach out to mine, she's great at fitting people in.

Talk Soon,

Benjamin Hertzog
U.S. Senator from Michigan
Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus
Senate Majority Leader

Luckily, Oliver was still in DC. After having his Secretary give Hertzog’s secretary a heads up that he was heading over, Oliver went down the stairs of the Cannon House Office Building to the tunnels that linked the Capitol and congressional office buildings together. He liked walking through these tunnels, stretching his legs like this. He took the underground shuttle to the Senate buildings, and made his way up and into Senator Hertzog’s office. After politely announcing himself to Hertzog’s secretary, he knocked on Hertzog’s door.

"It's open!" hollered out Hertzog from behind his desk as he wiped the last bit of some salad off from his lips. As Miller would walk in, Hertzog would get up and walk over to give the Representative a firm handshake, "Thanks for making it all this way, can I get you anything to drink?"

[Yaruqo]

Luckily, Oliver was still in DC. After having his Secretary give Hertzog’s secretary a heads up that he was heading over, Oliver went down the stairs of the Cannon House Office Building to the tunnels that linked the Capitol and congressional office buildings together. He liked walking through these tunnels, stretching his legs like this. He took the underground shuttle to the Senate buildings, and made his way up and into Senator Hertzog’s office. After politely announcing himself to Hertzog’s secretary, he knocked on Hertzog’s door.

"It's open!" hollered out Hertzog from behind his desk as he wiped the last bit of some salad off from his lips. As Miller would walk in, Hertzog would get up and walk over to give the Representative a firm handshake, "Thanks for making it all this way, can I get you anything to drink?"

Oliver accepted Hertzog’s handshake. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and just water, thank you.” After Hertzog had brought him some water and been situated, Oliver started speaking. “I don’t want to take too much of your time, so I’ll get right to the matter. We’re in a precarious situation after Wisconsin, but thankfully, the filibuster is an option if the Republicans hope to push through legislation that’s too harmful or radical. But 2022 is going to be a year ripe with uncertainty in of itself.”

Oliver leaned in a bit, rubbing his eyes a bit. “I’ve lost some sleep over that damn year. There’s only a handful of Democrats in the redistricting commissions in the Kansas State Legislature, and they’re not able to feed me as much information as I’d like. All they know is that I could be gerrymandered out of a job. Not through the elimination of my district, but by tacking on Republican stronghold counties to dilute any competitive edge I might have otherwise. So, I want to ask you: if I was to launch a challenge against the Republicans for the Senate next year, do you think I would have a better chance there? We don’t have new congressional maps yet, but if I wait too long one way or the other, it would be too late.”

[New Cobastheia]

"It's open!" hollered out Hertzog from behind his desk as he wiped the last bit of some salad off from his lips. As Miller would walk in, Hertzog would get up and walk over to give the Representative a firm handshake, "Thanks for making it all this way, can I get you anything to drink?"

Oliver accepted Hertzog’s handshake. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and just water, thank you.” After Hertzog had brought him some water and been situated, Oliver started speaking. “I don’t want to take too much of your time, so I’ll get right to the matter. We’re in a precarious situation after Wisconsin, but thankfully, the filibuster is an option if the Republicans hope to push through legislation that’s too harmful or radical. But 2022 is going to be a year ripe with uncertainty in of itself.”

Oliver leaned in a bit, rubbing his eyes a bit. “I’ve lost some sleep over that damn year. There’s only a handful of Democrats in the redistricting commissions in the Kansas State Legislature, and they’re not able to feed me as much information as I’d like. All they know is that I could be gerrymandered out of a job. Not through the elimination of my district, but by tacking on Republican stronghold counties to dilute any competitive edge I might have otherwise. So, I want to ask you: if I was to launch a challenge against the Republicans for the Senate next year, do you think I would have a better chance there? We don’t have new congressional maps yet, but if I wait too long one way or the other, it would be too late.”

Hertzog, in turn with Oliver, leaned in a bit, "Well, depending on how the rest of Richardson term goes until the midterms, I think winning Kansas could be possible. But even then it's not like it'd be the same race it was back in 2018 for the Governor's Mansion. How worried are you about the Republican's gerrymandering your district? Do you think you could win a statewide race in Kansas?"

"I have to say I've been wanted to ask you these questions for a long time, we've all been focused on Wisconsin but with that out of the way we can start focusing on the real battle. Everyone in leadership has definitely been happy with what you're showing us in the House so on an individual level, we definitely don't want to see you losing your election next year."

[Yaruqo]

“From what I’m being told, I have very real reason to worry. Now, maybe it’s just all an overreaction, and maybe the more moderate Republicans on those commissions and the Legislature may force their more rabid colleagues to stand down to avoid a pitched battle with Governor NotKelly or the state Supreme Court. But right now, those are big ifs. I won’t know more until the proposed map is released in a few months.

“As for winning statewide in Kansas…I won’t lie, Senator, I don’t know. Out of the nearly 2 million registered voters back home, 45% are Republican, and then Democrats and unaffiliated voters count for 26% and 28%, respectively, not to mention 20,000 Libertarians. By numbers alone, it should be impossible. And Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since before we entered World War II. The only reason that it could be possible is by turning out more voters than the GOP.

“You may be familiar with State Representative NotBollier’s campaign in 2020? Absolute fundraising machine, and polls showed her in a statistical tie with NotMarshall. By all accounts, that race should have been competitive. But she lost by more than 10%, not because she did anything wrong, but because it was a presidential election year, and turnout was going to determine those races. Wolf’s base felt that they could preserve at least some of his legacy with Richardson, and enough moderate Republicans, and definitely some independent voters, felt that NotMarshall was moderate enough that they didn’t need to resort to voting en masse for NotBollier, who was a former Republican herself!

“If a Democrat has any chance of winning statewide in Kansas, it’s going to be in a midterm election. And from there, that Democrat has to turn out vital constituencies: suburban voters, particularly women; urban Kansans; young people; Latinos in rural counties; and the few Black voters that we have there. And because this is Kansas, that election is going to be about the ‘vibes’, as they say. Moderates, especially moderate independents and Republicans, are susceptible. We endured the NotBrownback governorship, and NotBrownback and Wolf both left a foul taste in many of their mouths. But they’ll only be susceptible if they believe that that Democrat is moderate and/or independent enough to buck party leadership as needed. They don’t want a yesman. But,” and here Oliver sighed, “everything I just said has only really applied to state officeholders. We haven’t had as much success when it comes to federal office. Maybe the trends will show that it’s possible, and maybe if the Kansas Democratic Party isn’t treated as a lost cause and gets more organizational and monetary support, maybe we’d stand a chance. But right now, as I said earlier, I don’t know if I could win, and that’s the God honest truth.”

[Madrinpoor]

Sal Carmi's campaign events, week of April 3rd

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Sal spent this week trying to get the blue-collar vote — talking with police and small business owners, and trying to present himself as a "man of the people."

Press Conference With NYPD
120th Precinct, Staten Island
April 3, 2021, 10:45 AM


SAL CARMI STOOD alongside a huge crowd of police officers. He was in Staten Island, a Republican stronghold in New York. It was almost certainly going to vote Republican in the general election, but it was still a source of votes in the Democratic primary, by far what was going to be the toughest election. Sal wanted to portray himself both as someone who was in favor of police reform, and someone who was going to continue the trends of bringing crime down. It didn't go super well with the police union, after he made some pretty big gaffes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, officers of the NYPD — thank you so much for being here, and thank you so, so much for keeping the city safe. First responders are some of the most important people in the country — they put their lives on the line every day just to serve our communities. Without them, there wouldn't be much of a New York City. That's not to say there aren't problems with how some police do things some times — there are bad cops. Not nearly the majority of cops are bad cops, but they do exist. And there might even be some behind me. No offense. Because everyone can be a bad person. Me, you, a policeman, the guy bagging groceries, and it's important that people with lots of power — like cops and politicians — are held accountable for abuses in power. As mayor, I want to get rid of stop-and-frisk, for good — it's a racist policy that's completely up to the eye of the police officer — and I want to create more ways that police can be held accountable for crimes they commit and abuses of power they perpetrate. I promise to eliminate the police quota system, which ends up with more people of color being arrested for tiny offenses, like broken taillights, than is ever necessary. I pledge to oversee Ryker's being closed — and turned into a green energy plant. But I also pledge to support the police force. I will not defund it. I will not abolish it. I will, in fact, divert more money to the police to use on diversity training, racial bias training, better prison facilities, and equipment that will keep us safe. The question isn't will I keep you safe — it's whether or not you'll let me do so."

Jamaica Campaign Rally
Jamaica, Queens
April 5, 2021, 3:00 AM


IN JAMAICA, Sal pushed his record on crime and his promises to reform the police force. He also talked about bringing back jobs and helping small businesses to get on their feet after the recession. Then, he and his workers and many of the people watching the campaign walked over to Queens Medical Center, a public hospital, and talked about how Big Apple a Day would create even more public hospitals for the benefit of the community, and use New York's existing network of public and private hospitals to build an unrivaled public and free healthcare system for all New Yorkers, even undocumented immigrants, homeless people, and those with criminal records.

"For a healthcare system to work, everyone needs to be a part. Everyone needs to be included. Everyone includes folks that don't have a home, don't have a green card, or do have a criminal record. And everyone includes those who wouldn't be able to afford health insurance and don't get it from work — if businesses of a certain size don't provide their employees with healthcare, their extra taxes will pay for the Big Apple a Day program to fund it for their employees. And since I experienced this personally as a kid, drug and alcohol treatment will be a part of Big Apple a Day. I plan not to treat drug addiction as a crime — but as an illness for people that need help."

Campaign Rally at NYU
Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
April 6, 2021, 12:00 PM


COLLEGE STUDENTS, generally a very liberal constituency, were crucial to Sal winning the nomination. They represented the future of politics, and were generally very opinionated. They also turned out in far smaller numbers than any other group. Sal's rally here was to win them over with progressive policies, and motivate them to turn out.

"Never has there been so much pressure on young people like you, as there is now. The job market is crashing. Your tuition is rising. Housing prices are going up, and you're not sure if you'll be able to afford healthcare. Far-reaching changes need to be enacted soon, or your future will crumble apart. And you need a politician who is honest, transparent, and has ways to fix things other politicians can't. Look at my rivals. They aren't going to do anything. They're going to wear pins and hold signs and call for changes. I will BRING the changes! I AM the changes! I was the FIRST openly gay District Attorney in the United States! And I have a police that WILL bring you healthcare, called Big Apple a Day. I WILL turn the city green, because if I don't, you will suffer the consequences. I WILL close Ryker's. I WILL reform policing, to stop Black kids being killed on the street. I WILL bring back the jobs you need. I WILL stop developers from gentrifying New York's history, and landlords from pricing you out of your own apartments. I WILL be a mayor for you. I WILL represent you. I WILL be the mayor for all of you!"

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Sal Carmi For Mayor Campaign Ad
Aired all over New York


"Hi. I'm Sal Carmi. And I'm running to be mayor of the greatest city in the world."


"The time has come for a mayor that can connect with the people."


"A mayor who knows what to fight for."


"A mayor that will serve you."


"A mayor for the many. That's Sal Carmi."

[PAID FOR BY SAL CARMI FOR MAYOR COMMITTEE]

[Meretica]

The following editorial was written by Congressman John A. Mattox III and published in the New York Times.

As damning information about Facebook leaves the company increasingly besieged by accusations that it does far too little to prevent misinformation, radicalization, human trafficking, girls' low self-esteem, hate speech, and even physical violence, I'm asking myself the same question a lot of people are: Why am I still on this platform?

I joined Facebook in 2006 when it was open only to students at a handful of colleges. Its purpose was as straightforward as it was self-absorbed: to share photos of yourself and see photos of your friends.

Facebook rapidly became much more than that. People "friended" family members, old classmates, long-lost loves. I'm still "friends" with people I met years ago while traveling; I scroll through my list of Facebook friends and don't recognize half of them, sometimes because our lives intersected only briefly, or because they are people with new married names, their old identities abandoned.

I don't use Facebook much anymore (although, like many of my peers, I use Twitter almost daily). Facebook is hemorrhaging younger users, according to an internal memo cited in a report in the Verge, one in a consortium of news organizations (including CNN) currently sifting through a trove of Facebook's documents provided to Congress in redacted form by legal counsel for former Facebook employee Frances Haugen.

Young people are flocking to TikTok, and this loss of youthful users seems to be making company leaders nervous despite Facebook's billions of dollars in profit every month. No social media platform is without problems, but Facebook, the largest in the world, merits extra scrutiny. Some 2.8 billion people use it at least every month, according to the company.

A question we should be asking ourselves is why we feel the need to be connected with hundreds or even thousands of people we don't know well or at all. There might be good reasons here: There's a Facebook group for just about everything, which can create a sense of community and connection for people who live through rare life events or have esoteric interests. Kidney donors and young widows and parents of children who identify as "furries" and so on can share information and gain support.

People who share a particular affinity, identity or political view can connect in solidarity or for advocacy. Owners of vegan cats have a group home on Facebook, as do adherents of atheist dialectical materialist revolutionary Trotskyist communism.

But those seemingly limitless opportunities for connection and information come with troubling, sometimes disastrous side effects. If Facebook is where you get your news and information, for example, you are being led down an algorithmic path that rewards extremism and partisanship, not accuracy.

If Facebook is primarily how you socialize, connect and interact with other people, that can have real mental health effects, including loneliness, anxiety, and depression; interacting from behind a screen can worsen social skills and decrease empathy, which weakens friendships instead of strengthening them, and too much time online can detract from relationship-building in the real world. If Facebook is where you have political and other discussions, it may hurt more than it helps, given how the platform promotes moral outrage, as whistleblower Haugen has said, citing Facebook's own research, and how people may be more inclined toward simplistic and dehumanizing interactions when those interactions are mediated through a screen.

If Facebook is how you peer into the lives of people you only tangentially know, you're getting a distorted, manipulated-to-look-better view of them -- and that could make you feel pretty low. It's not inherently bad to use social media. But each of us should understand the costs and the benefits and make decisions about how we spend our time with as much intention as possible-- admittedly a difficult thing to do when the brightest minds of my generation have been hard at work trying to keep all of us on their platforms for as much time as possible.

The ills wrought by Facebook, and those we haven't yet uncovered about so many other social media platforms, aren't fixable by individual choices alone. These companies, Facebook, in particular, have enormous power over what we see, what's hidden from view, and how we communicate. All of that shapes how each of us views the world and what we believe -- and even how we behave.

With stakes that high, the lack of transparency and oversight is unconscionable and dangerous. These companies need to face reasonable regulations to keep them from driving and magnifying some of our worst human impulses. If one thing is clear, though, it's that there is no silver bullet fix to the disasters social media companies have wrought -- there's no perfect set of individual decisions, and there's not a potential regulatory policy that is without its own pitfalls.

Perhaps the scariest fact in all of this is that we still don't know the scope of the harm caused by moving so much of our lives online, particularly to young people who have never known a world in which it was otherwise. It is easy to convince ourselves that these extremely powerful companies are not actually shaping our opinions and experiences. It is easier still to be entertained into inertness. At the very least, the public deserves a clear understanding of how these products work -- including how they work us.

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Evan Bookard
@BookardRichmond

I will be holding a press conference tonight regarding the Virginia gubernatorial race and my thoughts on it.