Happy Birthday Susan B!!!

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Happy Birthday!

It’s been 100 years since women were given the right to vote, and as I’ve written previously we’ve come so far, and yet, not so much.

Susan B. Anthony was born today in 1820 in nearby Adams, Massachusetts. I say nearby because I live several hours from her birthplace and her final resting place in Rochester, New York. Last year, in fact, my family and I were able to visit her grave site, something that felt very meaningful to both my daughter and me in part of the run up to one hundred years of women’s suffrage and women receiving the vote.

Susan B. Anthony’s grave site along with other Anthony family members in Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York. (c)2019-2020

Hers was a family of activism and social reform, from abolition and women’s rights and suffrage to opening their homestead up to meetings of many, including Frederick Douglas. She and Douglas were close friends and anti-slavery collaborators (and are buried in the same cemetary), and she is known to have helped some with Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad. Tubman’s homestead is nearby in Auburn, New York.

In 1872, Susan was arrested at the house she shared with her sister in Rochester, for illegally voting. She was convicted and upon refusing to pay the fine, the authorities ceased any further action.

She became the first woman citizen to be featured on a US monetary coin when her image was portrayed on the dollar coin in 1979. I believe I still have one or two somewhere.

If she were alive today, I imagine she’d be astounded that we still haven’t gotten an Equal Rights Amendment in our Constitution. Perhaps, not astounded as much as disappointed. Hopefully, that can soon be rectified as well as ratified before another one hundred years passes. After all, we are more than half the citizenry; we should have at least the equal rights of men.

Inspire. February

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Abraham LIncoln as taken by photographer Matthew Brady in NYC, circa 1860. Public Domain. (c)2020

I share three quotations from President Abraham Lincoln on this, the day after his 211th birthday. The first is in his belief that people are inherently good; that if faced with a truth, they will acquit themselves honorably. I still think this is possible. The second is his reliance on faith, and that Right Matters. We may have heard that phrase recently. We are reminded to dare to do our duty, whether militarily, governmentally, or as a citizenry. The third has been referred to subtly in the last two weeks especially in reference to this current Presidency as the President is emboldened even more. If this isn’t wrong, what is? Retaliation against witnesses? Interference in criminal cases and the jury system? Profiteering from the job of president by him and his family. Bribery? Which is less wrong? Which will someone stand up and say, Enough. Here are Lincoln’s words:

  • I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.
  • Lets have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.
  • If slavery is not wrong, then nothing is wrong.

This is the most important election year of our lives. There is something that each of us can do in addition to voting in November. Find your something.

Election Connection: 38 Weeks: Voter Registration Deadlines (General Election)

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Voter Registration Deadlines (by date)

For more specific information, visit Vote Save America and check out your state for both the primary and general election. Thanks Crooked Media!
States with Early Voting have an *
First Time voters require ID in states that have +
ID required for states that have #

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It’s Midnight

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It’s midnight in Washington. Indeed, it is midnight across America. And with the coming dawn, comes the realization that we are not that once great nation that we’ve proclaimed to be. How can we be the same country that beat the Nazis? That abolished slavery? That turned away from McCarthy’s Red Scare? That knew right from wrong? Who have we become?

But with that realization, and before that dawn comes, the people of America need to understand that the President is not only not well (physically and mentally), but his autocratic tendencies, coupled with Republican enablers have the potential to take our republic to totalitarian rule. We’re almost there. I am not exaggerating. Anyone who’s even casually watched what’s been happening for the past three years should see it. For someone like me, who has followed the President’s inappropriate actions and criminal behavior since before he was elected, it beams like a neon light; a giant bat signal in the sky. At this point if you don’t see it it’s because you don’t want to.

In retrospect, I think the impeachment trial was something of an act in futility, but something that still needed to be done. Truly, how much more were we expected to ignore? Not just inappropriate, but illegal behavior. Ukraine was only part of the President’s misdeeds.

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Election Connection 39 Weeks: Iowa Caucuses and Beyond

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I was waiting for the results of the Iowa Caucuses before I published this week’s Election Connection, but it looks like we’re still waiting. I’ll add the results when they are public, but in the meantime, check out your favorite candidates speeches from last night or check out their websites and/or Twitters.

I also want to be clear about this post going forward. Candidates will continue to be listed in alphabetical order. Beginning with Super Tuesday, I will add delegate counts and I will put a line through any candidates who drop out along the way.

Next, once we have a candidate nominated, we will need to UNIFY OR DIE. Click the link for more information and/or to monetarily support the eventual candidate.

On a personal note, I support Senator Elizabeth Warren. She’s my candidate. Read her policy proposals, and check out her record. That said, I will vote blue no matter who.

Joe Biden, Twitter

Bernie Sanders, Twitter

Michael Bennet, Twitter

Michael Bloomberg, Twitter

Pete Buttigeig, Twitter

Tulsi Gabbard, Twitter

Amy Klobucher, Twitter

Deval Patrick, Twitter

Tom Steyer, Twitter

Elizabeth Warren, Twitter

Andrew Yang, Twitter

Election Connection: 40 Weeks: Democratic Primaries

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Beginning next Monday is the first of nineteen voting days to choose the Democratic candidate for President. Voting will take place in fifty-seven primaries and caucuses from the fifty states and seven territories. What follows is all of the primary/caucus dates. Find your state, make sure you’re registered, and vote for the candidate you feel passionate about. Be part of the process; make your voice heard. Then after the Democratic National Convention in July, unify behind the candidate (more on that in later weeks) and return the country to the rule of law and common decency.

Before you review the primary schedule, visit Vote Save America. They have tips on how you can help the candidates, stop gerrymandering, volunteer, donate to the eventual nominee, check your voter registration, and other resources to make your vote count. Check them out.

February 3

Iowa (caucus) 41 delegates

February 11

New Hampshire 24 delegates

February 22

Nevada (caucus) 36 delegates

February 29

South Carolina 54 delegates

March 3 (Super Tuesday) 1344 total delegates

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, American Samoa (caucus),

Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennesee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia

March 10 365 total delegates

Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota (firehouse caucus), Washington

Democrats Abroad voting period ends

March 14

Northern Mariana Islands (caucus) 6 delegates

March 17 577 total delegates

Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Ohio

March 24

Georgia 105 delegates

March 29

Puerto Rico 51 delegates

April 4 107 total delegates

Alaska, Hawaii, Louisianna, Wyoming

April 7

Wisconsin 84 delegates

April 28 663 total delegates

Connecticutt, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island

May 2 46 total delegates

Guam (caucus), Kansas

May 5

Indiana 82 delegates

May 12 57 total delegates

Nebraska, West Virginia

May 19 115 total delegates

Kentucky, Oregon

June 2 215 total delegates

District of Columbia, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota

June 6

United States Virgin Islands (caucus) 7 delegates

July 13-16

Democratic National Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin