Restore union rights in Ohio. Restore same-day voter registration in Maine. Protect reproductive rights in Mississippi. Buy a beer in Atlanta on Sunday, or liquor in a Washington State grocery store. Recall a Republican State Senator for going after teachers' unions in Michigan. Elect someone besides the "Papers, please" guy in Arizona. Re-elect a gay mayor in Houston, or a new one in Holyoke, Massachusetts, or an openly gay city council member in Cincinnati. Pass a nondiscrimination ordinance, Traverse City, Michigan. Declare that corporations are not people, Missoula, Montana.
Would you like some ranked voting to go with that? OK, San Francisco. Also, Portland, Maine.
Democrats held onto the state senate in Iowa, which means marriage equality gets to stay around some more. Democrats expanded their majority in the New Jersey legislature, despite Governor Chris Christie's best efforts. Democrats' prospects in the Virginia State Senate are not so clear. And it will be harder to vote in another state, Mississippi, despite the scrappiest efforts of a very grassroots campaign, which last night celebrated the defeat of the Personhood amendment.
When you vote in numbers, you don't win everything. But last night we saw that even when your side seems to be outnumbered, even when your side seems to have very little is going its way, if you organize and work and vote, you might win an awful lot.
Photo from Timeka Davis in Mississippi
They saved the pill.
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If nothing else, the American people said "Enough Is Enough", but I doubt the corporate crooks and their political toadies will get the message.
I hope this wave continues to the presidential election!
Can I celebrate being a liberal now???? WOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Yes Heather! Celebrate all you want! Wooo-hooo indeed!
I will celebrate by going home from work, working some more and continuing to provide for myself.
just like all the other working liberals! good for you!.
I live in a county that went 80% for Palin/McCain. The "NO to SPLOST" signs were everywhere this past month. My special-needs son already had his school days cut by 20 this year because of lack of funding for education. BUT, somehow, some way, the SPLOST was extended! People VOTED! My way! My son's way. That just never seems to happen here. I'm giddy!!!
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Available in Georgia. I had to use the Google to find that out. ;-)
A lot of shoe leather got worn off. Excellent job all around. I'm still concerned about Mississippi and the voting. Haven't seen anything clear. What did they lose in Mississippi? I thought the law didn't get put through in the legislature during the last session. *confused*
I am SOO proud to see my gay brothers and sisters for their wins. You forgot Daniel Hernandez. Gabby Gifford's former aid and openly gay man was elected to a local school board in Tucson, AZ. The religious right started their takeover of our government at local school boards. I like this trend.. yes I like it a lot.
@Amazon261 We defeated Personhood in MS but unfortunately passed a voter ID law. I have to admit I put all my efforts into No on 26 and that victory is great, but unfortunately yes it just got harder to vote in MS.
Even though the voter ID thing passed I am still very proud of the people of Mississippi. I am flabbergasted, but I am proud.
BTW -- here is a tactic being ginned up in FL to combat the ID law: Vote Absentee. The new FL voter disenfranchisement laws left a nice loophole there. This may be true in other jurisdictions as well.
Thanks guys! I'm also very impressed with Mississippi for really making some tough decisions on the personhood law. I think it's a no brainer but I know people who really had to struggle.
I like the loophole! Hope they don't try to close it also by not sending them out.
Just a thought, has anyone thought about 'Photo ID on voter registrations'? It's a 2 birds with one stone thing. You cannot vote without a registration so why not have your photo on it. Everyone has to have a voter ID to vote, so the voter registration drives will go on as before, but with a new purpose, beating the repubs at their own game. think about it, PLEASE.
Does this mean we can declare Fox "News" way the hell off base with the American people?
What a great night! WAY TO GO AMERICAN PEOPLE! It is wondeful to see you fight back and stand up for yourselves. In a world where inertia seems to be the norm, you guys stood up and said NO WAY.
This is sooo refreshing. I must admit I was skeptical, but am I was glad to see that I was wrong.
Now, if Cain would go away, life would be perfect :)
BTW, another famous quote by Bachmann: 'If anyone would not work, neither should he eat.' With Christians like her, who needs Satan?
Yeah, because that quote in its original context was not directed to people who were unemployed because of forces beyond their control, who could not work because of illness or disability, etc. It was directed toward folks who had decided they did not need to work because the Second Coming was imminent, so instead they sat around waiting for the Big Day and being busybodies, minding everybody else's business.
Anyone who uses that quote from Paul to justify a lack of compassion toward the poor, disabled, unemployed, etc., needs to read the WHOLE Bible, especially Matthew 25:31-46 and the book of Amos. The Bible isn't a book filled with hate toward women and gays--the few verses that seem to be misogynistic or homophobic have been, IMHO, MISinterpreted. Instead there is an OVERWHELMING focus throughout Scripture (including in Leviticus, interestingly enough) on the responsibility of God's people to care for the poor and those in need and to build just societies in which everyone has the basic necessities of life and no one is exploited.
If you're spending all your time worrying and trying to pass new laws about what other people are doing in their bedrooms, well, YOU are the ones Paul was speaking to in the "if you don't work you don't eat" text (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
I love it when Rachel says something positive about Houston/Texas. Go Anise Parker!
"organize, work, vote" ---absolutely what's needed, and also a recognition that the country is not as far right as Fox News (and others) would have us believe...
I'm feeling GREAT this morning. We didn't win them all, but Ohio and Mississippi make me want to boogie! And then there's Maine, Iowa, New Jersey, and so many more battles that progressive-minded folks won yesterday. What a day!
Nah. Keep Cain. He's the best argument for voting for the Democratic candidate going. Let the faux party (the GOP) keep its faux candidate.
Looks like the Right got their Koch cleaned last night.
Celebrating in AZ.
Even last night the Gov of Ohio(I forget his name) wasn't appologizing to the citizens..He was dumbfounded but he knew that he would have figure out a different way to do it. He will never listen to you when he gets a lot of money to do otherwise.
The Governor of Ohio: FOX News contributor John Kasich. Years ago he was Bill O'Reilly's main fill-in guy.
YAY!!!!!!! It amazes me how the Republicans don't realize that this is the will of the majority of the people. Instead, they ignore us and just focus on raising more money so they can stay in office. For far too long, representing the PEOPLE well is not what keeps these people in office. Instead, raising the most money is what keeps them in office. The exploitation of our being too busy, tired or trusting to research, and hold them accountable is OVER!!!!! They literally disregard what their constituents say because for far too long, all they had to do is spend more to win. NO MORE.
I was all caught up in the fact that our scandal ridden Republican County Executive got elected for a third term, but it is nice to come here and see how well my liberal friends did elsewhere. Hooray for voting! I get to be a little less bitter today because of everyone's hard work .
We can celebrate but we can't get comfortable. The Kochs and their ilk don't accept the will of the people. They're only going to fight back harder and dirtier.
So true - endless bag of dirty tricks. If a Republican can't win honestly or fairly - they will cheat...
I remember when Karl Rove ran an ad essentially claiming that Barack Obama called Sara Palin a pig with lipstick. Anybody remember that commercial? I kicked in an extra $10 to Obama's campaign because of that, but I'll bet the Republicans correctly figured that that ad would win them more votes than it cost.
It is so nice to see that mainstream America is not as interested in a right-wing social agenda. They want solutions to real problems, not constant hammering of people on social liberalism. Enough is enough and I am so proud of the voters in the country who "stuck to their guns," "gutted it out," and overall won the day! Way to go, America!
It's hard to look at liquor privatization in Washington State as a progressive win. Unionized employees are going to lose their jobs because non-union Costco poured $21 million dollars into the race, making it the most expensive initiative campaign in state history. The initiative was written specifically to benefit large groceries to the detriment of smaller shops--to benefit the 1% over the 99%. It's bad public policy.
Important info! This gets lost in the hoopla. Rachel, can you fill in the fact gaps here?
This was the second attempt to get the state out of the liquor business, and I am glad it succeeded. This is NOT a union issue. Could the initiative have been written better? Of course it could! Initiatives happen when people get tired of their Legislature not stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing.
It absolutely is a union issue. Members of the Washington Federation of State Employees, an AFSCME affiliate, will be out of work because this initiative passed. Costco, Safeway, and Albertsons, big box stores, will see their profits go up because this initiative passed. Small contract stores, often owned by people in the community they're located in, will close because this initiative passed.
The people gave Costco what Costco wanted. That's democracy. What I object to is seeing this labeled as a Progressive win, because it's not even close.
Yes, things seem to be going the progressive way, but never let your guard down. As much as I detest their goals, the far right is determined to get its way and will not back down in defeat - they just regroup and put on a new face and come at you again. They are organized, financed and determined, so we must be, too.
VERY happy about a lot of those wins - especially in Ohio and Mississippi! - but speaking as a liberal Washingtonian, I wouldn't loop in our liquor initiative as one of them. The initiative was bankrolled by Costco, undercuts state funding, and doesn't provide any additional money / infrastructure to the state for oversight (despite increasing the number of outlets selling liquor by 50x or more). Almost all liberal organizations in the state were against the initiative.
Now that it is beginning to demonstrate some real successes, watch the right begin to pressure governments around the country to begin to start a Bull Connor style crackdown on the Occupiers. The power elites cannot stand their influence being diminished one little bit.
Good news for Progressives across the entire country. Now that it is starting to have some success, watch the right pressure local authorities to begin a Bull Conner-style crackdown on the Occupy movement. The power elite cannot tolerate and challenge to their perceived exalted status.
This illustrates the importance of NOT BEING APATHETIC!
We on the Left must ALL go to the polls and vote...EVERY TIME!
I hope we learned our lesson in 2010 and will not let that happen again in 2012.
Sometimes what doesn't get done by Democrats is frustrating, but always remember: Even the worst day/month/year with Democrats in charge is far, far better than the best day with right wingnuts in charge.
The victory in Ohio should give Gov. Walker some pause to think about the recall election. A lot of money is pouring in to the Wisconsin election, but the Ohio vote reflects the fact that money cannot buy every election. On a local level Dems are making headway against the radical right wing agenda. But we are still a long way out from the national elections. Every Republican will be watching this election, particularly those in swing districts. If Walker loses or narrowly wins despite all the money, Republicans will be scrambling to save their own seats. Boehner could see a shift in the House that will isolate the Tea Party and other obstructionists.
November 23 is the day the supercommittee is due to issue its deficit reduction plan. So far Republicans have refused to consider tax increases, but they are watching OWS which is organizing a rally in DC for the November date. The Republicans know that if there is no agreement because of the tax issue, they are going to get beat up on the fairness issue. Republicans will blame the Dems for the failure to reach an agreement, but that will be drowned out with the tax issue. This is going to be the heart of the 2012 elections along with jobs.
Don't forget Indianapolis electing our first openly gay city councilman, Zach Adamson! http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/openly_gay_man_wins_indy_city-county_council_race.php