Sara Gideon, #Swarming, Weekly Reading Roundup, Take Action

Sara Gideon for Maine

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a meet-and-greet with Maine candidate for the US Senate, Sara Gideon. I have a special place in my heart for the great state of Maine, and I also have an enormous amount of disdain for its senior senator, Susan Collins. Mainers deserve infinitely more than her spineless and yet-too-often smug fealty to trump, a fact they know and are acting on. For example, they voted out their own trump, governor Paul LePage, in 2018 and turned their state legislature quite blue. Maine has a variety of economic, climate, and opioid-related struggles, and Collins hasn’t supported her citizens nearly as much as she could have (or sentient Americans who pleaded with her to vote against Kavanaugh and are dismayed that she voted against 10 Dem impeachment trial amendments simply seeking access to witnesses and evidence). Sara Gideon will, and I hope that come November, we see her donning the mantle of Maine’s newest senator.

Sara Gideon

#SwarmTheSenate #RemoveTrump

Earlier today, my dearest Thursday walking friend and I got our steps off our regular trail and at the Senate instead. We #Swarmed! And it was deeply moving in so many ways. (If you would like to join the #SwarmTheSenate protests, please do. You may sign up by clicking this link: Swarm The Senate sign up.)

Today, I was asked to participate more directly than last week by wearing the "T" t-shirt as part of REMOVE TRUMP (see attached photo; dearest Thursday friend is U!). We protested silently in the Hart Building atrium before walking loudly to the Capitol (banging pots and pans and yelling Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Donald Trump Has GOT TO GO" and then returning to the Russell building to deliver constituent letters to the offices of Senators Graham, McSally, Burr, and others.

Senator McSally's (AZ) staff closed the door in our faces for attempting to photograph from in the hallway. This was against our rights, and we politely said so.

Senator Burr's (NC) staff told us they wouldn't be able to take the letters because they were trying to be "environmentally conscious" and avoid using paper. Horseshit!

Senator Graham's (SC) office offered no such silliness, but meanwhile, we later learned, Lindsey was out of his seat again, refusing to listen to the case being presented. That's against the rules.
(Jonathan Swan, Australian journalist with a hunky voice, did think we were doing a fine job, and I've shared his tweet below.)

More hopeful were the couple we met who'd driven overnight from Alabama to talk with Senator Jones and demand better from Senator Shelby. And, the "M" in trump was a man who'd flown in from Spokane, WA, to lend his presence and voice to the resistance. He and “P” got to talking, and P offered M the guest room in his house so he didn’t have to stay in a hotel.

Excellent Reading/Viewing

Some terrific pieces this week, including a most delightful video of a cool grandmother. If you didn’t get a chance to read last week’s compilation, you can find it here.

Grandkids and the coolest grandmother. This will make you smile!

What role is gender playing in presidential politics? https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/01/elizabeth-warren-woman-president/604942/

The other, overlooked swing voter.

Truth and inspiration. Courage. Adam Schiff and democratic guardians.

Take Action

Please call Chief Justice Roberts and demand he hold a FAIR heading. This is more likely to happen if Senators are forced to adhere to the rules, such as staying in their seats and listening during the trial rather than leaving the chamber (21 GOP Senators on Wednesday) or reading books (Marsha Blackburn).

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