Tag Archives: voting rights

Guiding Lights, Part VI: Weeee! Or, If Ms. Frizzle Taught at Yale

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I mean the attitude, not the hair. Dr. Joanne Freeman is not in the least frizzy-haired. But spend a few minutes on one of her YouTube Channels–A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can’t Sleep; History Matters (and so does Coffee); or my favorite, with Heather Cox Richardson, What the Heck Just Happened–and you’ll see what I mean.

That big laugh. That scoop-you-in enthusiasm. And while she doesn’t own a pet lizard like the famous Magic School Bus teacher, Joanne does have Rosie the Resistance Bird, the parakeet whose occasional shrieks feature prominently on her podcasts.

Professor of U.S. History and American Studies at Yale (and rated as one of “the top young historians” way back in 2005), Joanne is very serious about teaching the facts about our nation’s founding…and even more serious about the power of community.

But almost every pod I’ve seen of her, she’s giggling. Or crowing, “LIVE!” (then laughing at her own glee). If what you need in these days of constant heartache and gut-wrenching worry about our vulnerable fellow Americans, environment, and democracy is a reminder of the “power of We”…Joanne Freeman is your woman.

Aside from her piercing insights on things like the role of white supremacy in our nation’s current shitshow state, and her abiding love for Alexander Hamilton, my favorite thing about Joanne Freeman is her tenderness with her listeners. “A Few Thoughts For Those Who Can’t Sleep” kind of says it all, doesn’t it? (Though her buddy HCR jokes that most folks call it “Freeman After Dark.) She’s there for us–literally.

At the end of each of these late-night (or evening, if you’re on Western time) sessions, Dr. Freeman has a set of rituals guaranteed to warm your heart. With a sense of joyful ceremony, she holds these items up, one at a time:

  1. a whistle: to remind us to look out for each other, and stand up for each other, like the people in Minneapolis

2. a little tin labelled “Chutzpah”: to remind us to “Be strong and of good courage,” a quote from a onetime professor of hers, which she uses as a mantra

Who doesn’t need this?????

When it comes to Dr. Joanne Freeman, I say: Come for the scholarship. Stay for the…

…Community. Laughter. Truth. Parakeets. Coffee. Friendship. Challenge. Hope.

Chutzpah.

Guiding Lights, Part IV: Marc Elias, Spotlight for Democracy…Or Bat-Signal

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In the Department of Guiding Lights, there’s the North Star (see my piece on Heather Cox Richardson); the twinkly path-markers known as The Contrarian, and several more which offer both inspiration and guidance to folks like us. (Watch this space!)

But sometimes—these times!—you just need a freakin’ spotlight. Meet Marc Elias and Democracy Docket.

Marc Elias in 2024 (photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

According to Ken Vogel  of The New York Times, “Elias has arguably done more than any single person outside government to shape the Democratic Party and the rules under which all campaigns and elections in the United States are conducted.” (October 30, 2024, as quoted by Wikipedia.org)

Marc’s political bio is far too voluminous for me to sum up here; please check out Wikipedia or Democracy Docket itself for all the details of presidents and almost-presidents he’s worked for, trials he’s worked on, resistance fighters he’s supported.

What matters to me now, and what I hope (assume? since you’re reading this) matters to you is: his law firm has taken the Trump administration (regime) to court dozens of times…and of the cases already decided, Elias Law Group is 23 and 0.

That’s 23 wins for Elias’ democracy warriors; 23 LOSSES for Trump.

Here’s Marc, describing one of those victories:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCBc3dIEYxA

A fighter who springs to action when democracy is threatened, like if Batman wore a suit & tie? That’s who I want on my side, heading into the scariest electoral period in our country’s history since 1860.

Marc? That you? (image courtesy Wikimedia)

I’m not a lawyer; don’t want to be. But I DO want to fight to keep the Trump regime’s mitts off my election data. I do want to keep their ICE thugs from intimidating my neighbors at the polls. I want the rule of law back.

That’s why I support Democracy Docket with a small subscription. I hope you’ll consider doing the same. Marc & Co left behind their lucrative former law careers to fight for us. The least we can do is be Robin to their Batman.

Guiding Lights, Part III: Why You Might Be a Contrarian Too

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The past couple of posts, I’ve referred to people I read or listen to as navigational aids, or sources of power to charge myself from. Enough with the mixed metaphors! Let’s go with “guiding lights” for these choppy American waters.

The Contrarian is a biggie. Do you know these folks?

Norm Eisen (formerly Obama’s Ethics Czar, lead counsel on the first Trump impeachment trial…etc) [courtesy Wikimedia]

In January 2025, Norm Eisen–CNN analyst, former ambassador to the Czech Republic, the list of roles goes on & on, click here for more–joined forces with a Washington Post journalist, Jennifer Rubin, who had quit the WaPo following its Trumpian purge by owner Jeff Bezos. Together, Norm and Jen created The Contrarian, on Substack. Meet Jen:

[courtesy Wikimedia]

Since I’ve never been a WaPo reader, I didn’t know that Jen Rubin had started life as a conservative Republican. By the time I started listening to her, following Trump’s second inauguration, she sounded just like me: alarmed, pissed off, and raring to fight fascism. Does that sound like you too? You’ll love Jen. With a journalist’s razor-sharp vision, she not only distills what’s at stake, she lets readers know how to help fight for our democracy.

The Contrarian boasts other frequent contributors, like Joyce Vance, whose Civil Discourse Substack I’ve written about before (and will again). But the other regular “talking head” these days is April Ryan, MSNOW contributor and longtime member of the White House Press Corps. Compared to the rather staid, pearl-wearing Jen Rubin April’s a trip:

[courtesy Wikimedia]

Together, these folks keep me updated and full of juice to stay involved. They bring humor and joy (“Contrarian Pet of the Week”); they bring hope –especially “Norm & Katie’s Legal Fight Club” with former prosecutor and current independent journalist Katie Phang. They even offer merch!

Available now at Contrariannews.com!

BEST OF ALL (notice I saved this for last): all paid subscriptions to The Contrarian (you CAN read & listen for free…but should you??) go to fund Lawyer Norm as he takes on the Trump Regime in case after case after case (all Ws so far, by the way). It brings me special pride to know that I am helping the fight in such a LITERAL way.

Join me?

A North Star for Navigating Tough Times: Historian Heather Cox Richardson

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Heather Cox Richardson—HCR to her devotees—is a Mainer who lives by the ocean. Her husband is a lobsterman. She knows “the chop”; she was speaking and writing about it long before I borrowed the phrase.

And in navigating this current turbulence—both national, and, more recently in my case, personal—she’s also my North Star. (Here I confess I don’t actually know if Polaris forms part of what mariners look to…but I know the North Star led folks out of slavery, and that’s the choppiest chop there is. So: let’s roll with it.)

(image by Andres Nieto Porras, courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Reading and listening to HCR (especially listening; her voice is so calm) has been keeping my keel evened since the 2024 debacle election. If you’re reading this, you’re probably in the HCR choir so I should quit preaching. But just in case you’re not…

Through her Letters From an American series, HCR puts the daily outrages of the current regime into perspective. Yes, this is horrible…but it also looks a lot like the 1850s. The 1890s. The 1920s. Etc.

1850s attempted murder in the Senate, anyone? (courtesy Wikimedia)

Through her Politics Chats, (on YouTube, Substack and Facebook) HCR draws a line through the chaos, connecting dots, allowing us to see patterns, to understand. What do all these awful news stories have in common? Grift. Corruption. White supremacy. Etc.

(Plus she has an adorable habit of reading aloud all the towns and countries people beam in from to listen to her livestream.)

Through her current 250 to 250 series—which should seriously win some kind of media prize—HCR reminds us what it means to have pride and joy in our own country, its government, lands, history. Want to celebrate America’s 250th more meaningfully than watching a cage fight? Here are 250 1-minute snippets on everything that makes us US.

(Most of the 250 are narrated by other people, some famous, some just appropriate. Heather herself only narrates two…but it’s telling which two she chose.)

HCR is also fun and funny. My favorite podcasts are her weekly(ish) chats with fellow American historian Joanne Freeman, “What the Heck Just Happened.” There, serious unpacking of the week’s stuff comes with healthy discussion of M ‘n’ Ms, cleaning your bathroom, and Gary the Apple Guy, and they end each session telling each other “I love you.” Can’t begin to express what a balm this is.

If you’ve clicked on some of the above links, you’ve now found your way into HCR World, but just to be clear: look for Heather Cox Richardson on YouTube, on Substack, or just Google her and see what pops up.

I guarantee you will feel heartened, bolstered, and…guided. Sail on!

“Loving Forward”: Why America Needs Rev. Dr. William Barber Now…and So Do I

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Do you recognize this man?

Rev. Dr. William Barber [photo courtesy Wikimedia]

If we were back in my childhood of the 1960s-70s, all watching the same 3 or 4 channels, everyone would know this preacher. Everyone would have seen him preaching, heard him cajoling or roaring from the pulpit. Though his accent is eastern Carolina, not Atlanta, we would have known him the way we knew that other Rev. Dr., the one whose birthday is now a federal holiday.

But we’re all in our separate media silos now; separate channels, separate apps. Rev. Barber is back on the east coast (managing to pastor a congregation at Yale even while doing all this political work), and here on the west, I RARELY meet anyone who’s heard of him.

I’m trying to change that.

One of my very earliest memories is of the civil rights movement in my hometown of Durham, NC: holding hands and swaying in a demonstration, singing “We Shall Overcome.” I learned later that Duke students and faculty–including my dad–came out in support of Duke’s all-Black custodians, probably 1965.

Without going into detail, suffice to say the civil rights movement was a big part of my family. My dad’s arrest at a sit-in led to a Supreme Court case, Klopfer v. N.C., which set the precedent that the right to speedy trial applies to the states. 50 years later, my dad was thrilled to get arrested again…following Reverend Barber. (You can read about that here.)

Out here in the Pacific Northwest, all that history feels remote. Or it did until Trump, the Supreme Court and Project 2025 started attacking voting rights again. Now here we are, right back in the mid-60s, fighting to maintain what we thought we’d won.

The only difference? “We” is more than Black Americans now. “We” is we.

If you find yourself thinking, “We sure could use Dr. King now,” then

a) you’re not alone, and

b) meet Rev. Barber.

State troopers watch as marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge over the Alabama River in Selma, Alabama as part of a civil rights march on March 9. Two days before troopers used excessive force driving marchers back across the bridge, killing one protester. [Courtesy Legal Defense Fund]

This February, Rev. Barber’s group, Repairers of the Breach, will be leading a march modeled on the famous Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. They’ll start in Wilson, NC on Feb. 11 and walk almost 50 miles (15 miles/day), finishing in Raleigh on Valentines Day. How I wish I could be there! I can’t…but I plan to support the march financially. And I plan to tell everyone I can about it.

Starting here. Because, who knows? Maybe you can be there. Maybe you can be part of that history.

Can you? And if not…can you send this post to someone who might be able to join, or support the marchers?

And if you do that, will you tell me about it?

PS: For more information, or to contact Rev. Barber & the Repairers of the Breach directly, click here.

One Question for the Tuned-out Loved One in Your Family

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“I’ve tuned out,” your adult son, your cousin, your sister-in-law tells you. “Politics is too f**cked up for me bother. And there’s nothing I can do anyway.”

I hope the first thing you do is to support your loved one for prioritizing self-care. But then I have a question for you to ask them.

What does the word “harvest” mean to you?

Wild blueberries? (Yes, this photo’s OLD. My knees don’t let me sit that way these days.)

That question popped into my mind last night while reading Joyce Vance’s Civil Discourse on Substack. She was asking legal expert Marc Elias (a lawyer who’s argued before the Supreme Court five times and counting) about what voters should be concerned about in 2026. Marc’s answer jolted me:

“According to Democracy Docket’s case tracker, there are about 170 active voting and election cases nationwide. Unfortunately, the majority of those cases (roughly 55%) are anti-voting cases that seek to make it harder to vote…”

Wait–who are these Bad Guys trying to keep Americans from voting? Will the feds crack down on them?

Nope. The Feds ARE the Bad Guys now. Says Marc:

“…One of the most important new developments this year is the Trump DOJ’s emergence as one of the most prolific sources of anti-voting litigation. In less than a year, the Department of Justice has filed 25 anti-voting lawsuits. While pro-democracy attorneys often found ourselves allied with the DOJ in the past, we are now forced to oppose them to prevent the federal government from trampling on voting rights.”

Joyce and Marc talking [Courtesy Civil Discourse]

“Okay, Gretchen,” you say, “What does this have to do with harvesting?”

Glad you asked. Because here’s the part that made me realize, even someone’s apolitical son, cousin or sister-in-law might want to know this.

When Joyce asked Marc how our federal government is going about the nitty-gritty of voter suppression, here’s what he told her:

“Trump’s Department of Justice is seeking a comprehensive database of sensitive personal information on virtually every person who might vote in 2026 and 2028. This includes names, addresses, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. In some states, it includes a voter’s race. In most places, it includes party registration, which elections a person has voted in, the method of voting they used, and whether they have moved.“

In other words: they’re harvesting our data. ALL of it. Not this kind of harvest…

…but this:

[image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Marc Elias goes on:

“Never before has the federal government sought all this information from nearly every state. Never before has the DOJ sued more than 20 states (most of which lean Democratic) to obtain it...We are seeing the weaponization of federal power against American voters, and I think this voter data collection effort by Trump’s DOJ could become the major story of the 2026 election cycle.”

So, ask your disaffected son, your cousin, your sister-in-law: “Is that what ‘harvest’ means to you? Are you comfortable with your own government harvesting your voting data in order to keep themselves in power?”

Harvest kale, not my proclivities.

If their answer is No…maybe suggest they look into Civil Discourse, or any other site that relies on lawyers, teachers and historians.

If YOU want to know more, join Substack and tune in to Joyce’s upcoming conversation with Marc, January 15th @ noon EST, where they will dive further into the questions of what’s going on with the data harvest, and what we can do about it.

They may not appreciate the question. But politics is choosing them, regardless of whether they choose politics. And as Leonard Cohen wrote, “There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.“

And as Joyce Vance says, “We’re in this together.” Let’s try to keep the conversation going.

My New Furlough “Job”: Fun With Elected Officials

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Even though, like many Americans, I’m furloughed from my job at the moment, I recognize that I’m in the 1% of ridiculously lucky people who has no one in my home demanding care nor worry; ample resources; and lovely outdoor space close to hand.

I’m sorry, New York–I wish I could send you some!

What I also have? A sense of helplessness. When we finished quarantining after our road trip, I signed up to deliver food around our island. But then I had to go off-island again. Twice. I understand the reason for the quarantine rule, but still I chafed. What can I DO to HELP?

Enter University of Washington professor David Domke and Common Purpose. I’d already attended an Orientation with this impressive group dedicated to promoting voting, and signed up for national get-out-the-vote work next fall. But next fall is so, so far away, and the daily COVID news weighs heavily. So I was thrilled when the email call came to ADVOCATE FOR EXPANDED VOTING OPTIONS FOR NEXT NOVEMBER,* from my own living room.

*Notice I’m not saying voting for whom? That’s not what this push is about. You don’t have to dig too deep to find which party supports more voting and which party wants to limit it…but that ain’t my affair. I just happen to think America has had about enough disenfranchisement for our past couple-plus centuries.

Plus, Professor Domke said it would be fun!

27 of our 50 states don’t allow for any way to vote except in-person on one single day. Which, in a pandemic, sounds pretty CRAZY, right? Right. Just ask Wisconsin. So I signed up to contact elected officials in those 27 states. Two senators. One governor. And one person in charge of elections.

Oh dear. That’s 4 x 27…128 people. Fun, huh?

I decided to treat this task like a job. You have the option to call, email, or tweet, and since the only thing I loathe more than making political calls is receiving them, I chose email as my medium. I tweaked the form letter Common Purpose sent to make it sound more like me. Okay. Ready for fun.

For the past 2 days, I’ve emailed for approximately an hour. Because there’s a Senate bill coming up now (Thank you, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden!) I started with Senators. 

Copy email letter. Open provided link to given Senator. Autofill all my details. Pick topic. Paste letter. Make sure I’m not subscribing to any newsletters! Prove I’m human. Click Submit. Next…

Y’know what, Professor Domke? This is NOT fun. This is boring as all get-out. I hate this.

So I started embroidering a little.

I let the two senators from North Carolina know I’m a Tarheel born & bred, and finished my letter with “Go Heels!” (Too bad for me if they’re Duke fans.)

I congratulated some of the senators who recently (or less recently) dropped out of the race for being so stalwart.

I started noticing stuff. Like: Some senators make you choose a prefix for your name; others let you opt out. Some senators have “Abortion/Right to Life” on their Issues list; others, just one or the other. Some senators don’t have anything on their Issues list that covers the topic at hand–Elections? COVID? Civil Rights?–forcing me to choose “Other.” Hmph.

And Cory Booker has the most adorable website, which asks for your first name right off the bat, then goes to “Hi, Gretchen!” Awww…Miss you, Cory.

After thirty minutes or so, I noticed something else: I was actually having a kind of nerdy fun. Go figure.

Hey, time’s up. I contacted 40 senators. Only 14 to go. And then all those Governors and Secretaries of State…

Wonder if any of their websites will tell me “Hi!”?

If you’d like to join this fun enterprise–no, really, in all seriousness, if you’d like to participate in the push to keep voters safely at home without being deprived of their right to help elect our next President, click here.

Woohoooo! Democracy! At least until I get to back to work at the bakery.