Read Bill Moyers Report to learn of more Democratic Victories.
“Last night’s results may lead Virginia to re-open a debate over expanding its Medicaid program, a move that Republicans have so far blocked. Meanwhile, lower-income Mainers got another consequential win, as a referendum on expanding that state’s Medicaid program passed last night. Sarah Kliff writes at Vox that 89,000 people in the Pine Tree State will become eligible for coverage.
“Another win took place in Washington state, where Manka Dhingra flipped a Republican state senate seat in King County, and in doing so, won Democratic control of the legislature. That was the final brick in a West Coast “Blue Wall,” with Democrats enjoying unified control of California, Oregon and Washington. Late last week, Alexander Burns and Kirk Johnson reported for The New York Times that “Democrats have sketched an aggressive agenda,” and are talking “about enacting policy across state lines. The three states’ Democratic governors have spoken regularly about policy collaboration, and over the summer began coordinated talks on climate change with foreign heads of state.”
“Other victories of note: Danica Roem was the first openly transgender candidate to win a seat in the Virginia state house, defeating Bob Marshall, who, Buzzfeed notes, “has served 11 terms and sponsored a firehouse of bills catered to the religious right.” Larry Krasner, a progressive civil rights lawyers and criminal justice reform advocate, became Philadelphia’s new Attorney General. Democrat Vi Lyles “easily defeated Republican Kenny Smith on Tuesday to become Charlotte’s first African-American female mayor.” Hoboken City Councilman Ravi Bhalla became New Jersey’s first Sikh mayor. Democrats picked up two open seats in the Georgia House that had previously been held by Republicans. And New Hampshire Democrats picked up two more seats last night, bringing their record in special elections during Trump’s first year in office to 8-2.”

Trump gets up every morning and dedicates himself to alienating yet another large block of voters. He’s probably the best thing that could ever have happened for the Democratic Party.
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I’m having trouble balancing best thing for party with worst thing for nation, the world, and the future. I’m happier today than I was yesterday, but still woefully depressed about everything.
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Trump is the death rattle of a lot of ugliness. Even Trump knows better than to think Trump is right about anything. That’s why he is so astonishingly defensive. A wind blowing in another direction could have turned his course entirely years ago. This is not a man of conviction, but he is in way, way over his head.
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Astonishingly, I still hold out hope for him. I imagine that he was probably emotionally neglected as a little boy–thus the constant need for self affirmation, adulation, praise–the narcissism. See, I’m really worth something. OMG, how much I am worth. I yuuge amounts.
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Bob, you are a better man than me. I couldn’t disagree with you more when you write “Even Trump knows better than to think Trump is right about anything” and “I still hold out hope for him.” As I wrote with Virginia Parent, I hope I’m wrong. But in the case of your words, I REALLY doubt I am. But who knows. According to my favorite pair of chef’s pants, pigs really do fly (pigs wearing chef’s hats, that is).
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You took the thought right out of my head . But the first time I felt elated in a year was last night for a few minutes.
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Bob,
I have no hopes for Trump. He is hopeless and dangerous and selfish and classist and sexist . . . . the list of adjectives for him and his cooperators is endless.
I agree that he was neglected as s child. It’s what happens when you have a reovlving door of nannies and governesses instead of real parents.
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Evolution is a very slow process: those who have been kept outside the halls of of power will keep tipping over the fruit basket, so to say, so long as they are forced to fight for inclusion.
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resistance is not futile
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Wonderful. You are right, of course.
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It was a big win for Democrats, women and diversity. I for one am tired of watching a bunch of old, white, multi-millionaire men deciding policy and everyone’s fate. Representatives should represent all the people, not just the 1%.
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While I applauded the election results and observe that Democrats did quite well, I am uncertain if those voting were FOR the Dems or if the vote was AGAINST Drumpf? Anyone?
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Both.
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To expand on Diane’s “Both”– I’m thinking: Dems’ long sleep was induced by 25 yrs of party waltzing to the right via Third Way/ neoliberal thinking– which was nothing more than a pusillanimous response to automation/ globalization/ & most of all, horror at McGovern’s trouncing– IMHO, a ridiculous analysis of events [even FDR couldn’t have beaten incumbent in a thriving economy]: somehow Dem Party concluded ‘liberal bad– unions bad– let’s abandon trad’l party principles & try to be more like Repubs… we can always get back to being ‘liberal’ IF WE WIN.’ Which left working/ middle-class/ union folks w/o a party; when Dems won [Clinton, Obama], they perpetrated centrist-Rep policies, leaving trad’l base in the dust — who naturally ended up buying into faux populism Trump-style.
I see these winning Dem candidates as daring to step toes back into progressive waters in reaction to deep disappointment w/Trump’s faux-populism which turned out to be just TP social stuff plus ‘swamp’ [neolib/centrist-Rep Wall St biz as usual].
It remains to be seen whether Dems have the guts to reclaim the liberal/ progressive highlands.
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I like your analysis and agree that the verdict is not yet in on whether the Dems have moved left, suddenly become Democratic Socialists!
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bethree5
Pretty much. But you did leave out a little piece of that story that had something to do with Nixon , the Vietnam war , Peter Brennan and the young activists who came out of the Anti War movement , into the Democratic party . A piece that also led to the fracturing of the party . A slightly different base than had been there before.
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The blue west coast wall of Washington, Oregon, and California should include Hawaii. Hawaii is a sold democratic state totally controlled by the Democratic Party and the Kremlin’s Agent Orange, the corrupt, serial lying, cheating, fraud President Donald Trump lost Hawaii with only 30.1-percent of the vote to Hillary’s 62.3-percent.
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Great news after a VERY long year. Nice to feel the wind in our sails again.
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How is there no mention of Laura Curran who now is the first woman in the history of Long Island (Nassau County) to to be elected as County Executive?
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This is very interesting. 85% of VA muslims supported Northam.
CAIR Exit Poll: 85 Percent of Virginia Muslim Voters Supported Northam
76 percent of registered Virginia Muslim voters turned out at the polls on Tuesday
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/8/17) — The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), in partnership with the Virginia Council of Muslim Organizations (VCMO), today released the results of an exit poll indicating that Muslim voters in Virginia strongly supported now governor-elect Ralph Northam in Tuesday’s election.
The poll, conducted by an independent interactive voice response survey provider on behalf of CAIR and VCMO, indicated that 76 percent of registered Virginia Muslim voters turned out to the polls in the off-year election.
CAIR said the more than 300 Muslim voters surveyed indicated the following preferences:
Ralph Northam (D) 85%
Ed Gillespie (R) 13%
Cliff Hyra (L) 2%
NOTE: 323 total respondents, with 276 voting for Northam, 42 for Gillespie, and 5 for Hyra.
“High Muslim voter turnout and higher than average support for now governor-elect Ralph Northam reflect voters — including American Muslims and their neighbors — embracing inclusive campaigns and shows once again that candidates who decide to fear-monger about minority communities will lose,” said CAIR Director of Government Affairs Robert McCaw.
“Virginians have spoken and they reject division and hatred. We are proud of Virginia Muslim turnout and involvement in this election,” said Rafi Ahmed, VCMO Interim President.
CAIR also applauded the historic election wins by minority candidates across the nation in races ranging from school board and city council, to mayor and Lieutenant Governor in Virginia. Such victories included:
Ravi Bhalla, New Jersey’s first ever Sikh-American mayor elected in Hoboken;
Democrat Justin Fairfax was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia; the second African-American candidate to win the post;
Mazahir Salih, first American Muslim woman and immigrant on the Iowa City Council;
Fartun Ahmed, first American Muslim elected to Hopkins School Board in Minnesota;
Zak Idan, American Muslim elected to Tukwila City Council in the state of Washington;
Abdi Warsame, first Somali-American Muslim to serve in a municipal office was reelected to Ward 6 City Council Member in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and others. (READ MORE)
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Charles,
So Northam is the Muslim Governor? He also seems to have gotten a majority of blacks, women, etc.
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I do not get your question. The fact that Mr. Northam received a majority of votes from the Muslims who responded to the poll, does not make him a follower of Allah. I just find it interesting, that Mr. Northam was able to assemble a wide coalition, and it was enough to get him over the top. This is the way to win elections.
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