Convention speech — Katherine Stewart: Inside the movement to destroy democracy - Freethought Today

The same forces that have brought us an antidemocratic movement have succeeded in undermining key institutions along with the guardrails of one of our two political parties. If we want better outcomes, we can start by learning how those institutions have been undermined and commit ourselves to the process of restoring them. 

So here are a few things to keep in mind:…

https://www.freethoughttoday.com/sections/convention-speech-katherine-stewart-inside-the-movement-to-destroy-democracy/ 

 

Trump floats an unusual Republican National Convention before the midterms - The Washington Post

President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that the Republican Party host a national convention before next year's midterm elections to highlight its talent, an unusual move that Democrats are also considering…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/28/trump-republican-convention-midterm-elections/ 

Kate Cohen: "Tampon Tim" and the Long Reach of Religion | FFRF Convention 2024

Kate Cohen's talk, "'Tampon Tim' and the Long Reach of Religion," highlights how religion continues to influence public policy, especially in education. She takes aim at school voucher programs that funnel public money into religious institutions and connect Christian nationalism to anti-LGBTQ and anti-transgender laws. With humor, she explains how media and politics intersect with religious bias, referencing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz being mocked for his progressive policies. Cohen emphasizes that challenging religious influence is essential for protecting personal freedoms and fostering equality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVzr7ARgCSo

Michigan’s Republican convention removes chair amid party tensions

The Michigan Republican party has for years been beset with chaos and divisions caused by the influence of Christian nationalism, election conspiracies and extremism. When a faction within the party moved to oust Karamo earlier this year, the longstanding intra-party brawl came into national focus. This weekend's convention proved that those divisions remain as present as ever… 

During the convention, Republicans nominated six fake electors from 2020 to serve as presidential electors this year. After DePerno dropped out, they chose Patrick O'Grady, a circuit court judge, as their nominee for the state supreme court…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/26/michigan-republican-party-convention-kristina-karamo-matthew-deperno

Convention

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSuCSkg1iSA

It Wasn’t JUST Boos. The Crowd Also DID THIS to Trump Tonight

While everybody is talking about Donald Trump getting booed tonight at the Libertarian National Convention, there’s A LOT more that went on behind the scenes — as well as other key moments!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHCeRP2OETM

Donald Trump booed at Libertarian convention

"And if you vote for me on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht." The room, where many had been waving "Free Ross" signs, erupted in roars and whistles of approval. Ulbricht was the founder of Silk Road, an online marketplace for the sale of heroin, cocaine, LSD and other illegal drugs, who in 2015 was sentenced to life in prison… 

 The ex-president received further acclaim for pledging to sign an executive order banning federal agencies from censoring free speech, introduce record tax cuts, oppose the Green New Deal and drill for oil and gas, secure the future of crypto and bitcoin currencies and defend religious liberty and gun rights.  

Still, not everyone was won over. When Trump said, "I want your support and again, you can either nominate us and put us in the position or give us your vote," a chorus of boos rose again. 

 Afterwards one delegate, who gave his name only as Joe, said: "He's full of shit."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/26/no-wannabe-dictators-donald-trump-booed-at-libertarian-convention

Trump Gets MERCILESSLY BOOED at Speech

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump getting booed at the Libertarian Convention in Washington DC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8gkY1k-Fz0

Libertarian convention crowd appears hostile to Trump ahead speech

Vivek Ramaswamy was booed when he mentioned Trump, while a convention-goer who called for "Donald Trump to go f--- himself" was met with widespread applause...

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/libertarian-convention-crowd-appears-hostile-trump-ahead-speech-rcna154029

Michigan Republicans prepare for fraught delegate convention

The state GOP had ousted its party chair, Kristina Karamo, in January, but she has not accepted her removal, dividing members…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/02/michigan-republicans-delegate-convention-rnc

Goat rodeo: Michigan GOP reeling in chaos as empowering election denier backfires

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55WiBAi-P0Y

FFRF Convention 2023: Legal Reports

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

Michigan Republicans divided after party nominates DePerno and Karamo for top jobs - The Washington Post

"If you had any shred of experience, if you had any shred of competence, that was an immediate disqualifier," said Jason Watts, a former secretary of the Allegan County Republican Party, who was a convention delegate. "The Michigan GOP just nominated two people that have no broad-based appeal."…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/30/well-that-was-crazy-michigan-gop-divided-over-election-falsehoods/

WATCH: Michigan GOP official dares crowd to have him arrested as party convention goes off the rails - Raw Story - Celebrating 18 Years of Independent Journalism

"This party is a mess," Stebbins said she overheard Lucido saying...

https://www.rawstory.com/michigan-republicans-2657139233/

American Atheists' 2021 National Convention | Hopin

American Atheists holds an annual National Convention at locations throughout the United States. Our national conventions bring together members of the atheist community from all over the nation and world to celebrate reason, rationality, and atheism. This year our convention will be online! ...

https://hopin.com/events/american-atheists-2021-national-convention

Movement where it matters: a post-conventions shift with independents | TheHill

... First, if the election were held today, overall Biden would lead Trump by ten points, 48 percent to 38 percent. While Biden's support increased daily during the Democratic convention and for two days after, Trump's support fluctuated during the Republican convention, increasing after the first day, dipping after the second, then rising and spiking after Trump's speech. Comparing the results of the first six days with the results of the last five, there was some overall change —from 39 percent for Trump and 48 percent for Biden after the first period, to 37 percent and 50 percent, respectively, after the second period. The most notable change was among independents: from 16 percent to 14 percent for Trump, and from 31 to 39 percent for Biden, between the first and second periods...

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/515252-movement-where-it-matters-a-post-conventions-shift-with-independents

How false fears drive anger in US voters - CSMonitor.com

As the presidential race officially kicks off with party conventions, the candidates must rise above voter misperceptions of each other.
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2020/0820/How-false-fears-drive-anger-in-US-voters

Black residents oppose Trump's visit to Jacksonville on anniversary of 'Ax Handle Saturday'

“Sick to my stomach. Trump accepting the nomination on the anniversary date of a literal race riot in Jacksonville is not only disgusting, but given the current tension surrounding race relations in this country, it is frightening.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-residents-oppose-trump-s-visit-jacksonville-anniversary-ax-handle-n1233292

Republican Trump critics plan to hold alternative convention during RNC - The Hill

Republican critics of President Trump plan to hold their own convention to run counter-programming to the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. this summer.....
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/498043-republican-trump-critics-plan-to-hold-alternative-convention-during-rnc

"This is not a Christian nation. It’s about damn time we take it back" Andrew L Seidel, FFRF Con2019

Director of Strategic Response Andrew L Seidel kicked off FFRF's 2019 National Convention with this presentation. "Do we have a government OF the people, FOR the people, and BY the people; or is ours a government of the Christians, for the Christians, and by the Christians? That is our battle. Right now, America is in a desperate fight against Christian nationalism, a political theology that is an existential threat to our republic. That is why I wrote The Founding Myth." https://youtu.be/Q4PX8WXWufI