Democracy, poisoned: America’s elections are being attacked at every level

"People need to stop fooling themselves. This is unlike anything that's happened in American history," said Sean Wilentz, a Princeton professor who was among a group of historians that met with Biden earlier this year to discuss the threat to democracy. "It is continuing and it is grave. And I think the country needs to wake up." 

The movement threatens American elections from the top down and the bottom up at the same time. At the top, there is a push to install statewide officials who would have no reservations about making baseless claims of fraud and overturning an election result. From the bottom, it seeks to harass, threaten and ultimately remove non-partisan local election officials and make it harder for them to administer elections. If there is an overarching strategy to the movement – and it's not clear there is one – it seems to be to cause as much chaos, as much confusion, and as much uncertainty, as possible...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/04/us-democracy-attack-midterms-election-constitutional-crisis-2024

Three scientists share physics Nobel prize for quantum mechanics work

Quantum entanglement, in a nutshell, means that the properties of one particle can be deduced by examining the properties of a second particle – even if they are separated by a distance. An easy way to imagine this is to think about being given one of two balls – one of which is white and the other is black. If you receive a white ball, you know the ball that remains is black. Importantly, however, the properties of each particle are not fixed until they are examined – in the ball scenario this would mean that both balls are grey until looked at, where upon one turns white and the other black. 

 This lies at the heart of the "spookiness" – the two particles, or balls, appear to be connected, without the need for any signal to be sent between them…

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/oct/04/nobel-prize-for-physics-quantum-mechanics-three-scientists

Opinion | The Supreme Court’s majority reconvenes its assault on democracy - The Washington Post

At the center of that will be their assault on democracy. The House Jan. 6 committee has exposed Trump's multilayered campaign to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Now, we need an independent inquiry to detail how right-wing justices have subverted our democracy, so we can determine what can be done to save it...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/10/04/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-minority-rule/

Texts, recordings show Oath Keepers’ early talk of armed resistance to Biden presidency - POLITICO

Within hours of the 2020 election being called for Joe Biden, Stewart Rhodes — leader of the far-right Oath Keepers — began barraging associates with a consistent message: We must pressure Donald Trump to take extraordinary steps to remain in power. 

 And if he wouldn't, the Oath Keepers would do it themselves, he said...

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/04/texts-recordings-show-oath-keepers-early-talk-of-armed-resistance-to-biden-presidency-00060222

Audio of Oath Keeper Founder Stewart Rhodes Reveals Concern About Conspiracy Charge

Months before the riot that got him charged with conspiracy, Stewart Rhodes was thirsty for chaos...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/audio-of-oath-keeper-founder-stewart-rhodes-reveals-concern-about-conspiracy-charge

Most fentanyl is seized at border crossings — often from U.S. citizens - The Washington Post

Paying a citizen to drive them in makes more sense in that regard than having a noncitizen lug them across the Rio Grande...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/04/border-fentanyl-seizures-americans/

Doctors urge U.S. FDA to add miscarriage management to abortion pill label | Reuters

"It is a safe and essential part of the most effective regimen for miscarriage management," ACOG said...

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/doctors-urge-us-fda-add-miscarriage-management-abortion-pill-label-2022-10-04/

In Idaho, we’re seeing how freedom of speech is being curtailed around abortion | Moira Donegan | The Guardian

In red states, women's options and speech are being dramatically constrained by the misogynist laws that have sprung into effect since the reversal of Roe v Wade…

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/03/university-of-idaho-abortion-emergency-contraception

Alleged Cambodian Pig Butchering Scam Operations Raided — ProPublica

The raids have confirmed the worrying nexus of cybercrime, human trafficking and torture that ProPublica documented in its investigation. A statement describing one police inspection of a building complex in Sihanoukville listed 8,776 phones, 804 computers, 16 laptops, four pairs of handcuffs and 10 electric shock devices among evidence seized in the raid. Video of the compound shot by a VOD reporter shows buildings with barred windows surrounded by barbed-wire fences, similar to locations visited by ProPublica in May where workers alleged illegal detention and torture...

https://www.propublica.org/article/pig-butchering-scams-raided-cambodia-apple-trafficking

How Ben Shapiro helps radicalize conservatives ( Genetically Modified Skeptic )

"Ben Shapiro released a video for his Debunked series on Dailywire+ called "The Atheist Delusion." His ultimate point was that atheism leads to "the worst predations imaginable," but he never actually supported that claim. Instead, he argued that atheists have no access to objective, transcendent truth, morality, or choice, inserting disparaging comments along the way. He also discussed Aquinas' Five Ways, the Big Bang, the argument from fine-tuning, Stephen Meyer's case for intelligent design, and the argument from consciousness. Here I discuss each of his claims."

https://youtu.be/aZjnS1mp88E

In Supreme Court debut, Justice Jackson grills attorney challenging EPA power under Clean Water Act - ABC News

Attorney Damien Schiff, representing an Idaho couple that wants to build their dream home on a lot near Priest Lake, argued that the federal government should not have unbound power to regulate wetlands on Americans' property without direct, physical connection to a major body of water. 

"The Sacketts' property contains no waters, much less waters of the U.S.," Schiff said. The EPA contends marsh on the Sacketts' property has a "significant nexus" to the nearby lake.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-debut-justice-jackson-grills-attorney-challenging/story

Trump administration staffer crammed pictures of Hunter Biden into White House AC unit: book | The Hill

Haberman reported both "rank-and-file" staffers and members of the senior staff from the Trump administration, including then-chief of staff Mark Meadows, were not cooperative with their incoming successors, per Politico...

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3670267-trump-administration-staffer-crammed-pictures-of-hunter-biden-into-white-house-ac-unit-book/

RECAP: Trump holds DERANGED RALLY in Michigan before TINY crowd - YouTube

Oct 2, 2022 Donald Trump on Saturday brought his fascist cosplay circus rally to a small venue in Warren, Michigan. Trump and his deranged group of sycophants continued to spread dangerous lies about our elections, gaslight the audience about what happened on January 6th, stoked violence against Democrats and more. It is important that all Americans are aware of what is being said at these events, and understand that these rallies represent the core of the Republican Party, which has been completely overtaken by anti-American extremists who seek to end democracy as we know it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtkVKL-_XWA

What are midterm elections and why are they important? - The Washington Post

The next big national elections are coming up in November. President Biden won't be on the ballot, but the people elected to Congress and state and local offices will have a big impact on what he can get done for the remainder of his first term — and on American life over the next couple of years. 

These elections are called "midterms" (as in, they happen right in the middle of a presidential term). Here's what you need to know to understand the news about them...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/03/what-are-midterm-elections/

Republicans’ lawless leaders at odds with midterm law and order message

"The Republican party is quickly becoming a party of anarchy and lawlessness," said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. "This is supposed to be the party of conservative principles, of tradition, of respect for customs and rules that make society governable. 

"The idea that the law does not apply to Republicans is something that has now become part of the mainstream of the Republican party. We see it in terms of the approach to elections. We see it in terms of the treatment of immigrants. Some of the actions with regard to abortion may approach that level. The Republican party appears to consider the law and the constitution to be optional and to have lost legitimacy."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/03/republicans-law-order-midterm-election-investigations-scandals

How the Supreme Court could give Republicans more power to influence elections - The Washington Post

It begins with another question about potentially illegal gerrymandering, this time in North Carolina, and whether Republican state lawmakers violated that state's Constitution by drawing overtly political maps. Here the justices are looking at a broad question of how much power courts should have over state legislatures...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/03/supreme-court-elections-gerrymandering/

There Is Not an ‘Independent State Legislature’ - The Atlantic

Such a doctrine would be antithetical to the Framers' intent, and to the text, fundamental design, and architecture of the Constitution...

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/moore-v-harper-independent-legislature-theory-supreme-court/671625/

Corporate Donors Gave $44 Million to Election Deniers’ Campaigns – Mother Jones

CREW found that the five biggest sources of donations to the Sedition Caucus were PACs associated with Koch Industries ($625,000), American Crystal Sugar ($530,000), Home Depot ($350,000), Boeing ($488,000), and UPS ($479,500). Boeing, Home Depot, and Koch had all paused donations or promised to reevaluate their donations after January 6...
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/10/corporate-donors-gave-44-million-to-election-deniers-campaigns/

Key GOP donor backs Dem after House Republican ousted over Trump impeachment - POLITICO

Former Romney financier David Nierenberg says he is siding with moderation over far-right rhetoric in Washington State...

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/03/gop-donor-backing-democrat-washington-00060099

Tens of millions of people go to sleep hungry in America each year : NPR

Nationwide, more than 33 million people, including five million children, are food insecure, according to the USDA. No community is spared, with rural areas, families with children and communities of color disproportionately affected...

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/02/1125571699/hunger-poverty-us-dc-food-pantry

Debunking the vegan myth: The case for a plant-forward omnivorous whole-foods diet - ScienceDirect

Vegan diets are widely promoted as protective against cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, removing all animal foods from a human's diet usually causes unfavorable health consequences. Our hominin ancestors began consuming meat, fish, seafood, and eggs >2 million years ago. Consequently, humans are genetically adapted to procure nutrients from both plant and animal sources. In contrast, veganism is without evolutionary precedent in Homo sapiens species. Strict adherence to a vegan diet causes predictable deficiencies in nutrients including vitamins B12, B2, D, niacin, iron, iodine, zinc, high-quality proteins, omega-3, and calcium. Prolonged strict veganism increases risk for bone fractures, sarcopenia, anemia, and depression. A more logical diet is a plant-forward omnivorous eating pattern that emphasizes generous consumption of natural, unprocessed foods predominantly from plants. To balance this diet, modest amounts of wholesome animal foods, such wild-caught fish/seafood, pasture-raised meat and eggs, and fermented unsweetened dairy should be consumed regularly...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062022000834

The end of a way of life? Ranchers struggle to survive the south-west’s megadrought

But as the drought continues, it may eventually have an impact on the availability of beef in the US...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/02/ranchers-struggle-survive-megadrought-us-south-west

Oath Keepers to stand trial on charges of seditious conspiracy

Court documents further allege that Rhodes spearheaded an online meeting with members of the group in which he outlined a plan to stop the transfer of power to Joe Biden. After that, prosecutors say, members of the alleged conspiracy began recruiting, training and coordinating their activities. A month later, on 11 December, Rhodes allegedly posted on a group chat that if Biden were to take office, "it will be a bloody and desperate fight. We are going to have a fight. That can't be avoided."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/02/oath-keepers-stewart-rhodes-seditious-conspiracy-trial-january-6

Capitol attack officer Fanone hits out at ‘weasel’ McCarthy in startling interview | Books | The Guardian

Michael Fanone makes candid and profane remarks about Republicans in Rolling Stone interview as he promotes memoir…

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/02/michael-fanone-capitol-attack-officer-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-trump

Michael Sheppard Arrested After Allegedly Shooting Immigrants

A Texas man who ran an ICE facility that has a history of abuse allegations is accused of fatally shooting an immigrant and injuring another while they drank water along a farm road.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adolfoflores/texas-shooting-immigrants-water

Trump allies are supporting these violations of FBI conduct

As many as 14 FBI employees have chosen to challenge valid assignments or question domestic terrorism strategy by running to Trump-adoring Congress members...

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-allies-are-supporting-these-violations-fbi-conduct-n1299211

 

Teen girl denied medication refill under AZ’s new abortion law

14 year old Emma Thompson has debilitating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis which has kept her in and out of the hospital for most of her life. She relies on methotrexate to help tame the effects of the disease...
https://www.kold.com/2022/10/01/teen-girl-denied-medication-refill-under-azs-new-abortion-law/

Netherlands researchers break the 30 percent barrier in solar cells

A collaboration of researchers from various institutes in the Netherlands broke the 30 percent barrier associated with solar cells. The achievement will help uptake worldwide solar energy and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, an organizational press release said...

https://interestingengineering.com/science/30-percent-barrier-solar-cells-breached

 

Matt Gaetz Votes Against Disaster Relief Days After Hurricane Ian Hits

Just days after Hurricane Ian ravaged his home state, Representative Matt Gaetz was one of many Republicans to vote against a stopgap measure that would continue funding the government and provide billions of dollars in extra disaster assistance.

https://www.newsweek.com/matt-gaetz-votes-against-disaster-relief-hurricane-ian-1748055

Michael Flynn, Trump and America's Christian nationalism threat

Flynn has become a central figure in a network of extremists, conspiracy theorists and election deniers held together by the mechanism of Christian nationalism...

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/michael-flynn-trump-americas-christian-nationalism-threat-rcna50289

 

Supreme Court’s approval sinks to historic lows 100 days after abortion decision | The Hill

"The court shouldn't be wandering around just inserting itself into every hot-button issue in America, and especially it shouldn't be doing that in a way that reflects one ideology or one set of political views over another," Justice Elena Kagan said during a visit to Salve Regina University in Rhode Island on Sept. 19. … https://thehill.com/

regulation/court-battles/3669589-supreme-courts-approval-sinks-to-historic-lows-100-days-after-abortion-decision/

Till review – sensitive Emmett Till drama aims to educate and honor

It's 1955, weeks before Emmett's murder by two white men in Mississippi, and this memory will be one of the last...

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/oct/01/till-review-sensitive-emmett-till-drama-aims-to-educate-and-honor

Marjorie Taylor Greene Says Democrats ‘Have Already Started the Killings’ of Republicans

"I am not going to mince words with you all," Greene said at Donald Trump's rally in Warren, Michigan, on Saturday night. "Democrats want Republicans dead, and they have already started the killings."...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-democrats-have-already-started-the-killings-of-republicans

 

Trump staffers not returning White House records, National Archives says | Reuters

"Former President Trump and his senior staff have shown an utter disregard for the rule of law and our national security by failing to return presidential records as the law requires," Maloney, whose committee shared a copy of the letter with Reuters, said in a statement...

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-documents-idUSKBN2QX0EW

The US ultra-rich justify their low tax rates with three myths – all of them rubbish

Don't fall for these three myths. +

Trickle-down economics is a cruel joke. 

The so-called free market has been distorted by huge campaign contributions from the ultra-rich. 

Don't lionize the ultra-rich as superior "self-made" human beings who deserve their billions. They were lucky and had connections.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/02/ultra-rich-low-tax-rates-economy-myths

Poll shows many Republicans think election losers shouldn't concede

The GOP's openly anti-democratic wing is growing. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that fewer than half of Republicans want election losers to say they lost...

https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/poll-republicans-elections-losers-concede-rcna49979

 

DeSantis’s pleas for hurricane aid raise hackles amid vast partisan divide | Hurricane Ian | The Guardian

The Florida governor, having spent millions on migrant stunt, now passes the hat for disaster relief…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/01/desantis-hurricane-ian-aid-disaster-relief-florida

TikTok Tracks You Across the Web, Even If You Don’t Use App - Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports found that the company uses some of the same techniques as Google, Meta, and other companies to collect personal data…

https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/privacy/tiktok-tracks-you-across-the-web-even-if-you-dont-use-app-a4383537813/

DAHLIA LITHWICK On Her Inspiring New Book – LADY JUSTICE (Al Franken podcast)

Lithwick profiles heroic women attorneys who stepped up to fight injustice and won!

Interview: 

https://alfranken.com/listen/dahlia-lithwick-on-her-inspiring-new-book-lady-justice

Trump made up audit excuse for not releasing tax returns on fly, book says

She writes: "Former employees said he followed unusual business practices, such as accepting cash for lease payments and maintenance services, recalling that one parking garage leaseholder for the General Motors building sent over the cash portion of the lease in dozens of gold bars."…

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/sep/30/trump-audit-tax-returns-plane-chris-christie-maggie-haberman-book

Opinion | Samuel Alito says not to question the integrity of the Supreme Court - The Washington Post

"It goes without saying that everyone is free to express disagreement with our decisions and to criticize our reasoning as they see fit. But saying or implying that the court is becoming an illegitimate institution or questioning our integrity crosses an important line." — Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. , to the Wall Street Journal…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/30/alito-supreme-court-integrity-heresy-satire/

The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2022-09-30

Domestic

Hurricane Ian made landfall in the contiguous United States this week, devastating southwest Florida after it blew its way through Puerto Rico, knocking out the island’s power grid.

This week, President Joe Biden hosted the first conference on hunger and nutrition since 1969. The administration has set a goal to end hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

The federal government could be headed for another shutdown. House Republicans are considering voting no on a funding bill that would keep the government open.
Interview: 

https://the1a.org/segments/puerto-rico-government-shutdown/

International

As protests continue in Iran, the government has vowed that the “chaos” in the country’s streets will not continue. The death of a woman being held in custody over laws about wearing the hijab in public inspired these demonstrations. The government has responded with force and the death toll has now risen to 76 as protests enter their second week. The results of the referendums held in Russian-controlled portions of Ukraine about joining Russia are expected Friday. U.S. citizens in Russia are now being urged to leave the country. Italy is set to welcome its first-ever female prime minister to office. Giorgia Meloni is a far-right, neo-fascist politician whose party supports anti-immigrant policies and focuses on “traditional” families. We cover the most important story from around the globe on the international portion of the News Roundup.

Interview: 

https://the1a.org/segments/iran-protest-italy-fascist/

Christian Homework in a Bathtub (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #446)

— An 8-year-old girl was expelled for not wanting to send her teacher a picture of herself reading in the bathtub. (0:55)

— Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is going after Republican Darren Bailey for using a fundamentalist Christian curriculum in a school he opened. (10:36)

— Are Tennessee’s license plates making it easier for cops to spot atheists? (24:19)

— Students in Baton Rouge, Louisiana thought they were attending a “College & Career Fair.” Instead, they were taken to church. (30:44)

— Fundamentalist Christian mom Lori Alexander wants women to avoid feminism. This chart isn’t helping. (38:55)

— Bible preacher Mike Winger says you should kill someone if God tells you to. (47:30)

— The documentary Jihad Rehab is poorly and irresponsibly made, but some prominent atheists are whining about “identity politics.” (52:47)

— The Satanic Temple sued Indiana’s top officials to block an extreme abortion ban. (1:08:35)
Interview: 

https://audioboom.com/posts/8166550-ep-446-christian-homework-in-a-bathtub

Trump Gets His Special Master, Immediately Regrets It (Opening Arguments podcast OA635)

You can’t quite call it f around and find out, since Judge Cannon has bent over backwards and around and through the 4th dimension and back in time for Trump. But Trump got his hand picked Special Master and quickly found out… he’s just a Reagan Republican. Not a Qanon shaman. Trump has been caught it 11 different traps. OR WOULD HAVE BEEN except for the absolutely Cannon ball that dropped right after we recorded.

Interview: 

https://openargs.com/oa635-trump-gets-his-special-master-immediately-regrets-it/

DeSantis becomes the latest Republican to evolve on disaster aid

As a congressman, Ron DeSantis rejected a key disaster relief package. As a governor, the Florida Republican has evolved in politically convenient ways...

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/desantis-becomes-latest-republican-evolve-disaster-aid-rcna50172

 

Michigan appears set to deliver a blow to Trump | The Hill

The most prominent candidate Trump has backed in the Wolverine State, conservative commentator and gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon, has lagged incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) by double digits in recent polls...
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3667840-the-memo-michigan-appears-set-to-deliver-a-blow-to-trump/

Biden administration scales back student loan forgiveness for some, amid lawsuits - ABC News

While the merits of the complaint have yet to be decided – and as Garrison seeks a temporary restraining order to halt the forgiveness program -- the case's mere existence shows conservatives believe they have found specific plaintiffs who can allege injury under the forgiveness program and so have standing to sue… 

 "We want to be really clear here: Opponents of the Biden-Harris administration student loan plan are trying to stop it because they know it will provide much needed, again, relief for working families. Anyone who does not want to get that debt relief can choose to opt out," she said…

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-scales-back-student-loan-forgiveness-amid-lawsuits-770k-borrowers-excluded/ar-AA12pNnQ

Most registered voters say Trump shouldn’t be allowed to serve a second term, says new poll | The Hill

With several investigations into Trump's conduct ramping up, 51 percent of registered voters say that the allegations of wrongdoing are enough to preclude the former president from launching another campaign...

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3669277-most-registered-voters-say-trump-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-serve-a-second-term-says-new-poll/

Putin’s Newest Annexation Is Dire for Russia Too - The Atlantic

Vladimir Kara-Murza, another opposition politician who has played an important role in campaigning for individual sanctions, is also in prison, where he remains equally defiant. "It continues to amaze me," he told an interviewer via smuggled messages, "how many serious Western analysts buy the Kremlin's propaganda on the 'overwhelming popularity' of Putin and of the war. If this were true, the authorities wouldn't need to rig elections, muzzle the media, or imprison and murder their opponents. The Kremlin knows the real situation—and the only thing it has left in the toolbox to prevent protests in Russia is fear."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/09/russia-annex-ukraine-putin/671607/

Jordan Peterson’s weird authoritarian rant - YouTube

In a strange twist, Jordan Peterson recently argued for church attendance in a rather authoritarian way. In his recent video titled “Article: Message to the Christian Churches,” he said those who refuse to join the church out of ideological disagreement are narcissistic and cynical. “Who cares what you believe?” he asks skeptics. Since his days opposing the Canadian Bill C-16, Peterson has spoken against “leftist authoritarianism,” but now, in defense of traditionalism, he’s using authoritarian rhetoric himself.

https://youtu.be/6NvID5SiDUw

Blasphemy is a Victimless Crime (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)

We celebrate International Blasphemy Day by highlighting challenges to Christian Nationalism and the violation of state/church separation by senators and governors. Former Mormon Ray Matthews tells us why he agreed to appear on FFRF’s "I'm an Atheist and I Vote" billboard in Salt Lake City. Then we speak with Adrienne Martin, who testified before her Texas school board in protest of religiously motivated book banning in the public school.

Interview: 

https://ffrf.org/news/radio/show-items/item/41507-freethought-radio-september-29-2022

Justices shield spouses’ work from potential conflict of interest disclosures - POLITICO

"The ethical rot at the court continues to spread, and public faith in the court erodes along with it," Whitehouse said. "The questions about financial conflicts of interest are one area of concern among many. There's also the flood of dark-money influence bearing down on the court, from the nameless donors behind judicial selection to the orchestrated flotillas of anonymous amici curiae lobbying the justices to the spate of partisan decisions handing wins to corporations and big donor interests."

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/29/justices-spouses-conflict-of-interest-disclosures-00059549