Sorry to interrupt your Sunday but I think it useful in these final weeks before the election to give you the truth on important matters of public policy.
Today, Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance told NBC News that the tariffs Trump imposed during his term in office had not raised prices for Americans but had brought a significant number of jobs back to the United States.
Wrong on both counts.
In a careful analysis, researchers found the cost of Trump’s tariffs were “almost entirely borne by U.S. firms and consumers.”
That’s not surprising; tariffs function like taxes by raising the costs of imported goods. Trump’s proposal to raise tariffs on all imports as a means of raising revenue to offset a tax cut is obviously absurd.
Vance is also wrong about employment. Research clearly shows that the Trump tariffs did not bring jobs back to the United States.
Tariffs may be necessary for national security to protect critical industries such as semiconductors. But no one should be fooled into thinking they’re costless for consumers, or good for workers. The 1930 Smoot-Hawley tariff made the Great Depression far worse than it already was.
That Vance would make these claims — which have been so convincingly debunked — should cause all of us some concern. He seems as unreliable as the person who named him his running-mate.
August 26, otherwise known as Women’s Equality Day, marks the anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment, which granted some women the right to vote.
Yet today, women have fewer rights than they’d had in decades. To recognize this, we acknowledge Women’s Inequality Day.
Inequality impacts our health: although women pay $15 million more each year for health care than men, we spend more of our lives in poor health. Those who may experience pregnancy no longer have reproductive freedom; and when we do give birth, we (particularly women of color) face high rates of maternal mortality.
It impacts our work: we’re paid less than our male counterparts and are underrepresented in leadership roles. We also deal with workplace harassment, insufficient maternal leave, and disproportionate caretaking responsibilities that affect our ability to work.
It impacts our representation: women are severely underrepresented in politics, making up only 25% of the Senate, 29% of the House, and 31.9% of statewide elective executives.
How can we make policies that protect and serve women without more women in office? And in an age where our basic freedoms and bodily autonomy are under fire, how can we ensure our rights aren’t degraded further?
The 2024 federal election is a critical moment in the fight for our equality.
The people we elect in November will be in charge of our rights – including the right to reproductive freedom – for the next four years.
So when you cast your vote in 2024, will you vote for someone who defends those rights? Or someone who wants to take them away?
Our 2024 campaign centers around empowering women to make their voices heard at the ballot box by equipping them with essential voter information. We’re highlighting our free, bilingual one-stop-shop for nonpartisan election information, VOTE411.org.
This year’s Women’s Inequality “Day” campaign will take place from August 26-30, with unique calls to action engaging voters every day! Get involved by sharing content via our social toolkit.
“Bad Romance: Women’s Suffrage is a parody music video paying homage to Alice Paul and the generations of brave women who joined together in the fight to pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote in 1920.” Watch here.
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WOMEN’S PROGRESS THROUGH THE YEARS…
Prior to 1918 Doctor’s weren’t allowed to advise married patients about birth control. Prior to 1920 Women couldn’t vote in all elections until 19th Amendment was ratified. Prior to WWII Female teachers couldn’t be married. During 1950’s Domestic abuse was not considered a crime but a’family matter’. Prior to 1963 Equitable wages for the same work, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex of the workers were not promised until passage of Equal Pay Act. Prior to 1964 Discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex was not prohibited until passage ofthe Civil Rights Act. Prior to 1965 State laws could prohibit the prescription or use of contraceptives by married couples. In some states, the woman needed her husband’s permission to purchase contraceptives. Prior to 1969 Yale and Princeton didn’t accept female students. Prior to 1969 Women couldn’t work at jobs that had been for men only. Prior to 1971 Women with a law degree could be denied the right to plead a client’s case in court. Prior to 1971 Private employers could refuse to hire women with pre-school children. Prior to 1972 The Boston Marathon was an all-male event. There was no Women’s Division. Prior to 1972 The right to privacy didn’t encompass an unmarried person’s right to use contraceptives. Prior to 1972 Title IX of the Education Amendment didn’t exist. Schools that received Federal support didn’t need to provide the same programs to women as they did men.
Prior to 1973 Abortions weren’t legal in the entire U.S. until Roe v. Wade decision by Supreme Court declared the U.S. Constitution protected a woman’s right to terminate an early pregnancy. Prior to 1974 Housing discrimination on the basis of sex and credit discrimination against women existed. Prior to 1974 It was legal to force pregnant women to take maternity leave on the assumption they were incapable of working in their physical condition. Prior to 1974 Single, widowed, or divorced women had to bring a man along to open a bank account or to cosign any credit application. Married women couldn’t open a bank account without their husband’s permission. Prior to 1975 Women were excluded from serving on juries. Prior to 1976 West Point Academy didn’t admit female students. Prior to 1977 Harvard didn’t admit female students. Prior to 1978 There was no ban on discrimination against women on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical issues. Prior to 1984 Women were not allowed to join all-male organizations (Jaycees, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions) Prior to 1994 There were no funded services for victims of rape or domestic violence. Prior to 2013 Women in the military were banned from combat positions. Prior to 2022 Since the 1973 Supreme Court decision (Roe v. Wade), a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy was protected by the U.S. Constitution. This decision was reverse by the current U.S. Supreme Court in 2022. Information provided by Soroptimist site. Learn more about Soroptimist’s by visiting their site here.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY
I read these whenever I get ’em. I think everyone should, so give it a try when you get a few minutes. Well, unless you already did; I’m a few days late reading this one! 🌞
Read the full article. Hit the link for many screenshots.
And now we know the ONLY guy on the CNN panel of “Undecided Voters” who said he was voting for Trump after Harris’ speech was rabidly pro-Trump with a long, detailed social media history. Clips of this are being used by Trump. Do better CNN. https://t.co/PbAxLKMn2q
The only person on CNN’s panel of “undecided voters” who said he was voting for Trump after Harris speech has a long, detailed pro-Trump MAGA social media history. His clip last night went viral on right-wing media & is being used by Trump campaign. Story. https://t.co/MfMSBFxcIf
“RFK Jr. has falsely said that the COVID vaccine is the deadliest vaccine ever made. What’s your response to that?” the reporter asked. Trump dodged the question and replied, “Well, I’m going to have to see because I haven’t seen him yet. I’m going to see him in a little while.”
Q: “RFK Jr. has falsely said that the COVID vaccine is the deadliest vaccine ever made. What’s your response to that?”
Trump: “Well, I’m going to have to see because I haven’t seen him yet. I’m going to see him in a little while.” pic.twitter.com/DTbjPGUseT
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) August 23, 2024
Flashback: RFK Jr. revealed that he agreed to work with Trump to form a vaccine safety commission in 2016, but Trump killed the commission after receiving a $1 million donation from Pfizer.
“The rent is too damn high, and this is one of the reasons why,” Garland told reporters during a press conference on Friday.
AG Merrick Garland announces that the DOJ has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the real estate software company RealPage for enabling "landlords to sidestep vigorous competition in the rental market" and raise rents. pic.twitter.com/KmeywaGVzo
Read the full article. As I just reported, the GOP attorneys general of Texas and Missouri have tried to take down Media Matters for reporting exactly what CBS News just did. Time for yet another lawsuit, Elmo!
She also took jabs at the Republican opponents. “Trust Donald Trump and JD Vance to look out for your family? Shoot, I wouldn’t let these guys, I wouldn’t trust them to move my couch,” Warren quipped.
“Kamala was protecting families,” she said. “And Donald was scamming students at Trump University and trying to make money off people losing their homes. That is the difference between a criminal and prosecutor”
“You think he understands that when your car breaks down you can’t get to work? No! His first word was probably ‘chauffeur.’ You think he’s ever had to take items out of the cart before checking out? Hell, you think he’s even been to a grocery store? That’s what the chauffeur is for!”
“Then… a man tried to assassinate me. I almost died. But I fought for my life and I survived,” Giffords said. “I learned to walk again one step at a time. I learned to talk again one word at a time. My friend Kamala will be a great president. She is tough. She has grit,” Giffords said. “Kamala can beat the gun lobby.”
In a roughly 10-minute tirade on Aug. 3, Trump railed against Kemp for not giving into his false theories of election fraud. He also blamed the governor for not stopping a local district attorney from prosecuting him and others for their efforts to overturn the results. “He’s a bad guy. He’s a disloyal guy. And he’s a very average governor,” Trump said then. “Little Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy.”
Wow this is how you know Trump is really panicking. He’s been ripping Kemp to shreds nonstop for 4 years and now tonight for the very first time he changes his tune. pic.twitter.com/xi7Oq9pgF1
"Protests at the Democrats’ Convention Weren’t as Big and Disruptive as Some Expected" by Julie Bosman, Mitch Smith, Ernesto Londoño, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Jon Cherry via NYT https://t.co/3GHCOHJSFUpic.twitter.com/lLlEXDmnWU
A new High Point University/SurveyUSA Poll shows Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor, leading Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson by 14 percentage points in North Carolina’s closely watched governor’s race.
Other Republicans have followed suit, spending millions at Trump’s properties in an apparent attempt to curry favor with the former president and signal their allegiance to him to GOP voters.
Always about the grift with Trump: Trump’s businesses are raking in millions of dollars from Republican political campaigns – including his own | CNN Politics https://t.co/uCbQG6iKzU
“She caused the Attack of October 7th. Iran was BROKE – Didn’t have money for Hezbollah!” – Trump, in a 26-post meltdown during Harris’s speech last night.
Trump called into Fox News to rage about Kamala's speech, only to be cut off by Bret Baier so they could get to Gutfeld's show. pic.twitter.com/wCUiVYbYyw
The Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago on Monday (August 19) at United Center and was quite the celebration. President Joe Biden gave the final address of the night, which was full of resilience and reassurance that Vice President Kamala Harris is going to be our next President Of The United States.
Biden was also proud of his own legacy, which he expressed by sharing a quote from the song “American Anthem” by Gene Scheer: “What shall our legacy be, what will our children say, let me know in my heart when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you.”
In addition, the night contained a myriad of moments that uplifted the Black community. Here are the best and Blackest moments from Day 1 at the DNC.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson gave VP Harris a galvanizing endorsement.
As one of the night’s earliest speakers, former teacher and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declared his city as the greatest in the world before recognizing the contributions of journalist Ida B. Wells, Rev. Jesse Jackson and this country’s first Black president Barack Obama.
He also expressed excitement about his daughter being able to see a “reflection of herself in the White House” before giving a galvanizing endorsement of Harris.
“What will it take to defeat MAGA Republicans and move our country forward and not backward? It will take everyone, and let me tell you all: Kamala, she’s got us,” Johnson said. “Together, we will build a better, brighter future.”
The great Rev. Jesse Jackson was honored for paving the way for Kamala Harris.
Iconic civil rights leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. received a standing ovation when he made an appearance on the first night of the Democratic National Convention.
Jackson, who stepped down as president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition last year, made history as the second Black American to seek a major-party nomination for President when he ran as a Democrat in 1984.
His historic contributions made it possible for Harris to run today. Jackson, who is currently living with Parkinson’s disease, did not give a speech Monday evening. Instead, he waved and gave a thumbs-up from his wheelchair as he enjoyed the celebration.
Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance
The Democratic presidential nominee is scheduled to give a speech at the DNC Thursday night, but Harris made a surprise appearance on Monday to honor President Biden and thank him for everything he’s done for his country.
Entering the stage to Beyoncé’s “Freedom” wearing a tan pantsuit (which some thought was a nod to former President Barack Obama’s biggest fashion moment in 2014), Harris remarked: “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you.”
She then added: “With optimism, hope and faith, so guided by our love of country, knowing we all have so much more in common than what separates us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear. And let us always remember when we fight, we win.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett reads Donald Trump for absolute filth
In a speech delivered Monday night, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett boldly contrasted Vice President Kamala Harris’ record to that of her presidential opponent Donald Trump. “She became a career prosecutor while he became a career criminal — with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star to prove it!” Crockett said.
She didn’t stop there. “She’s lived the American dream while he’s been America’s nightmare. America, looking at the two choices before you, who would you hire? Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Kamala Harris has a résumé — Donald Trump has a rap sheet.”
She concluded her speech with a nod to her viral Marjorie Taylor Greene “bleach blonde, bad-built butch body” insult from earlier this year.
“The question before us is: Will a vindictive vile villain violate voters’ vision for a better America or not?” Crockett said to raucous cheers from the Chicago audience. “I hear alliterations are back in style.”
Raphael Warnock transforms the stage into his pulpit during moving address
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is also the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, preached to DNC attendees about unifying for the greater good of the country.
“I’m convinced tonight that we can lift the broken even as we climb. We can heal the wounds that divide us. We can heal a planet in peril. We can heal the land,” he stated. Warnock’s emotional address was exactly what Democrats needed. He also addressed the culture of MAGA and its followers’ attack at the U.S. Capitol building in 2021.
“The line of logic of Jan. 6 is a sickness, is a kind of cancer metastasized into dozens of voter suppression laws all across our country,” Warnock said. “And we must be vigilant tonight, because these anti-democratic forces are at work right now in Georgia and across the country.”
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