My biggest realization following the Iowa caucuses is that there are a lot, and I mean a LOT, of Americans who believed (or perhaps were hoping) that Trump would not become the Republican nominee for president in 2024.
I’m not going to dwell on why that might be but instead stress to you that this is real. Trump “winning” the Iowa caucuses was an eye-opening moment for those folks. They are only just coming to terms that Republican voters all over the country still support him and want him back in the White House.
The time for us to deal with this reality and start working to make sure Democrats win from the White House to your local city council is now. I talk about this regularly on my social channels and will be bringing you additional posts here at Political Charge to give you ideas of how you can help. With that, let’s dig in.
Good News
On Tuesday, Dems flipped a Florida state legislative seat! Tom Keen won State House District 35 with 51.3% of the vote.
Americans are feeling much better about the economy. Consumer sentiment jumped 13% in the first half of January from December, the biggest two-month increase since 1991.
Biden cancelled nearly $5 billion in student loan debt for 74,000 people today, focusing this round mostly on teachers, nurses, firefighters and others in public service.
Congress passed stopgap legislation to keep the federal government open into March.
SCOTUS declined to weigh in, for now, on a lower court’s decision to allow transgender students in Indiana schools the freedom to use the bathroom of their choice.
President Biden’s campaign effort raised more than $97 million in the final three months of 2023.
Former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro’s request for a new trial on his contempt of Congress charge (after he was convicted of ignoring a subpoena from the Jan. 6 Committee) was denied.
Biden’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a rule that would limit overdraft charges at the largest U.S. banks and credit unions. The proposal aims to end the standard $35 overdraft fee — replacing it with a benchmark range of $3 to $14.
Judge Kaplan had to school Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba about how to properly enter a document into evidence. (This is for the E. Jean Carroll case.)
The New York State Court of Appeals says Trump’s appeal of the gag order in the New York civil fraud trial has been dismissed. It said there was “no substantial constitutional question” that was “directly involved.”
Heads Up About New Hampshire
The New Hampshire primary is happening this upcoming Tuesday, January 23rd. I’m guessing the media will be mostly focused on the Republican primary, but the Democratic primary will be happening as well. Here’s the thing. Biden decided to skip this primary (I’ll explain) and so he won’t be on the ballot. So there’s a chance that the media will fixate on that.
Honestly, it’s not a big deal but I want you to understand the context. Essentially, Biden and other Democrats wanted to move the first Democratic primary away from New Hampshire, which is 90% white, to South Carolina whose population is much closer to the Democratic base. But, New Hampshire state law says they must have their primary first, so they scheduled it before South Carolina’s primary (February 3rd.) So Biden is symbolically skipping it.
So because Biden won’t be on the ballot and two Democratic primary challengers are, you can see how bad actors will try to use the NH primary results as a way to bash Biden. Again, if you see any negative stories about Biden coming out of New Hampshire next week, they are meaningless.
Call to Action
Democrats have an opportunity to flip George Santos’ old seat in New York soon! Yes, Tom Suozzi is running in the Tuesday, February 13 special election and it looks really competitive. If we support Tom and get the word out, we can absolutely win and flip this seat! Please check out Tom’s website and then donate, or sign up to volunteer, or share the website on your socials. Thank you!
Cartoons
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Categories: Articles
Another especially good batch of cartoons. The messages are so clear and ironic. I always appreciate your culling these from many sources and sending us the best.
Love Lady Justice with E. Jean Carroll. Good summary of events. There’s much positive news!
Thnx so much for your hard work! Keep warm!
I found your comments on New Hampshire especially helpful this week. Media headlines and GOP rhetoric already are putting a negative spin on Biden skipping NH, just as they have overhyped Iowa as a landslide for trump. Newsletters like your and Robert Hubbell’s are my North Star for staying sane and hopeful
I will be making a small donation to Tom Suozzi’s campaign in NY. I have become a firm believer in the power of many individuals and many small donations to make a difference.
I’m not at all a Donald Trump fan, my antipathy being mostly due to his attempt to overthrow via fraudulently preventing the newly elected U.S. presidency.
Still, I find it astonishing that he is expected to not maintain his claim to innocence in the public domain. If she can publicly accuse him of sexual assault, he should be able to publicly deny it without costing him so many millions to do so.
And where else has this standard been applied, for I cannot recall hearing of such? In fact, I’ve heard many other American public figures deny accusations by other public figures that were much less potentially reputation shattering. What makes this one so different, other than a civil-trial judge’s ruling? … Remember: this is America, the most free-speech nation on the planet, if not the universe.
I realize that he no longer can be tried criminally for sexual assault, but denying him through great financial sanction the basic right to proclaim and maintain innocence, however unlikely it may seem or be, is to me very wrong.
Look, Trump is definitely a sexually self-entitled jerk, who likely can afford to take a financial penalty for something I believe he likely committed. But it nevertheless creeps me out how this can occur anywhere, let alone in the most (supposedly) free-speech nation on Earth.
That’s what the first trial was about. They each presented their stories, evidence, etc. And Trump was found liable for sexual abuse. That’s how our judicial system works. This second trial was only about his continued defaming of Carroll.