23 Comments
Jul 4Liked by Corinne Fay, Virginia Sole-Smith

Yes, thank you. I’m in Michigan where things are different because of this! And it all changed when the lines were redrawn to not be gerrymandered.

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author

Michigan is an inspiration!

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Thanks, along with awesome giving circles we also worked really hard getting the petition for abortion rights to be on the ballot, which brought out a lot of voters. It’s a snowball but in a good way.

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Jul 4Liked by Virginia Sole-Smith

I'm in TN which is easily one of the worst states. No hope for us here. But then again, it's been that way awhile. I wish more Democrats would run but it's such a hostile environment many probably don't want to put their families at risk. I truly treasure Gloria Johnson and "the Justins" in our Tennessee State Legislature. The Justins provide video of where they are treated unequally time and time again, and it's jaw dropping. Why can't the ACLU do something about it? I don't know what can be done and it's depressing.

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author

It’s so hard and scary. And I’m sure it feels like we’ve given up in places like TN but I do hold out hope that as we make progress in other states, it will translate… just not nearly fast enough!

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founding

But, we have been forgotten though...

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Yes! I know everyone has so much on their plate but yes we are forgotten. And also it's unfeasible to move for many people so you're stuck where you are. And you shouldn't HAVE to move to live in decent conditions.

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I wonder if it will be in my lifetime! :-(

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founding

I highly recommend Jess Piper's substack. She's a former literature teacher who ran for Congress in Missouri (a state much like TN). She talks about this and living as a Democrat in a supermajority red state.

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founding

She is such an inspiration and source of hope for me.

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thanks! will check it out.

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founding

There is a podcast about the state of the state of TN. It's about how the supermajority allows the legislature to go well beyond what citizens would want. And gun violence, and political activism. https://www.npr.org/series/1254807812/nprs-embedded-supermajority

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Jul 6Liked by Virginia Sole-Smith

This is the most hopeful I’ve felt in a long time. Thank you!❤️❤️

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Jul 4Liked by Virginia Sole-Smith

This was the boost I needed to start my own giving circle to help wrest Florida out of the autocracy it has become under Meatball Ron

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author

YESSS

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founding
Jul 4Liked by Virginia Sole-Smith

Oh, I needed this today. Thank you.

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author

ME TOO.

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founding

This is important work that needs to be done. But, what about states like Missouri, which has been in the claws of a 22 year Republican supermajority? The national Democratic party ignores our state candidates because they know they won't win. Democratic havens such as St. Louis are being targeted by state government through harmful policies and diversion of funds. What do we here in MO do?!?

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founding

Waving in solidarity from Kansas.

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Jul 4Liked by Virginia Sole-Smith

Thank you, this is giving me hope when I was rapidly losing it to fear.

Why is Nebraska on the voting form? I am not seeing it mentioned in the podcast.

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author

Whoops! i think that was a mistake, thanks for catching!

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That makes sense. I was genuinely confused and am glad I didn’t totally miss something!

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founding

Thank you for putting Kansas on the list. We’re really up against the wall here with a supermajority that doesn’t care about what voters want.

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