Lmst

FYI, if you live in #upstate #NewYork, our #Vermont #CongressCritter #BeccaBalint is going to be holding a #TownHall meeting in #GlensFalls this Friday. She'll be joined with Congressman #PaulTonko and Congresswoman #AyannaPressley to make sure the people of #EliseStefanik's district can get their questions answered on what the Republican budget law means for all of us. Aug. 22, 5-7:15pm. More info here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleadksaratoga/event/826558/

Just finished reading an email from our #CongressCritter #BeccaBalint letting us know what the big ugly bill is going to do to #Vermont. Now I want to punch somebody.

#Vermont's own scrappy little #Congresscritter #BeccaBalint is set to chair a new #ProgressiveCaucus task force to end corporate greed. It's one of 4 new progressive task forces aimed at defining "a #Democratic governing agenda that is clear, popular, easy to understand, and quickly delivers material benefits to working people." Good luck, Becca! https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/balint-to-chair-progressive-caucus-task-force/article_8d316a6b-92ab-4e2f-ae0a-c6815fc4b0d9.html

#Vermont #Congresscritter calls today: Just left messages with #Welch and #Balint asking them to keep supporting the trans/non-binary communities, because my friends are afraid for their lives. Balint's assistant focused directly on kids' sports, which felt a little odd, but she got my point.

#Bernie's voicemail wasn't working, so no luck there.

Our #CongressCritter #BeccaBalint was in our part of #Vermont last week. It sucks that Republicans in #Congress are afraid to say anything because of death threats to them and their families. But I have no sympathy. They did this to themselves. https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/rep-balint-cites-concerns-during-pownal-visit/article_08edb2c0-f0a0-11ef-bdda-fb16a6216f9d.html

#EarlyVoting starts tomorrow in #Texas.

I will #vote. And I will vote in every race. It goes from general to specific. The folks at the top are your national and state office-holders, and the folks at the bottom are the ones who are in charge of the parts of government you interact with most. Tax Assessor-Collector manages property tax. The county clerk does more than manage elections. Their office does licenses and DBAs and so on.

Also, I will take my (adult) #child to vote. Their child (my #grandchild) will come along., too. There is a video that explains how the voting machines work (https://youtu.be/9dvFaVxSjtI). I plan to watch outside with my grandson while my daughter votes. The only major update is that it will be one page of ballot paper. When I was training to work this election, they said the printout was reorganized to print two columns or something, so there will only be one sheet.

My #parents took me along when they voted. And, when there was an #election that used the school gymnasium as a polling location, our teacher would take us to see the voting booths. If there weren't voters present, the #electionWorkers would explain how the machines worked.

Because my father was totally #blind, my mother would go into the booth with my father. She would guide his hands to the levers and tell him what each one said, so he could vote for whom he chose and it would be secret from anyone outside the booth, because they heard all the candidates' names.

When I wa a preschooler, he ran for county judge (and lost). I remember the posters and him talking with a bullhorn.

When I was older, he would take me to political fundraisers. Because of this, I can actually list some of the things my then #CongressCritter and #senator supported.

I'm proud to say I'll be voting for #kamala and #ColinAllred. I will also be voting for #Democrats in all my local races.